FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
March 30, 2009

Assembly Majority Lauds Restoration of Funding to
SUNY and CUNY, Tuition Assistance Program


Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, Assembly Ways and Means Committee Chair Herman D. Farrell, Jr., and Assembly Higher Education Chair Deborah J. Glick today announced that the SFY 2009-2010 budget helps middle class New Yorkers obtain access to quality public higher education during this recession by restoring $49.9 million in proposed cuts to the Tuition Assistance Program and providing $3.9 billion in funding for the SUNY and CUNY systems.

"Higher education is the cornerstone to a strong and prosperous economy," said Silver (D-Manhattan). "This is not the time to cut funding to higher education and impose financial obstacles in the way of hard working New Yorkers who want to get a college education. The budget invests $2.5 billion for SUNY, nearly $125 million more than last year, and $144 million more for CUNY, providing it with a total of $1.4 billion."

"With this budget, we fought to ensure that our public higher education system remains affordable, even during this economic downturn," said Farrell (D-Manhattan). "With more than half of SUNY and CUNY students enrolled at community colleges, it is important that even during an economic recession, we continue to provide crucial base aid to these students."

"In a difficult budget year, we have managed to maintain the strength and integrity of our higher education system, both private and public," said Glick (D-Manhattan). "This is crucial to the economic recovery of our state. By preserving the excellence of our higher education system, we will maintain an educated workforce."

The SFY 2009-2010 budget includes higher education related items: