Bill > A01727

This bill enacts "The New Deal for CUNY," a comprehensive legislative package aimed at transforming the City University of New York (CUNY) system by addressing long-standing challenges in higher education. The bill mandates gradual increases in faculty and mental health counselor staffing ratios, with specific targets to be implemented between the 2027-2028 and 2031-2032 academic years. For example, the bill requires CUNY colleges to increase full-time faculty from 45 to 65 per 1,000 students and establish a minimum of one mental health counselor per 1,000 students. The legislation also stipulates that tuition and student fees for in-state undergraduate students will be fully reimbursed by federal, state, and city funds, effectively creating a free tuition model. Additionally, the bill addresses faculty compensation by requiring equal wages for part-time and adjunct faculty compared to full-time lecturers and professors. The bill emphasizes racial and ethnic diversity in hiring and aims to provide more comprehensive student support by improving academic advising and mental health services. Importantly, the legislation includes mandatory annual reporting to legislative committees to track progress on these initiatives, ensuring transparency and accountability in implementing the proposed changes.

Education

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A1727