In a move that underscores his long commitment to a better quality of life and community empowerment, New York City Mayor Eric Adams has approved of substantial funding for City University of New York programs that work towards uplifting communities in need of educational assistance.

The decision marks a significant step in enhancing education opportunities and driving positive change.

CUNY Chancellor Felix V. Matos Rodriguez released a public statement thanking local officials for supporting CUNY’s efforts while noting how the money will be beneficial to the CUNY community.

“The budget builds on CUNY’s work to provide academic and social support to our more than 226,000 degree-seeking students as well as enhance our efforts to recruit students and help them secure professional jobs upon graduation,” Rodriguez said. “We thank Mayor Eric Adams, New York City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams and the City Council for approving a spending plan that includes key funding for CUNY programs that lift New Yorkers and increase CUNY’s impact as an engine of social and economic equality.”

With CUNY’s $32 million funding restored, Adams and Chancellor Rodriguez’s “Inclusive Economy Initiative” will receive $4.8 million in funding, while “CUNY Reconnect” will receive $5.8 million in funding.

The “Inclusive Economy Initiative,” launched in September 2022, is a $16 million public-private partnership geared towards improving professional development of CUNY students and reaching its goal of connecting 80% of CUNY graduates to careers following graduation by 2030.

In his released statement, Adams pointed out the significance of the Inclusive Economy Initiative program, alluding to the importance of CUNY’s position in preparing the community for their respective professional fields.

“As a CUNY alum, I know the important role this institution plays in helping New Yorkers create a better future for themselves and their families,” Adams said.
CUNY Reconnect is a program, supported by City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, that aims to help students who were unable to finish their college education return to CUNY classrooms.

“When we invest in the success of working-age New Yorkers and their families, our communities and city benefit,” Speaker Adams said in a statement. “In its first academic year, CUNY Reconnect has already helped 17,000 students return to the classroom to complete their college degrees and expand opportunities for economic mobility. With additional funding in the city budget, this groundbreaking initiative will reach even more New Yorkers to empower them to fulfill their dreams.”

The restoration of CUNY funding was just one of the many trials and tribulations that the Adams Administration and New York City Council faced.

The Adams administration and City Council agreed to a $107 billion city budget in June 2023, the Gothamist reported. This agreement arrived after tense negotiations between his administration and the council after cuts to city libraries, CUNY and programs for senior citizens were brought to the table as options.

Aside from education, the new budget included $95 million to expand the Fair Fares program, which would allow low-income New Yorkers to ride the subway and bus rides at discounted prices.

$100 million went towards a citywide hospital program that provides free to low-cost health care to New Yorkers. The budget created an additional 5,000 slots for the city’s Summer Youth Employment Program.

Shortly after the agreement was made, Adams said that the budget agreement was a victory for the working-class people of New York.

“Unlike the Yankees, it was not a perfect game,” Adams said. “But we got a win for working-class New Yorkers.”