By Tasnim Oyshi
Editorialist
Tuition is expensive. This is something we are all unfortunately familiar with. Most, if not all, college students have a gripe with the amount they have to pay to be able to obtain a degree. While things like financial aid and scholarships can make it a little easier for students straight out of high school to deal with overwhelming charges on their tuition bill, adult learners often lack any sort of help.
On Oct. 5, New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced that the state will expand free attendance to community college for New York residents between the ages of 25 and 55, starting in January of next year. New Yorkers can enroll in “high demand” degrees at State University of New York and City University of New York, according to the official New York State website.
Residents will be able to take advantage of this opportunity even if they have previous college degrees. Thus, adults in New York will be able to gain the education needed to work in quickly growing industries, such as technology, healthcare and cybersecurity, and even switch career paths if they desire.
This is an extension to Hochul’s existing SUNY and CUNY Reconnect program established in 2025, which was initially limited to New York citizens with no previous college degrees. Through this initiative, Hochul is attempting to lessen the usage of artificial intelligence in the workforce and provide more New Yorkers with skills and education needed for jobs.
This is undeniably good news for New Yorkers. During a time in which big corporations in the nation like Amazon and Meta are heavily investing in AI and laying off workers, education is a crucial tool to have. Therefore, the expansion of the SUNY and CUNY Reconnect program can be a lesson for other states and even the federal government.
There are few other states in the country that have launched similar free community college initiatives, such as Michigan, Tennessee and Massachusetts. However, these other programs still require adults to not have any previous degrees. In New Jersey, former Governor Phil Murphy started the Community College Opportunity Grant in 2018, which allows eligibility based on household income.
While the programs in other states are helpful, they fall behind New York’s accessibility to a wide range of adult learners. Furthermore, those that live in states without any such programs suffer from the lack of options to gain education that could move them forward in the job field.
When a proper college degree is a necessity for many jobs, education should be a basic right in the country for people of all ages. New York’s ability to introduce and then amplify the SUNY and CUNY Reconnect program in such a short amount of time tells us that it is possible to make education a priority in the country.
Funding for important educational opportunities like this should be a priority for every state. Especially considering the fact that there are no federal policies regarding this matter, it is up to each state to invest in and implement programs like New York’s for their own residents.
Jobs are an essential need for people to survive in the real world. Without a college degree, citizens are unable to get jobs that pay them a sufficient wage, especially when they are competing with AI. Every state should be taking care of its people and, thus, they need to make college education accessible to all their residents.
