In CNY stop, Hochul talks free adult tuition at community colleges

Also highlighted state’s $200M in funding for Upstate’s emergency dept.  

Gov. Kathy Hochul used a Jan. 29 visit to Onondaga County to discuss her plan to offer free community college tuition for adult learners aged 25 to 55 in New York. She also met with the leadership of Upstate Medical University to discuss the state’s $200 million in funding for Upstate University Hospital’s proposed new emergency department.

New emergency department

The governor’s office says hospital leadership thanked Hochul for the funding for the project. That money is in addition to the annual $50 million in capital for ongoing maintenance to the facility, the office noted. The governor publicly announced the funding as part of her state-budget proposal on Jan. 21. That same day, budget director Blake Washington spoke in a technical briefing about the fiscal year 2026 budget proposal and mentioned the funding for Upstate University Hospital. “$2 billion [is] for SUNY and CUNY capital projects including $450 million for SUNY Downstate; this is part of an agreement that we entered into with the Legislature just last year helping to build SUNY Downstate into a world class institution — one that serves the community well. And similarly, we provide $200 million for SUNY Upstate as they too are starting to figure out what their next act is. … Obviously, there’s a lot of activity in Central New York now with Micron on the horizon, and SUNY Upstate must be there to provide services to tens of thousands of people that arrive, God willing, to Central New York once Micron is up and running. They need a world-class hospital as well. SUNY Upstate is the only sort of trauma center in the region. It’s absolutely essential there, so we have an investment as well for capital there,” Washington said, per the transcript of the briefing. Hochul’s state-budget proposal includes $2 billion for new capital projects at SUNY and CUNY (City University of New York) campuses. The figure includes $650 million for the modernization and revitalization of SUNY hospitals, broken down as $450 million Downstate, $200 million for Upstate University Hospital’s new emergency department, per the budget book provided to news outlets on Jan. 21.

Free adult tuition

Hochul discussed her proposal during a visit to Onondaga Community College. The plan is part of the governor’s 2025 State of the State. Statewide, more than 4 million working-age adults don’t have a college degree or credential. The proposal would cover tuition, fees, and books at any SUNY or CUNY community college for these adult learners who have never earned a degree and are pursuing an associate degree in a high-demand field, including nursing, teaching, technology, and engineering. “Under my plan, every New Yorker will have the chance to pursue a free associate degree at SUNY and CUNY community colleges to help fill the in-demand jobs of tomorrow,” Hochul said in the announcement. Besides the governor’s remarks, SUNY Chancellor John B. King, Jr. joined the event as Onondaga Community College President Warren Hilton updated the governor on the campus’s readiness to expand enrollment in academic programs tied to in-demand jobs. The tour at OCC included the construction site for the $15 million, 5,000 square-foot Micron Simulation Lab at the campus, which will help to train students. The clean room is expected to be fully operational during the summer of 2026. Micron Technology Inc. (NASDAQ: MU) has plans for a massive semiconductor-manufacturing campus in the town of Clay, that officials are saying will transform the Central New York economy. “Governor Hochul has and continues to be a strong supporter of workforce opportunities to boost high-skilled manufacturing and strengthen the statewide economy,” Randy Wolken, president & CEO of DeWitt–based MACNY, The Manufacturers Association, said in a separate Jan. 29 statement. “Her proposal to offer free community college tuition to adult learners 25-55 years old in New York builds upon this commitment. This plan would fill a workforce shortage in advanced manufacturing and other high-demand professions.”