Unrestricted Enrollment for Adults: Thousands Respond to New York State's No-Cost Community College Program
Governor Kathy Hochul has announced the launch of the Reconnect program, a free-tuition initiative aimed at helping fill shortages in nursing, allied health, and other critical sectors. The program, which is open to New York State residents aged 25 to 55 without a college degree, covers tuition, fees, books, and supplies for those enrolled in at least 6 credits per semester and pursuing associate degrees in high-demand fields.
The high-demand fields span advanced manufacturing, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, engineering, technology, health fields including nursing, green energy, and teaching shortage areas. Eligible programs vary by college, but they encompass associate degrees relevant to these sectors.
At Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC), for example, eligible programs include Animation & Motion Graphics, Bilingual Childhood Education, Biotechnology, Childhood Education, Computer Information Systems, Computer Network Technology, Computer Science, Data Science, Digital Marketing, Early Childhood Education, Engineering Science, Geographic Information Science, Health Information Technology, Math & Science for Secondary Education, Multimedia Program Design, Nursing (AAS), Paramedic, Respiratory Therapy, Science for Forensics, Secondary Education for Social Studies, and Video Arts and Technology.
The Reconnect program is separate from federal budget pressures and is not affected by them. Governor Hochul stated that she is committed to making education more affordable and accessible, and the program reflects the state's commitment to "investing in our human capital."
CUNY Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez mentioned that about 7,000 of the 16,500 applications received so far are for CUNY campuses. The Reconnect program will build on existing degree programs while accelerating others to meet workforce needs.
The application process for the Reconnect program is similar to any other, with applicants applying to over 180 high-demand programs at SUNY and over 120 at CUNY. The program, called Reconnect, expands on CUNY's existing Reconnect initiative and launches SUNY's version this fall.
At the time of publication, neither SUNY nor CUNY had returned requests for details on the programs being pursued by the 16,500 applicants announced Tuesday or the number of students starting in the fall.
Governor Hochul stated that there is no cap on the number of applicants the Reconnect program can accept each year, making it an opportunity for many New Yorkers to further their education and prepare for in-demand jobs in growing industries. The program is intended to help bridge the gap between the workforce needs and the available talent, ensuring a skilled and capable workforce for the future.
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