Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and Higher Education Committee Chair Deborah J. Glick today announced the 2013-2014 Budget includes higher education appropriations that will decrease the financial burden on community college students, preserve funding for SUNY and CUNY child care centers and SUNY health science centers, and increase aid to opportunity programs.

"Maintaining our commitment to students and our educational institutions is key to the future success of New York," said Silver. "With continued funding for community college base aid, SUNY and CUNY child care centers, and our state teaching hospitals, and an increase in funding for opportunity programs, we are helping a new generation of New Yorkers achieve their academic and professional goals."

"Affordable higher education is a stepping stone to success," said Glick. "I am proud to have once again successfully fought for crucial funding for our community college students, opportunity programs, and child care services at state college campuses. For those students who struggle financially, these continuations and increases open the door to higher education."

Total community college base aid of $648.1 million includes an increase of $30.8 million. The plan also includes an additional $150 per full-time equivalent (FTE) SUNY and CUNY community college student to raise the total community college base aid to $2,422 per FTE. Funding for community colleges is based on the number of enrolled students. By raising community college aid, the state reduces a financial burden for both students and municipalities.

Under the plan, funding totaling $3.1 million is maintained for child care services at state colleges and community colleges. Of that, $1.7 million supports child care centers at SUNY campuses and $1.4 million at CUNY campuses. This service provides important wrap-around support for student parents, forwarding their goal of academic achievement and professional advancement.

The final state budget maintains $27.8 million in funding for SUNY hospitals to be split evenly between the Upstate, Downstate, and Stony Brook Health Science Centers. Tens of thousands of patients benefit from the quality care provided by these teaching hospitals every year.

Opportunity programs saw a funding increase of three percent across the board, for a total increase of $2.9 million and a total appropriation of $98.9 million to support their critical goal of providing academic and supportive services to economically and educationally disadvantaged residents for 2013-2014. Funding for opportunity programs includes:

• Educational Opportunity Program (EOP), $21.7 million;
• Search for Education, Elevation, and Knowledge (SEEK), $18.9 million;
• College Discovery, $909,500;
• Liberty Partnerships, $12.9 million;
• Higher Educations Opportunity Program (HEOP), $25 million;
• Science and Technology Entry Program (STEP), $11.1 million; and
• Collegiate Science and Technology Entry Program (CSTEP), $8.4 million.