Despite Gov. Kathy Hochul’s promise of creating an equitable statewide higher education system, opportunity programs designed for disadvantaged students may lose money this fiscal year. During a panel at City & State’s Higher Education Summit, state Sen. Toby Ann Stavisky said Hochul’s executive budget will make cuts to these programs.
“Last year in the 2025 budget, the Senate or the Assembly together, we restored the governor’s cuts to the opportunity programs,” Stavisky told City & State. “This year, she cut what we added. I mean, the money’s still there, but she cut what the Legislature added.”
Funding for a few equal opportunity programs was not renewed in Hochul’s budget proposal. The SUNY Equal Opportunity Program and SUNY Higher Education Opportunity Program were cut by $2.7 million and $2.9 million respectively, about a 6% decrease from last year for both, according to Stavisky’s office.
Funding from the cuts was allocated toward construction, Stavisky explained.
“We put a lot of additional money into construction, and that we knew last year was going to be just one year,” she said, referring to the governor’s investment into SUNY Downstate. “That’s why the budget for education looks lower, but we knew that was going to happen.”
The programs were legislative additions during budget negotiations that were added to the final spending plan, the governor’s office told City & State. Legislators will meet in a joint budget hearing about higher education Feb. 24, and the cut to these programs will definitely be a talking point, according to Stavisky: “We want to be sure that we restore that funding also, perhaps with an increase,” she said.
The governor’s proposed program cuts come as the Trump administration mandated states to end diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, something Hochul has refused to comply with.
“The governor looks forward to negotiating in good faith with the Legislature over the coming weeks to finalize the budget,” Hochul’s spokesperson Emma Wallner said.