New York Makes a Major Investment to Support Childcare at Public Colleges and Universities

The State of New York has established a new program that will greatly increase the availability of childcare for students at campuses of the vast 64-campus State University of New York System as well as at campuses of the City University of New York.

At some State University of New York campuses, about 80 percent of students with dependents reported that they had trouble meeting their childcare needs. The State University of New York is expanding on-site child care services with $7.6 million for campuses with the greatest demand. During the 2021-2022 academic year, the State University of New York served 650 student-parents with about 4,500 childcare spots across the 46 SUNY campuses that have a childcare center onsite. With the additional centers, another 350 childcare spots will become available.

The City University of New York is receiving $4.8 million to expand childcare services on campuses that don’t have centers. The City University of New York currently operates childcare centers on 17 of its 25 campuses. During the 2021-2022 academic year, these centers had 1,400 places available. The expansion will add places across the system to primarily serve younger children, including infants and toddlers.

“Expanding child care services at our colleges means removing a barrier that would otherwise prevent New Yorkers from pursuing a college degree or educating our students,” said CUNY Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez. “Providing the more than 10 percent of CUNY undergraduate students who are parents with the resources they need to focus on their academic and career goals is just one way that we have their backs.”