Chancellor Matthew Goldstein praised President Obama’s proposal to expand the Pell Grant program next year to nearly $35 billion in aid for low and moderate-income families.
At CUNY, the Obama proposal would raise the total federal support for eligible students to $406 million.
Noting that the grants are a primary safety net for many of CUNY’s financially disadvantaged students, the Chancellor urged that the proposal be accepted into the final budget.
“This proposal will enhance students’ access to a college education, with dramatic impact on New York’s communities and economy,“ said Goldstein. “Many thousands of bright, promising students would benefit from enhanced access to affordable higher education.”
Under President Obama’s plan, the maximum award would be increased by $160 to $5,710 in 2011. After that, the maximum would increase annually by the rate of inflation plus 1 percent, bringing it to an estimated $6,900 by 2019.
In the 2008-2009 academic year, approximately 107,200 University students received $334 million in Pell grants. About 110,000 students are receiving $385 million in aid this academic year.
In 2010-11, under the proposal, the number of Pell recipients would increase by about 6% to 117,000 and the total expenditures would go up $21 million to $406 million.
The neediest students would receive a $160 a year increase. The other recipients would receive a pro-rated increase.
Nationwide, about 9 million students will receive the grants – an increase of about one million.
The City University of New York is the nation’s leading urban public university. Founded in New York City in 1847 as The Free Academy, the University’s 23 institutions include 11 senior colleges, six community colleges, the William E. Macaulay Honors College at CUNY, the Graduate School and University Center, the CUNY Graduate School of Journalism, the CUNY School of Law, the CUNY School of Professional Studies and the CUNY School of Public Health. The University serves 260,000 credit students and 269,808 adult, continuing and professional education students. College Now, the University’s academic enrichment program for 32,500 high school students, is offered at CUNY campuses and more than 300 high schools throughout the five boroughs of New York City. The University offers online baccalaureate degrees through the School of Professional Studies and an individualized baccalaureate through the CUNY Baccalaureate Degree. More than 1 million visitors and 2 million page views are served each month by www.cuny.edu, the University’s website.
