MCC Daily Tribune

Gov. Cuomo Announces Proposal to Provide NY Nurses Priority Access to SUNY, CUNY Programs

Heroic Nurses to Receive Priority Admission to State and City Run Universities to Fulfill Baccalaureate Credentials

On Jan. 10, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced legislation to provide New York nurses priority access to SUNY and CUNY programs as part of the 2021 State of the State. Under this proposal, licensed nurses and nursing candidates will receive priority admission to all SUNY and CUNY programs across the State beginning in the fall of 2021 to fulfill baccalaureate credentials and continue practicing.

"Health care workers showed up every day to help keep us safe. They worked tirelessly to save thousands of lives, all while putting their own lives at risk. When I asked them to step up, they did so blindly. They knew the risks and they still came to work every day to protect the rest of us. Many put their lives on hold to help." Governor Cuomo said. "They had our back, now we must have theirs. We're giving these COVID heroes priority to the greatest university system in the world, to complete their degrees and continue to do what they have done best throughout this pandemic: keep us all safe."

BSN in 10 was signed into law by Governor Cuomo in 2017 to enhance the quality of patient care and elevate the nursing profession. It requires all nurses who complete an Associate Degree in New York State to complete a Baccalaureate of Science Degree in Nursing within 10 years of becoming a nurse to maintain licensure by the State. SUNY and CUNY will work with campuses to implement priority access for eligible candidates allowing the priority access to SUNY and CUNY nursing programs which will allow the 40,000 nurses and nursing candidates who are required by law to complete their baccalaureate credentials access to quality and affordable education within the state.

SUNY Chancellor Jim Malatras said, "Within the darkest moments caused by this pandemic, our healthcare professionals have been an inspiration to us all for their heroic and selfless efforts as they provide life-saving care. This is especially true of our nurses who are the heartbeat of healthcare. Governor Cuomo's proposal to provide priority access for New York's licensed nurses is exactly what we need to strengthen and protect our healthcare system. SUNY stands ready to meet the Governor's challenge."

CUNY Chancellor Félix Matos Rodríguez said, "We all owe a debt of gratitude to the selfless health care workers who throughout this terrifying pandemic have saved the lives of countless of our family members, friends and neighbors while courageously risking their own. The nurses on the frontlines have been nothing short of heroic in the fight against the deadly COVID-19 virus. Governor Cuomo's proposal will enable these brave professionals to complete their studies at first-class institutions and continue their life-saving work."

About the State University of New York

The State University of New York is the largest comprehensive system of higher education in the United States, and more than 95 percent of all New Yorkers live within 30 miles of any one of SUNY's 64 colleges and universities. Across the system, SUNY has four academic health centers, five hospitals, four medical schools, two dental schools, the state's only college of optometry, and manages one US Department of Energy National Laboratory. As of fall 2019, more than 415,500 students were enrolled in a degree-granting program at a SUNY campus. In total, SUNY serves about 1.3 million students in credit-bearing courses and programs, continuing education, and community outreach programs. SUNY oversees nearly a quarter of academic research in New York. Research expenditures system-wide exceeded $1.7 billion in fiscal year 2019, including significant contributions from students and faculty. There are three million SUNY alumni worldwide, and one in three New Yorkers with a college degree is a SUNY alum. To learn more about how SUNY creates opportunity, visit suny.edu.

About The City University of New York

The City University of New York is the nation's largest urban public university, a transformative engine of social mobility that is a critical component of the lifeblood of New York City. Founded in 1847 as the nation's first free public institution of higher education, CUNY today has seven community colleges, 11 senior colleges and seven graduate or professional institutions spread across New York City's five boroughs, serving 500,000 students of all ages and awarding 55,000 degrees each year. CUNY's mix of quality and affordability propels almost six times as many low-income students into the middle class and beyond as all the Ivy League colleges combined. More than 80 percent of the University's graduates stay in New York, contributing to all aspects of the city's economic, civic and cultural life and diversifying the city's workforce in every sector. CUNY's graduates and faculty have received many prestigious honors, including 13 Nobel Prizes and 26 MacArthur "Genius" Grants. The University's historic mission continues to this day: provide a first-rate public education to all students, regardless of means or background.

Rosanna Yule
Government and Community Relations
01/12/2021