Tagged: New York State

Tell the New York State Legislature to Fund CUNY

This week, the New York State Assembly will finish their proposed state budget for the following year. The budget process includes negotiations between the state legislature and the governor, but this year, the City University of New York is in precarious position after New York Governor Andrew Cuomo suggested in his State of the State address in January that the city of New York should be responsible to fully fund CUNY. Last year, the state contributed $485 million to CUNY and placing that kind of financial burden on the City of New York is tantamount to defunding CUNY for that amount. It would be a catastrophe for public secondary education in the nation’s largest city.

If you’re a resident of New York State, ask the state legislature to reject Cuomo’s budget proposal and to contribute to CUNY and the livelihood of the state.

Related: Read Paul Krugman's account of how CUNY levels the economic playing field for students.

Update: Joseph R. Lentol (NY Assembly, District 50) supports an increase of funding for CUNY.

Upstate New York

Now that I’ve lived more of my adult years in the state of New York State than I did in California, twelve years versus six, it’s time I had an opinion on how far you have to go before you’ve reached “upstate New York.” My first true trip out of the city was to Mamaroneck, and it seemed like upstate to me at the time. If you’re laughing at me for mistaking a suburban Westchester County town for upstate, I absolutely deserve it.

But as I’ve lived here longer, visited friends as far as Rochester, ridden aboard the Lake Shore Limited through Buffalo en route to Chicago, and have cycled around the Hudson River Valley, I have a better idea of what is “upstate” and what is just suburban New York City.

My working definition of upstate has been Albany or equivalent distance from NYC, excluding Long Island. Other longtime residents, including many of my students, define it as anywhere outside of the five boroughs, Westchester and Long Island. Some will even lump Westchester towns such as White Plains and Yonkers as upstate.

The New York State government actually has a specific definition, and it’s not unlike mine:

Albany’s working definition of upstate New York is based on what lies outside the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s commuter rail area. Besides New York City and Long Island, it excludes Westchester, Rockland, Orange, Putnam and Dutchess Counties.

There you have it. Now let’s never argue about this again.