New York public higher education is no longer competitive with its peers, even as New Yorkers need public higher education to succeed and prosper. The dimensions of the crisis are daunting:

New York State funding for CUNY fell 18% in real dollars since 1990. Full-time faculty now number 5,000 less than in 1975, even as enrollments increase. Teaching continues to be shifted onto poorly-paid adjunct faculty. Tuition as a part of CUNY's operating budget has increased from 20% to 36% since 1990. Uncompetitive faculty salaries and crippling workloads have created a recruitment and retention crisis at CUNY.