The Commission on Independent Colleges and Universities (CICU) aims to provide opportunity and access to higher education through fairness, equity, and humanity. New York is home to the largest Independent Sector of higher education in the world with more than 100 independent colleges and universities educating nearly 500,000 students annually. CICU is a statewide association representing the public policy interests of the chief executives of New York’s independent colleges and universities in New York State.