Queens, sorry to hear that you won't be at Regionals. To me, if you're going to have a team, any sport, the minimum commitment that you should make to the student-athletes on those teams is: 1) You're going to race the meet that gives you the chance to qualify for the national championship, 2) You're going to race in your conference championship, 3) You're going to race in at least as many meets as you need to be eligible to compete at nationals, should any of your student-athletes qualify. I'd say that about any sport...If you're going to have a team gives your student-athletes the chance to qualify for NCAA's.
I understand budget issues that colleges go through and certainly don't envy the job that any AD has to balance the books and be fair to all teams that a school sponsors. Looking at the Queens XC schedule, it's definitely bare bones...5 meets, 3 on Long Island and 1 less than 15 miles away in NJ. Conference meet was way out in Rochester. Queens has 20 sports. Looking at some other schedules, looks like they are not scheduling big seasons for many of them (Swimming, only 9 meets plus conference). Tough spot to be in if you're on those teams.
There are 38 schools in the east region, I think nearly all have XC teams, but every year there are only about 30 racing Regionals. I wish that wasn't the case.