NYC Gazette

On May 15, 2024, CUNY Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez testified at a joint hearing of the New York City Council’s committees on finance and higher education regarding the City’s Fiscal Year 2025 Executive Budget Proposal.

The Chancellor began his testimony by expressing gratitude to Speaker Adrienne Adams and the entire City Council for their unwavering commitment to CUNY, its mission, programs, and most importantly, its students. He acknowledged the significant role that Governor Kathy Hochul and the State Senate and Assembly have played in enabling CUNY's ongoing contributions to New York City.

Rodríguez took a moment to acknowledge the impact of protests on college campuses across the country this spring, including at CUNY. He reaffirmed that everyone in their community of 25 campuses has a constitutional right to free speech and peaceful protest in accordance with CUNY’s policies. He also emphasized CUNY's commitment to ensuring safety from violence, intimidation, and harassment for every member of their university community.

The Chancellor then shared some of the accomplishments achieved during his five-year tenure. One such achievement was the successful implementation of CUNY Reconnect, a program designed to engage New Yorkers who earned college credits but did not complete their degree. This academic year alone saw over 16,000 students re-enroll through this initiative.

However, Rodríguez also highlighted challenges facing CUNY due to budget cuts which have had a harmful impact on community colleges – affecting students, programs, and college operations. The cumulative PEG (Programs to Eliminate the Gap) of $94.1 million is equivalent to 15% of the entire City contribution to their operating budget.

Despite these challenges, Rodríguez stated that they have been relentless in their efforts to mitigate harm from these cuts while preserving their academic mission and reputation as one of the nation's leading urban public universities. However, he also admitted that the negative effects of the PEGs are now widespread and unavoidable.

Rodríguez concluded his testimony by urging the Council to restore the PEGs to enable CUNY to regain what was lost due to personnel reductions in community colleges and invest in programs such as ACE and CUNY Reconnect. He emphasized that less investment in CUNY leads to a cumulative negative impact on the City economy – fewer college graduates, a lesser credentialed workforce, lesser ability to attract businesses to the City, lower personal income and business tax bases, longer term potential for more individuals requiring City services.

He thanked the Council for the opportunity to testify and expressed his eagerness to answer their questions.