NYC Gazette

In 2024, the City University of New York (CUNY) reported significant achievements in various areas including enrollment growth, increased donations, and academic advancements. CUNY Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez highlighted these accomplishments during the 2024 State of the University address in November. He remarked, “We have much to be proud of – and so much to celebrate from this past year alone. But we also know we have a lot of work ahead because our ambitions are high.”

A notable development was the announcement by CUNY and Governor Kathy Hochul that the CUNY School of Medicine would become an independent institution, offering expanded medical programs. Additionally, CUNY opened a new Nursing Education Center at Lehman College, significantly increasing capacity for nursing education.

CUNY's enrollment saw a rise for the second consecutive year with almost 15,000 additional students over two years. This growth included a notable increase at community colleges and graduate student enrollments. The success is partly attributed to initiatives like CUNY Reconnect, which re-engaged more than 40,000 former students.

Efforts to foster partnerships with NYC Public Schools were strengthened as well. For instance, letters welcoming seniors from public high schools to CUNY were distributed during College Application Month in October. As part of this campaign, application fees were waived for certain periods resulting in a record number of applications.

The university also enhanced career preparation efforts through paid internships and programs like Spring Forward and Inclusive Economy Initiative aimed at creating job pipelines in various industries.

Research funding reached an all-time high with $672 million secured for sponsored programs. In terms of fundraising, significant donations included $75 million from Simons Foundation and $116.2 million from Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation.

CUNY made strides in inclusivity by recognizing holidays such as Eid al-Fitr and Diwali on its calendar. A new Center for Inclusive Excellence was established to oversee policies related to discrimination and harassment.

Labor agreements covering over 30,000 faculty members were reached towards the year's end with retroactive wage increases agreed upon pending ratification by union members.

Academic innovation continued with new degree programs introduced including Black Studies supported by Mellon Foundation grants.

Finally, CUNY maintained its strong standing in best value college rankings with Baruch College topping The Wall Street Journal’s list among others.