NYC Gazette

On the fifth anniversary of the pandemic's onset, CUNY Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez reflects on the profound impact COVID-19 had on the university community. "Five years ago, our campuses were closed as New York City became the national epicenter of COVID-19," he recollects. The pandemic significantly affected CUNY, causing more losses within its community than any other higher education institution in the country.

Chancellor Matos Rodríguez acknowledges the hardships, but also emphasizes the resilience shown. "Grief and disruption may be what we now remember most about those early months of COVID," he says. However, it is important to "recall the resilience that got us through it." The pandemic posed unprecedented challenges, yet highlighted CUNY's essential role as a New York institution.

Students, faculty, and staff continued to strive for academic success despite Zoom commencements. Many came from communities severely hit by the pandemic, yet they persevered to graduation day. "We remember the many in our community who rose to the occasion," acknowledges Matos Rodríguez, praising faculty researchers, public health experts, and essential workers who maintained campus operations. The 'In Memoriam’ webpage launched in spring 2020 remains a testament to those efforts, having drawn over 100,000 visitors.

Reflecting on that period, Matos Rodríguez notes, "The pandemic was a time when we engaged with each other from a distance yet pulled together with a new sense of purpose." It serves as a powerful lesson of perseverance and solidarity for the CUNY community. "No matter the challenges ahead, we are a University that perseveres and finds its path forward."