Tuesday, May 9, 2023
Fresh off a state budget victory that the faculty/staff union called “a step closer to a New Deal for CUNY,” students, faculty and staff from the College of Staten Island rallIed and marched to demand that the CUNY administration reverse its plan to cut CUNY colleges by a combined $128 million. Marchers spoke out at the beginning and end of the route to celebrate the State budget victory and urge Chancellor Matos Rodríguez to use the new state funding to protect the quality of a CUNY education by preventing layoffs of adjunct faculty, maintaining appropriate class sizes, and strengthening departments and student services. Cutting CUNY undermines New York’s communities, workforce, and economy!
The event, cosponsored by the CUNY Rising Alliance, New York Public Interest Research Group, and the Professional Staff Congress, also renewed the campaign for passage of the New Deal for CUNY, legislation that would set minimum staff-to student ratios, increase adjunct salaries, update CUNY’s aging infrastructure, and make CUNY tuition-free again.
Speakers included:
- College of Staten Island Students and Faculty
- Jason Bishop, PSC Chapter Chair, College of Staten Island
- Daniel Bayer, NYPIRG Student Activist, College of Staten Island
- Jamell Henderson, CUNY University Student Senate, Legislative Director
- Professional Staff Congress Principal Officers
- Ethan Milich, CUNY Rising Alliance Campaign Coordinator
Published: May 11, 2023