NYC Electeds Urge Management to Defend CUNY

NYC Electeds Urge CUNY Management to Defend CUNY, Not Find Ways to Dismantle it

Legislators and Council Members Speak Out against Planned Layoffs of Adjuncts, Urge Transparency about Use of $132M in Federal Stimulus Money and Requirement to Protect Jobs

New York elected officials, including NYC Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, NYC Comptroller Scott Stringer, two borough presidents, the chair of the NYS Senate Finance Committee and the Higher Education Chairs of the NYS Senate and Assembly and the City Council have signed a letter to Chairperson of the CUNY Board of Trustees William C. Thompson, Jr and CUNY Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez expressing concern about the University’s plans for mass layoffs of adjunct faculty and staff in the next five days. Sixty-nine lawmakers endorsed the letter, 17 State Senators, 33 Assemblymembers and 15 City Councilmembers.

“New York must not turn its back on CUNY now,” the letter says. “We call on you, as leaders of the City University system, to be a voice against the destruction of CUNY. We ask you to defend
CUNY at this critical moment in history, not find ways to dismantle it.”