The Mayor’s Executive Budget for CUNY

Mayor Zohran Mamdani released a $124.7 billion executive budget for FY2027 yesterday. The plan closes a historic budget deficit without service cuts. The budget achieves balance by relying on additional funding from the state, efficiencies and program reforms, a new pied-à-terre tax on luxury second homes, pension restructuring that has no effect on current or future retiree benefits, and an expansion of the timeline to achieve K-12 class size reductions.

PSC President James Davis released the following statement about the budget:

“What a change it is to have a Mayor who responds to a budget crisis with investment instead of austerity, “insourcing” to public servants instead of outsourcing to expensive for-profit vendors, and taxing the rich instead of cutting CUNY and public services. Mayor Mamdani has baselined last year’s City Council addition of $15 million for community colleges, so that aid is secure and doesn’t require new action by the Council. He has also invested $55.8 million in a five-year capital plan to help fix CUNY’s crumbling facilities. This budget amounts to a structural investment in opportunity for more than 80,000 community college students.

“We thank Mayor Mamdani for his tenacious commitment to affordability, the people of New York, and the services on which they depend, including CUNY.

“PSC will continue to advocate this budget cycle for a fully funded CUNY to ensure that as enrollment grows, all community college students have access to the faculty and services they deserve.”

See the Teaching Adjuncts Handbook for more information about appointment/reappointment, the multi-year appointment, and much more.

Regarding the Multi-Year Appointment

The multi-year adjunct appointment is a hard-won provision of the PSC-CUNY contract that provides two-year appointments for eligible adjuncts with a third year at the college’s discretion.

Adjuncts who are eligible for two-year appointments must be considered for recommendation to the college, and notified of the college’s decision by May 31. As well, adjuncts who are completing the first year of a two-year appointment this Spring are eligible for consideration for a one-year extension of their appointment, effectively providing a third year. Notification of one-year extensions must also be made by May 31.

An adjunct who is eligible for the multi-year appointment may voluntarily decline the appointment one time. Departmental consideration of an eligible adjunct is mandatory under the contract. But an eligible adjunct may voluntarily waive consideration for or decline an offer of a two-year appointment one time by providing written notice to their department chair, the college’s Office of Human Resources, and the PSC Department of Contract Enforcement prior to May 31.

Regarding Notification of Reappointment/Non-Reappointment

The deadline by which CUNY adjuncts with yearly and semesterly appointments are required to receive a letter of reappointment or non-reappointment is May 31st. If you are due notice of reappointment/non-reappointment by the May 31st deadline and do not receive it, please notify your PSC adjunct grievance counselor. If you are notified that you have been denied reappointment, contact a grievance counselor immediately. Under the terms of the PSC contract, grievances relating to reappointment must be filed within 30 days, excluding Saturday, Sundays and legal holidays.

PSC President James Davis wrote earlier this week to express the union’s position on the Understanding Title VI training video that all full-time faculty and staff are required to complete by May 29, 2026. CUNY’s effort to comply with Title VI of the federal Civil Rights Act is complicated by the fact that the Trump administration is weaponizing the law. We recommend that the training be revised yet again based on forthcoming feedback from the University Faculty Senate subcommittee convened for this purpose. Click here to read the union’s guidance.

The PSC’s national affiliates, AAUP and AFT, are mounting an impressive national campaign to protect higher education from federal attacks. PSC members have contributed mightily to the effort, joining with union activists from across the country to lobby Congress to protect science research funding; fight back against Trump’s loyalty oath, the Compact for Higher Education, and mobilize for No Kings and May Day. The national campaign has also achieved collective bargaining rights for thousands of non-tenure-track faculty, researchers and staff in Maryland and launched a policy platform, a Blueprint to Strengthen and Transform Higher Education.

Join AFT President Randi Weingarten, AAUP President Todd Wolfson, and member-activists from around the country to learn more about these historic victories and next steps as we prepare for the 2026 midterm elections. Register here.

Court Support Every Friday Morning

Please join with fellow PSC members to bear witness and support immigrants who are called to the courts at 26 Federal Plaza. Spanish speakers are especially helpful. Meet any Friday at Pret, 7:30 AM at 319 Broadway, across the street from 26 Federal Plaza.

Professional Staff: Join Us on Summer Fridays for Court Support
The first summer Friday for professional staff at CUNY is Friday, June 12. HEOs and CLTs are welcome to attend the next online court support training and then join us Friday mornings throughout the summer to help our immigrant neighbors.

Next Court Support Training, Thurs, May 21, 6:30 PM
PSC training is required to participate in court support work. The next online training will be Thursday, May 21st at 6:30 PM. Register here to RSVP and get the Zoom meeting link.

Sign the Petition: Fund Immigrant Student Success Centers with Full-time Staff!

Join us in demanding that CUNY take action now to defend immigrant students and community members by:

• Immediately hiring at least two permanent full-time staff members on every campus whose jobs are solely to support immigrant students
• Establishing an Immigrant Student Success Center on all campuses that do not already have one with their own dedicated space.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN PETITION

Mayor Mamdani recently stood up for students, faculty and staff and vetoed a New York City Council-passed “buffer zone” bill, Intro 175-B. The bill would undermine First Amendment rights around CUNY campuses and worksites and other educational institutions. A vigorous campaign to override the Mayor’s veto is underway, and we need to defeat it. The bill could be brought up for a re-vote very soon, so please, take two minutes right now to email your city councilmember and tell them you oppose this unnecessary and unfair new restriction on free speech.

SEND A LETTER TO YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER

In the closing hours of the state budget process, we need to stand up for students pursuing associate degrees at CUNY’s comprehensive colleges, Medgar Evers College, City Tech, and the College of Staten Island, who are excluded from free tuition on a technicality! Write to your state legislators (or those representing your campus) now!

SEND A LETTER TO YOUR STATE LEGISLATORS

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