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CSI Students, we deserve better.
Our class sizes are increasing, our professors are losing their jobs, and the quality of our education is at risk.
On June 30, 2020, thousands of CUNY employees were laid off amid serious budget cuts. At the College of Staten Island, low-paid adjunct faculty and college assistants have faced the brunt of the layoffs–without much notice.
What does this mean for us?
Having fewer teachers means having fewer courses offered and larger class sizes. It means losing trusted mentors and advisors. This dramatically increases the burden on those faculty remaining, both full-time and part-time.
These trends would forecast a continual decrease in enrollment, meaning CSI’s budgetary issues will only get worse. As a result, our choices will be diminished and the quality of our learning will suffer.
Budget cuts and layoffs targeting the most vulnerable employees are unnecessary. To date, neither CUNY’s nor CSI’s central administration has shared detailed budget information showing that these measures are necessary.
CUNY has already laid off nearly 3,000 employees, 422 of whom will lose their health insurance, despite the fact that CUNY received $251 million under the CARES Act.
Faculty and staff are undoubtedly the backbone of education at CSI, the ONLY public institution of higher education in the borough.
They bring their passion for teaching and guidance into our lives with little in return.
They are not dispensable, yet, the college’s actions show otherwise.
We, the undersigned, demand that CUNY does not lay off any part-time faculty due to COVID-19 or budgetary issues because it will unduly burden students.
We, the undersigned, demand that class sizes are not increased.
We, the undersigned, demand that our fellow students’ tuitions do not increase because of CUNY’s circumstances.
To protect CUNY is to protect students and the future of New York City.
To sign the petition, input your first and last name, as well as your email address.