A summary of some new news related to CUNY's and CSI's response to the COVID-19 pandemic. See https://csi-covid19.github.io/ for the archive.
To add/suggest news, please email John Verzani
The hospital at CSI is on hold link link
link Mid-semester reports are due. With just an 11 percent response rate, almost 1000 students have been identified at risk. Getting an accurate count here is crucial and only the faculty in the classroom can provide this.
link There will be a 4/16 zoom town hall
link Membership for senators to the UFS was solicited
link A report on the Division of Science and Technology was sent out.
PSC Chair Barabara Bowen sent an email on the State Budget link
Senior Colleges
There are no cuts to State funding for the senior colleges; funding remains largely flat at $552 million, except for additional fringe benefit coverage and funding for the adjunct office hours negotiated in the recent contract. But most of the University’s FY2021 cost increases for collective bargaining, energy, rent and other operating costs are not funded.
Without funding to cover these costs, the senior colleges could face additional austerity. Several colleges ended last year with reserve funds, however, and those funds should be used if needed.
As in the Executive Budget and previous budgets, the FY2021 budget includes modest amounts for Open Educational Resources ($4 million), to provide free access to textbooks for students; and for an approved spending plan by the Board of Trustees ($12 million), a portion of which may be used to support classroom faculty.
The budget for FY2021 assumes there will be a $200 tuition increase next fall, but it denies the governor’s proposal to provide authorization now for senior college tuition increases in subsequent years.
The $120 “wellness fee” proposed by the CUNY administration does not require authorization by the State legislature. CUNY management has not yet issued further information concerning the fee.
SEEK, CUNY’s opportunity program for senior colleges, is allocated the same funding as last year, including the increase negotiated by the legislature last year.
The School of Labor and Urban Studies is allocated the funding at same level as last year. The Executive Budget proposal to cut funds from this program was rejected by the legislature. There is a $50.7 million increase in the budget under the heading of Fringe Benefits.
Capital Budget
The enacted budget provides $284 million for critical maintenance at CUNY senior colleges and $64.3 million for critical maintenance at CUNY community colleges. The community college funding must be matched by a City allocation.