On May 29, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that New York City will be entering Phase One of reopening on June 8 amidst the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. New York residents who have remained quarantined since Governor Andrew Cuomo officially enacted the “New York State on PAUSE” executive order on March 22, may feel as if this order went into action ages ago. With this order came a set of rules that regulated social interaction amongst New Yorkers. Large social gatherings became prohibited and social distancing of at least six feet from others became enforced. Alongside these rules restricting individuals, Cuomo also forced the temporary closing of certain “non-essential” businesses. These businesses…
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A victory for now
For the past three months, CUNY was in a state of crisis. Governor Andrew Cuomo proposed in his Executive Budget to cut $485 million and make the city pay for it instead. This is equal to nearly one-third of funding for all senior colleges. Officials at CUNY scrambled to mobilize students and urge state lawmakers to reconsider this cut or, as the Cuomo administration prefers, shift. The Professional Staff Congress, which represents 25,000 professors and staff, organized rallies and even held a die-in in front of Cuomo’s New York City office. Forty-one people were arrested at this protest, but their message was understood—don’t let CUNY die. Cuomo, under pressure, reversed…
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Student groups demand lawmakers make college affordable
Last week the New York Public Interest Group unveiled a coalition of over 350 student groups and organizations calling on the New York State Legislature and the Governor to increase state aid to the City University of New York and the State University of New York, reject an extension of the “rational tuition” hikes, and freeze tuition at the current 2015-2016 academic year rates. Nearly 40 clubs signed onto the letter at Queens College, including the QC Dream Team, the Hakuna Matata Club and the Caribbean Association to name a few. Since the SUNY 2020 legislation was signed into law in 2011, the state’s so-called “rational tuition” policy has caused tuition at public colleges to skyrocket – increasing…
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PSC meeting details upcoming actions
The Professional Staff Congress held a mass meeting Nov. 19 at The Cooper Union about current contract negotiations and its plans for the next few months. CUNY professors and staff are working without a contract since 2010. The PSC, which represents more than 25,000 members, is negotiating with CUNY to obtain one. Over the past 18 months, the union and management held 23 collective bargaining sessions with CUNY. In recent months, however, the union increased pressure against CUNY by planning a strike authorization vote and demonstrating in front of the university’s central office on Nov. 4, where 53 members were arrested. Michael Fabricant, first vice president of the PSC, explained…
