PSC Testifies on CUNY’s 2008-2009 Budget

CUNY has issued the preliminary budget request for 2008-2009.  The Board of Trustees held a public hearing on Monday November 19^th.  Click here for PSC testimony at the hearing.

 

CUNY’s budget request makes important advances in some areas, but, in the union’s view, is still inadequate.  (For a summary of CUNY’s proposal, go to “Item C: FY2008-2009 Budget Request” of the Board of Trustees Calendar Nov 26, 2007 http://www1.cuny.edu/abtcuny/trustees/thismnth/CAL1107.pdf )

 

Included:

· Commitments this year to hire 500 new full-time faculty, including 100 positions in the sciences.

· $28 million for new science research facilities and programs.

· $8 million to expand student services.

· $1 million for workforce development programs for working adult students.

Not Included:  

· Full funding for all doctoral graduate student tuition and health care.

· Paid family leave.

· Full funding for student mental health counseling needs at community and senior colleges.

· Full public financing of Compact Investment Program. 

New investments are financed largely by a proposed 5% tuition increase, increased enrollment and efficiencies.  Together, these measures finance 56% of the new program dollars. 

 

The PSC supports CUNY’s call for new resources and programs, especially for expanding the numbers of full-time faculty, improving student services and covering 100% of increases in mandatory costs with public dollars.  We endorse CUNY’s long-term goal of adding 2,300 net new full-time faculties.  

 

But this budget proposal does not go far enough.

 

Recruitment, Retention and Adjunct Equity:   CUNY will not be able to hire -- much less retain -- 500 new faculty this year if the university does nothing to restore the long-term disinvestment in our salaries, benefits and workload.  CUNY also needs funds to convert long-serving adjuncts to full-time status if it is to meet the university’s long-term hiring goal.     

 

Increased Tuition:  We do not support making current students pay for the historic disinvestment by raising tuition and fees. CUNY community college tuition is already among the highest in the nation.    Many of our current students have difficulty affording CUNY tuition, especially since state and federal financial aid packages are not designed to meet many of our students’ life circumstances.

 

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Links to key documents:

• PSC testimony delivered at 11/19/07 B.O.T. public hearing.

►Steve London, PSC First VP
►Arthurine Desola, Secretary, PSC Secretary

• CUNY's 2008-2009 Budget Request submitted to Board of Trustees Committee on Fiscal Affairs, Nov. 5, 2007 (final budget request may be revised).

• Trustees' Calendar/Agenda for 11/26/07 BOT meeting includes budget summary (Item C).

• Salary Erosion at CUNY (an analysis by PSC First VP, Steve London)

• Charts, graphs and PowerPoint on salary erosion

• "Uncompetitive salaries Hurt CUNY" (from October '07 Clarion)

 

 

 

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