Q&A
CUNY's response to Center for Urban Future report recommendations
1:13:57
·
4 min
CUNY officials discuss their thoughts on the recommendations from the Center for Urban Future report on improving transfer student success. They highlight areas of agreement and explain their approach to implementing similar initiatives.
- CUNY agrees with many of the report's recommendations, including the need for faculty academies and additional funding for technology and advisers
- Officials emphasize the need for ongoing efforts to improve transfer processes and curriculum alignment
- CUNY stresses the importance of using appropriate metrics when considering tying funding to transfer student success, taking into account factors like part-time students and those working full-time
Eric Dinowitz
1:13:57
And then Lastly, you're you are familiar with the Senate for for an ever future report.
1:14:12
Just of these 7 recommendations, or any of the recommendations.
1:14:18
Just other general thoughts about them or the effectiveness or ineffectiveness of some of these, where you've read them and you may have said that's a really good one.
1:14:27
We're gonna lean into that or that doesn't make sense logistically, and thank you, but no, thank you.
Wendy Hensel
1:14:35
There are elements of all of the things that we are doing in some of those recommendations.
1:14:41
And so first, let me let me thank the Center for Urban Futures for looking at an issue that we think everybody should be looking at.
1:14:49
So we were in complete agreement about that.
1:14:53
In terms of faculty academies, for example, you heard us say, There are misunderstandings with faculty, and we've created like the faculty fellow position in educational opportunities We don't have a full academy if there are more resources, more people learn, and we can implement it more quickly.
1:15:10
So I think that that makes sense.
1:15:12
In terms of setting funding to actual results in terms of the time to graduation, it doesn't take into account how many part time students that we have how many are working full time.
1:15:24
And so we think the the correct statistics or how many of our students are completely that transfer within a reasonable period of time.
1:15:32
So I know you have more thoughts.
Alicia Alvero
1:15:34
Yeah.
1:15:35
I I think and I too extremely grateful for the center for urban research.
1:15:40
And most of what they mentioned.
1:15:42
The additional funding for technology like transport floor, absolutely for more advisers.
1:15:47
Absolutely.
1:15:48
The elements described in each of the different programs that are suggested would be wonderful and welcome because they would enhance our ability to make progress on these things and continue them.
1:16:02
Because the one thing that I want to really stress is that doing this, this is fantastic.
1:16:09
We we have a great initiative ahead of us, but this has to be forever.
1:16:13
We have to change the way in which we approve curriculum, the way this needs to be transfer needs to be at the forefront of every curricular decision.
1:16:22
So that that piece, I think, was probably not highlighted enough in that, but obviously you have to be in the weeds to kind of understand that.
1:16:29
So building that infra structure is something that I think is critical, and that is Quni Central's role.
1:16:36
How do we ensure that we're not in this mess?
1:16:38
I always tell everyone, I approach a problem in two ways.
1:16:42
How do I retroactively clean it up and proactively prevent it from continuing?
1:16:46
And that prevention of continuing is something that we are embedding within this process to ensure that 5 years from now, somebody is not sitting here in the same chair.
1:16:57
Saying, whoops.
1:16:58
Now we have all these new majors, and they don't align.
1:17:00
Right?
1:17:01
So how do we prevent that from happening?
1:17:04
And so I I I don't have any issues with the things that were stated other than the one piece about tying the budget to that has to be very tricky because it has to be the right metrics.
1:17:17
It's very difficult transfer and loss of transfer credits.
1:17:21
It's such a complicated issue.
1:17:24
We are solving a lot of it, but there will always be times when a student changes their major too many times.
1:17:29
And then they take too many credits that then upon transfer end up not aligning with with their major.
1:17:36
But the advisement piece and making sure on the on the right track from the beginning, I think, is to address that.
Eric Dinowitz
1:17:41
Yeah.
1:17:42
At at a basic level, if a student does work, they should get the credit for
Alicia Alvero
1:17:47
that work.
Eric Dinowitz
1:17:48
And I'm glad to hear you agree with that.
1:17:51
I'm pleased to hear there are steps being taken, but it's very clear that there are a lot more steps that need to be taken, a lot more work to do.
1:18:00
And so I look forward to checking in with you next year to see the impact and effectiveness of all these initiatives you're pushing forward.
1:18:11
So I wanna thank you so much.
Wendy Hensel
1:18:12
Thank you.
1:18:13
Thank you.
Eric Dinowitz
1:18:13
Today.
1:18:14
Thank you.
Alicia Alvero
1:18:14
Thank you.
Gale Brewer
1:18:30
Yep.