Q&A
Faculty ratios and AI implementation in course scheduling
0:45:07
·
80 sec
Council Member Brewer inquires about faculty ratios and the potential use of AI in course scheduling. Executive Vice Chancellor Hensel explains the current state of faculty ratios and CUNY's plans to implement AI-driven scheduling.
- CUNY currently has better student-faculty ratios than in 2019 due to faculty hiring and enrollment declines
- Scheduling challenges are more related to mismatches between course offerings and student demand
- CUNY is planning to implement AI-driven scheduling within the next 6-12 months
- The new system will base scheduling on student needs and degree progress rather than historical models
- Council Member Brewer concludes by emphasizing the city's debt to CUNY
Gale Brewer
0:45:07
And it's the same issue with more professional staff to teach the courses.
0:45:11
I assume that's in the same daily work as a challenge.
Wendy Hensel
0:45:14
I one of the things I've said at a prior hearing, and I'll say here again, we actually have better student faculty ratios now than we did in 2019, in part because of the 6 100 faculty members that were hired and the significant decline in enrollment that we simultaneously experienced.
0:45:30
So I would say those issues are more of a mismatch of scheduling and demand, and we are working through those challenges with new technology that should significantly improve our scheduling for the benefit of students.
Gale Brewer
0:45:43
I know this was a crazy question, but is there anything AI and that world can do to help in
Wendy Hensel
0:45:48
this case?
0:45:50
Absolutely.
0:45:50
Wherein instead of identifying what you did last semester and basically starting with that as your model, you look at students already in your system, where the demand is, where they are in their degree path and create the schedule based on student need and demand as opposed to a historical model of of scheduling.
0:46:08
So, yes, there are we candidly, we're behind in this space.
0:46:11
It's something that we're pushing hard on.
0:46:13
And I think within you will see a significant difference within the next 6 months to a year.
Gale Brewer
0:46:18
Okay.
0:46:18
I might just conclude with banking and share, but I really do think that the city of New York owes CUNY a lot.
0:46:26
Thank you.