TESTIMONY
Testimony by Eli Dvorkin, Editorial and Policy Director of Center for an Urban Future, on CUNY transfer students
1:20:56
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3 min
Eli Dvorkin, from the Center for an Urban Future, presents testimony on the challenges and opportunities for CUNY transfer students. He emphasizes the importance of improving the transfer process to boost economic mobility for New York City students.
- Highlights the need for better support for transfer students, especially those ineligible for existing programs like ASAP or ASR
- Stresses the potential impact of helping more CUNY students complete bachelor's degrees
- Calls for the council's support to accelerate and embed successful practices system-wide
Eli Dvorkin
1:20:56
Good afternoon.
1:20:59
I'm Eli Devorkin, editorial and policy director at the Center for an Urban Future.
1:21:03
We're an independent think tank focused on creating a stronger and more inclusive economy in New York.
1:21:08
Thank you much chair of Democrats of the committee for the opportunity.
1:21:12
For thousands of New York City public high school graduates each year, the most accessible path to a bachelor's degree, and with it, a major boost economic mobility is to enter CUNY as a community college student and then transfer to a 4 year institution.
1:21:26
However, most community students who intend to transfer a completed bachelor's simply won't reach the finish line.
1:21:32
There are challenges at every point in the transfer process Men you intend to transfer to SpringBoard from a community college before your institution never transfer at all.
1:21:39
A smaller number are accepted, but do not enroll.
1:21:42
Others do transfer but are unable to complete.
1:21:44
And there are issues with credits toward a major being lost, as we heard earlier, not baked into curriculum design, The transfer application processes itself is hugely cumbersome, and 2 few faculty and administrative staff have the knowledge and the tools needed to help.
1:21:58
Fortunately, CUNY is already doing a lot to address these challenges as you've just heard from our university colleagues.
1:22:03
A research suggests that CUNY's interventions are working.
1:22:06
For instance, the rate of transfer students graduating within 3 years of transfer increased from 38.7% in 2012 to almost 50% in 2019.
1:22:16
But CUNY will struggle to achieve the progress needed without a new level of support from the city of New York.
1:22:22
That starts with fully funding CUNY in the 2025 budget.
1:22:25
The mayor's executive budget cuts nearly 84,900,000 in city funds for CUNY compared to last year's adopted budget.
1:22:32
The council should do everything possible to reverse these cuts.
1:22:36
Arguably, the most effective option to help boost transfer student success is a simple one.
1:22:41
Baseline funding for additional academic and peer advisors at CUNY.
1:22:45
Current ratios of students who advisors are unacceptably high and limit the effectiveness of other city and state investments in college access and success.
1:22:54
We recommend that the city consolidates smart investments in what's already working by launching a new CUNY Transfer Accelerator Initiative, which would invest up to $5,000,000 annually in operationalizing and scaling up to all 25 colleges the effective tool supports and practices that are delivering results.
1:23:11
Given how many transfer students struggle when they enter a senior college setting, The city should commit to growing the small scale but highly effective Q And A senior college success program, which is boosting graduation rates by upward of 27%.
1:23:22
But reaches just 3% of eligible students today.
1:23:25
The city should also consider piloting a new program, call it CUNY Flex, to provide wraparound supports to nontraditional students, including transfer students, older students, and part time students who may otherwise be ineligible for ASAP or ASR.
1:23:39
Helping far more of Quni's aspiring transfer students to beat the odds and complete a bachelor's degree is among the most effective steps the policymakers can take.
1:23:47
To boost economic mobility.
1:23:49
With this council's support, CUNY can accelerate and embed what's working system wide and deliver better results for students at scale.
1:23:56
Thank you for the opportunity I think it was right on the dot, and that was that.
Jen Gaboury
1:24:08
I could strike the final 22 words.