REMARKS
Council Member Eric Dinowitz opens oversight hearing on engaging CUNY students in voting and civic activities
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4 min
Council Member Eric Dinowitz, chair of the committee on higher education, opens the oversight hearing on engaging CUNY students in voting and civic activities. He emphasizes the importance of civic engagement, particularly for CUNY students, and references Chancellor Felix Matos Rodriguez's concept of "civic mobility." Dinowitz outlines the purpose of the hearing and sets expectations for testimony.
- Highlights the upcoming voter registration deadline and national election
- Discusses CUNY's role in shaping engaged citizens and promoting civic participation
- Acknowledges the diversity of CUNY's student population and the importance of teaching about democracy
Eric Dinowitz
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Good afternoon.
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I'm counsel member Eric Denowitz, chair of the committee on higher education and a proud KUNY alum.
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Welcome to our oversight hearing, engaging KUNY students in voting and civic activities.
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With an important national election on the horizon and a voter registration deadline of October 26th coming up, many New Yorkers are engaged in a civic debate that will that will shape our city, state, and nation.
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Many of us are trying to make sure that no one is left out of the debate and that everyone who is eligible is registered and ready to vote on on November 5th.
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That includes tens of thousands of CUNY students.
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Some of whom are eighteen years old who will be voting for the first time.
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I hope that for them, filling those little overs, ovals on the ballot never gets old.
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But apparently in New York, flipping those Thank god old.
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Unfortunately, I missed that.
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While voting is a fundamental right and responsibility, civic engagement goes beyond voting.
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Civic engagement is about striving to make a difference in the life of our communities and developing the knowledge, skills, values and motivation to do that.
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Working to make the difference is why we are all here today.
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As it turns out, CUNY Chancellor Felix Matos Rodriguez said it even better.
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He said, beyond academic and professional success, public institutions of higher learning were conceived as incubators of civic engagement, what I like to call civic mobility.
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Often praises New York City's greatest engine of economic and social mobility.
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The chancellor has brought in Kinney's mission to include civic mobility.
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He described it as the idea that a key role played by our universities particularly a great public university system like CUNY, is to shape the next generation of citizens.
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The chancellor pointed out that CUNY had, in fact, been an engine of civic mobility since it was founded as the 1st free higher education public institution in the United States.
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What could be more important than that?
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In an op ed piece that he wrote chancellor Montes Rodriguez explained that it is CUNY's job to turn out graduates who are well informed, socially aware, and actively engaged in the world, particularly when our society is so polarized.
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He further explained that CUNY must ensure that it's graduates are not only prepared to participate in society, but also motivated to make it better.
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He noted a large number of New York City and New York State public officials who had graduated from CUNY.
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I'm proud to be counted in that number.
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In fact, the chancellor wrote that CUNY's colleges were the incubators of our public service aspirations.
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Further, the chancellor noted that CUNY bore a particular obligation to our diverse student population, including many CUNY students or immigrants or the children of immigrants.
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He explained that CUNY has a responsibility to teach them about the power that individual citizens and communities have in American democracy.
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As we all know that power includes the right to vote.
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I look forward to hearing today about CUNY's efforts in engaging its students in the voting process and in other civic engagement activities as well.
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And I want to acknowledge my colleague, counsel member Christopher Marte, who is here today.
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I would also like to thank Adam Starpoli, my legislative and budget director, Jenna Klaus, my chief of staff, Sahar Moazami, the committee's counsel, and Regina Paul, the committee's policy analyst.
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I would like to remind everyone who wishes to testify in person today, you must fill out an appearance card which is located on the desk of the sergeant at arms near the entrance of this room.
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Please fill it out even if you have already registered to testify in advance.
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To allow as many people as possible to testify Public testimony will be limited to 3 minutes per person.
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I'm also going to ask my colleagues to limit their questions and comments to 5 minutes.
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Please note that witnesses who are here will testify before those on Zoom.
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Now in accordance with the rules of the council, I will administer the affirmation to the witnesses from CUNY.
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So please raise your right hand.
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Do you affirm to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth in your testimony before this committee?
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And to respond honestly to council member questions.
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Thank you.
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As a reminder to all of our witnesses, please state your name prior to your testimony for the record.