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Q&A
Impact of budget cuts on CUNY Reconnect, ACE, and ASAP programs
0:36:12
ยท
4 min
Council Member Dinowitz inquires about the impact of budget cuts on key CUNY programs such as CUNY Reconnect, ACE (Accelerate, Complete, Engage), and ASAP (Accelerated Study in Associate Programs).
- ACE currently has approximately 3,000 students across seven colleges
- ASAP (referred to as ACEP in the transcript) has 22,450 students
- CUNY Reconnect has enrolled 47,000 students over the last three years
- Officials express concern about the potential impact of budget cuts on these successful programs
- The discussion highlights the importance of these programs for student retention and success
Eric Dinowitz
0:36:12
Okay.
0:36:15
The I wanna talk about a few of the programs.
0:36:20
The CUNY's fiscal twenty twenty six budget I'm sorry.
0:36:23
We've also been joined by council member Brewer, and we were previously joined by council members Marte and Ressler.
0:36:29
CUNY's fiscal twenty six budget is roughly $85,000,000 less than the fiscal twenty five adopted budget, and critical programs like CUNY Reconnect, ACE, and additional funding for ACEP are not included in fiscal twenty five in the preliminary plan.
0:36:47
How many students are currently enrolled in Reconnect and ACE, and how will these cuts impact students currently enrolled in these programs, which again are either two or four years long for each student in or should be rather.
0:37:04
How will these cuts impact those students and how many students are in each of those programs?
Alicia Alvero
0:37:09
So currently in ACE, we have 3,000, approximate 3,000 students across the seven colleges.
0:37:15
And the impact would really be quite devastating to not continue a program that yields such substantial results and increase in graduation rates.
0:37:27
And without continued funding, our commitment to the existing students would continue because we made commitment to them and a promise to the students currently enrolled.
0:37:37
But the cost, personal cost and value would be devastating if ACE were not continued.
0:37:45
And CUNY Reconnect, did you ask about ACE numbers as well?
0:37:49
I cannot
Eric Dinowitz
0:37:49
ACE, ACEP and Reconnect.
0:37:50
Yes, please.
Alicia Alvero
0:37:51
So ACEP is currently 22,450 students.
0:37:57
And CUNY Reconnect, we've enrolled across the last three years forty seven thousand students.
Eric Dinowitz
0:38:06
That's a lot of students.
0:38:10
And all those students, of course, again, pay tuition and help with the budget.
0:38:16
So these programs that keep kids in school or bring students of any age back to school, again, not only the right thing to do for our city, but the financially responsible thing, and these pegs are potentially impacting those programs.
0:38:33
But you may have to make cuts in other programs because of CUNY's commitment to these programs, these four year long or two year long programs.
0:38:43
And can you talk a little bit about some of the decisions you've had to make to preserve these programs and cut in other places?
0:38:54
The
Alicia Alvero
0:38:57
decisions we've had to consider are staffing personnel and advisement and student adviser ratios and make decisions about rather than completely eliminating a program, how do we maintain a program with the reduction in the budget?
Eric Dinowitz
0:39:17
Right.
0:39:18
We've we've had a hearing about a year ago, a little less eleven months ago, I believe.
0:39:23
We had a hearing on ace ASAP.
0:39:26
And the way it's just what it is, advisement wraparound services, what I said at the time was that should just be college.
0:39:35
Every student should have an ASAP program where they have the advisement and support they need to just do well in college.
0:39:42
You are on your way to that with part time ASAP.
0:39:47
What funding levels would you need to ensure that all students full time and part time get ASAP, all students get ACE?
0:39:55
What funding levels would you need?
Sherif Soliman
0:40:01
We'll have to get back to you on a certain number, but I would just say that we are appreciative clearly of the additions that the council advocates for and makes certainly in last year's adopted budget.
0:40:12
But we can get back to you on sort of projections on growth.