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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by James C. Davis, President of Professional Staff Congress (PSC-CUNY) on CUNY's Budget and Federal Challenges
1:57:13
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James C. Davis, President of PSC-CUNY, testified about CUNY's budget needs, enrollment increases, and challenges faced due to federal funding cuts. He emphasized the importance of continued investment in CUNY's community colleges to support student retention and address understaffing issues.
- Highlighted the crisis in student retention and understaffing rather than enrollment
- Addressed concerns about federal assaults on higher education programs and funding
- Expressed worry about the impact of potential ICE activities on CUNY's large immigrant student population
James C. Davis
1:57:13
Good afternoon, chair Dinowitz, and thank you to the council members.
1:57:19
On on behalf of the 30,000 faculty and professional staff at the City University of New York that the PSC represents, We do wanna thank you for your continued advocacy on behalf of CUNY and know that the council's consistent support has helped to stem the tide in, difficult economic conditions.
1:57:42
I also want to thank you for anticipated funding for our recently ratified collective bargaining agreement.
1:57:49
These investments are helping CUNY to serve its growing student body.
1:57:53
You heard from the previous panel about the enrollment increases.
1:57:57
As I've said in previous hearings, CUNY no longer faces an enrollment crisis so much as a crisis in student retention and understaffing.
1:58:10
Students stay enrolled when they have the support they need from faculty and staff, and to continue to support our students and their upward mobility in the city workforce, CUNY's community colleges need your continued investment.
1:58:24
I can't speak about the preliminary budget without first addressing the federal assault on agencies and services that are now taking place, including many programs on which our members and our students rely.
1:58:37
You referred earlier to the cuts in the federal Department of Education.
1:58:42
The Trump administration seems determined to use higher education as a wedge to divide Americans on multitude of issues.
1:58:50
Life saving medical studies are grinding to a halt, universities are targeted for draconian cuts.
1:58:58
Thin pretexts have been used to justify these efforts, which are really an attack on knowledge itself and on the project to create an educated citizenry.
1:59:08
Our students also have a target on their backs.
1:59:10
Nearly one in three CUNY students were born in another country, and some are undocumented.
1:59:16
And, unfortunately, the overtures that the mayor has made to ICE, seeking entry into sensitive locations has intensified the anxiety.
Eric Dinowitz
1:59:25
I'm gonna I'm gonna have my
James C. Davis
1:59:28
have my
Eric Dinowitz
1:59:28
Have your testimony.
James C. Davis
1:59:30
Yes.
1:59:31
And I'm I'll be glad to amplify on our recommendations for the city budget in its enacted form.