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AGENCY TESTIMONY
Introduction and overview of CUNY's potential impact on New York City
0:07:53
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75 sec
Vice Chancellor Reine Sarmiento introduces herself and provides an overview of how removing small barriers for CUNY students can transform outcomes and strengthen New York City's socioeconomic vitality. She highlights the potential impact of helping working adults complete their degrees.
- 640,000 working-age adults in NYC have some college but no degree
- Completing degrees could result in $6 billion more annual earnings and $2.8 billion in new tax revenue
- Over 57,000 people could be lifted out of poverty
Reine Sarmiento
0:07:53
Good afternoon chair Dinovitz, distinguished council members.
0:07:57
My name is Renee Sarmiento and I serve as the vice chancellor for Enrollment Management at the City University of New York.
0:08:03
Thank you for the opportunity to testify about how removing small barriers can transform student outcomes and in turn strengthen the social student economic vitality of New York City.
0:08:15
Across our city, over 640,000 working age adults have some college but no degree.
0:08:22
These students start strong but had to stop often for a few hundred dollars owed or missing financial aid deadline.
0:08:31
Behind every member is a New Yorker with a dream and a real life that can change dramatically with just a little bit of help.
0:08:39
The return would be extraordinary if even half of those New Yorkers completed their degrees.
0:08:45
We know that most of our graduates at CUNY stay within our community.
0:08:49
So that would translate into $6,000,000 more annual earnings, 2,800,000,000.0 in new tax revenue, and more than 57,000 people lifted out of poverty, and tens of thousands fewer relying on Medicaid, SNAP, housing assistance.