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Q&A
Council member questions lack of funding for successful CUNY Reconnect program
2:34:53
·
122 sec
Council Member Eric Dinowitz questions Director Jacques Jiha about the lack of funding for the CUNY Reconnect program in the executive budget. Dinowitz highlights the program's success in enrolling 47,000 more students over three years and its positive impact on the city's tax base and public assistance needs.
- Dinowitz emphasizes the program's success and asks why zero funding was allocated for CUNY Reconnect.
- Jiha mentions general CUNY funding restorations but doesn't directly address CUNY Reconnect.
- Dinowitz presses for a commitment to include $11.8 million for the program in the adopted plan.
- Jiha commits to discussions with the city council but makes no firm commitments.
Eric Dinowitz
2:34:53
Very simple question.
2:34:54
Would you say it is better to have more students or more people in New York City enrolled in college or not?
Jacques Jiha
2:35:02
More.
Eric Dinowitz
2:35:03
More.
2:35:03
We want more.
2:35:04
Right?
2:35:05
A few years ago this council piloted a program called CUNY Reconnect which in the past three years has resulted in more than about 47,000 more students attending CUNY.
2:35:18
You're you're a money guy.
2:35:20
You know this is good.
2:35:20
More people in New York City going to attending college, getting degrees, earning more that's good for our tax base, fewer people on public assistance.
2:35:30
For a program that's so incredibly successful year after year, why was zero funding allocated for CUNY Reconnect?
Jacques Jiha
2:35:38
As you know, this plan was very good for CUNY.
2:35:42
It was what?
2:35:43
I'm sorry.
2:35:43
Very good for CUNY, this budget.
2:35:47
And they're very happy with the plan that we have.
2:35:50
We gave we restored $91,000,000 for CUNY.
2:35:57
Ninety six million dollars, and we baseline those funds.
2:36:03
We gave them $9,100,000 for Yeah.
Eric Dinowitz
2:36:06
Just wanna pause.
2:36:06
There are good things in the budget to be certain, but to be clear, those were cuts that you all made.
2:36:12
So you're restoring your own cuts.
2:36:13
I just wanna be honest about the conversation we're having.
2:36:16
I simply wanna ask about CUNY Reconnect.
Jacques Jiha
2:36:18
No, no.
Eric Dinowitz
2:36:18
Understand.
2:36:19
I'm just saying this you.
2:36:21
For a program that brings more students in, 47,000 over three years, more students getting degrees, getting the supports they need to succeed, and go back into our communities and contribute more.
2:36:32
That's exactly what we want people to do in this city.
2:36:35
$11,800,000 would go a long way.
2:36:39
Will that be included in the adopted plan?
Jacques Jiha
2:36:42
We will have discussion with the city council.
2:36:44
This is a program that is very close to the heart of the speaker.
2:36:47
This is a program that she basically advocated So we'll work with the council as we get closer to adoption to see what can be done.