Minutes of the Meeting of the Board of Trustees of The City University of New York May 24, 2021
The Board of Trustees of The City University of New York (CUNY) met on May 24, 2021 via Zoom videoconference, pursuant to a Notice sent by the Office of the Secretary of the Board on May 10, 2021.
Trustees Present: Chairperson William C. Thompson, Jr., Michael Arvanites, Henry T. Berger, Lorraine A. Cortés-Vázquez, Fernando Ferrer, Kevin D. Kim, Mayra Linares-Garcia, Robert F. Mujica, Jr., Brian D. Obergfell, Jill O’Donnell-Tormey, Charles A. Shorter, Ken Sunshine, Sandra Wilkin, and Martin Burke, ex officio (non- voting)
Others present: Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodriguez, EVC&UP José L. Cruz, EVC&COO Hector Batista, SAC and Board Secretary Gayle M. Horwitz, General Counsel and SVC Derek Davis, SVC and Special Counsel Glenda G. Grace, SVC&CFO Matthew Sapienza, SVC Pamela S. Silverblatt, VC&CIO Brian Cohen, Vice Chancellor Doriane K. Gloria, Vice Chancellor Maite Junco, Vice Chancellor Richard R. White, Interim Vice Chancellor Denise Maybank, and Interim Vice Chancellor Andrea Shapiro Davis
Absent and Excused: Trustees Una S. T-Clarke and Juvanie Piquant, ex officio
CONVENING OF PUBLIC MEETING Chairperson William C. Thompson, Jr. called the Public Meeting to order at 4:32 p.m., and he immediately moved to go into Executive Session. The motion was seconded by Trustee Michael Arvanites.
CONVENING OF EXECUTIVE SESSION Chairperson Thompson, Jr. called for an Executive Session pursuant to Section 105, Article 7, of the Public Officers Law, to discuss matters pertaining to investigations, personnel, and litigation. The Board met in Executive Session from 4:32 p.m. to 5:49 p.m. Moved by Chairperson Thompson, Jr. and seconded by Trustee Fernando Ferrer, the public session was reconvened at 5:55 p.m.
Statement of Board Secretary Gayle M. Horwitz: “On March 7, 2020, Governor Cuomo issued Executive Order 202 declaring a State of Emergency in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. On March 13, 2020, Governor Cuomo issued Executive Order 202.1, which included a suspension of law allowing the attendance of meetings telephonically or other similar service.
Article 7 of the Public Officers Law, to the extent necessary to permit any public body to meet and take such actions authorized by the law without permitting in public in-person access to meetings and authorizing such meetings to be held remotely by conference call or similar service, provided that the public has the ability to view or listen to such proceeding and that such meetings are recorded and later transcribed.
In accordance with the Executive Order, this Board meeting is being held via video conference with a live stream found at the CUNY Board of Trustees website.
A copy of the calendar/agenda of items is also available online at the CUNY Board of Trustees website. Additional items may be added during the meeting. As a reminder, please mute your phones so we can ensure that everyone can hear.”
CHAIRPERSON’S REPORT
William C. Thompson, Jr.’s Remarks: “As you know, the CUNY Board of Trustees could not convene its May 17, 2021 Public and Queens Borough Hearing in person. Instead, the Office of the Secretary accepted written and video testimony and statements from concerned individuals on items on the calendar for this May 24, 2021 Board Meeting via email. Testimonies were accepted until 11:30 pm on Monday, May 17, 2021.
Testimonies are always available for review in the Office of the Secretary. The Office of the Secretary has also posted on the Board of Trustees website all of the testimony submitted since March 2020.
A total of (4) written testimonies were submitted.
Two testimonies, one from a very concerned citizen and one from a graduate student, expressed opposition to the Covid-19 vaccine mandate for students at SUNY and CUNY.
One student at Queens College is having issues with an outstanding balance for student fees and is unable to enroll in the upcoming Summer 2021 session. This inquiry was referred to the Chancellor’s
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Office.
Testimony was also submitted by an applicant to the John Jay College of Criminal Justice’s Clinical Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, expressing frustration with the application and interview process as well as concern for a perceived lack of diversity at CUNY. This testimony was referred to the Chancellor’s Office as well.
Our calendar of agenda items today includes a resolution to amend the Board of Trustees Bylaws to establish a Governance Committee of the Board of Trustees. The establishment of this committee is a critical next step in ensuring best practices in the governance of the University, including the preparation of Board members to exercise their fiduciary duties. The Board of Trustees has taken numerous actions to strengthen the fiscal integrity of the University and will now examine its own operating structure and effectiveness to implement best practices in governance. In accordance with the Association of Governing Board’s paper on Governance Committees, the Governance Committee will have the following primary functions: “(1) identify best practices in governance that are relevant for the Board; and (2) ensure a program of orientation, continuous board education, and regular assessment of the board and its members.”
CHANCELLOR’S REPORT
Félix V. Matos Rodriguez’ Remarks: “Thank you, Chair Thompson, Trustees, Presidents and Vice Chancellors. It’s great to be back again with you today for my final presentation of the spring semester, and as usual there is plenty of good news to share.
I had the good fortune to visit CUNY vaccination sites at York College and Medgar Evers College earlier this month, and it was an honor to see the remarkable work that CUNY staff and student volunteers are doing to vaccinate their communities. My trip to Medgar Evers was highlighted by recognizing the milestone of 205,000 vaccinations with the wonderful new President, Dr. Patricia Ramsey. And I greeted President Berenecea Eanes at York’s site, which has vaccinated around 240,000 people — more proof of the integral role CUNY is playing in the city’s recovery.
With Governor Cuomo’s announcement this month that all CUNY and SUNY students attending in- person classes this fall will be required to be vaccinated — it’s crucial that we continue to encourage our friends and neighbors to visit vaccination sites around the city and at CUNY’s five locations, which also include City College, Queensborough Community College, and Lehman College. The vaccine is the best tool we have to ensure the collective safety of the community. I encourage anyone who has questions to visit our VAXUpCUNY page, which is part of CUNY’s multifaceted #VaxUpCUNY campaign.
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As we move closer to fully reopening the state and city, we are communicating our plans for CUNY’s mostly in-person fall. I have notified our University community that we circled the week of August 2nd as the targeted date for staff to begin to return to their workplaces. As I told the staff and faculty in a letter and a video, our return will be a blended and flexible arrangement that combines remote and in-person work. We’re planning for an incremental process, anchored by testing and screening, along with a mechanism like the Excelsior Pass that will enable us to verify an individual’s vaccination status. The wellbeing of every member of the University community continues to govern our decision-making in every respect. Rigorous reopening guidelines created by the Central Office and each CUNY campus last summer are being updated in consultation with University stakeholders for Fall 2021 and will continue to cover a range of scenarios and include contingency plans in case we need to make adjustments to address sudden changes in circumstances.
Even as we begin to chart the phased return to campus life, we remember that our students continue to face the economic hardships that the pandemic exacerbated. Thankfully, more help is on the way. We were pleased that on May 5th, CUNY started the process of distributing $118 million in federal emergency grants to about 150,000 students. The funds, included in the pandemic relief package passed by Congress last December, the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSAA), were disbursed to educational institutions in recent weeks. We also applaud the US Department of Education’s decision to reverse the unjust policy which excluded undocumented and international students from being eligible to receive these funds. This is the second round of federal stimulus student emergency grants. The University has already fully disbursed the first portion of CARES Act funding, totaling $118 million, to approximately 161,000 students.
Weeks after our last meeting, we announced an exciting partnership with the City of New York that will enlist thousands of our students to play an active role in the city’s recovery beginning this summer. The program, called CUNY Recovery Corps, will hire 5,000 CUNY students to gain valuable experience working in all five city boroughs revitalizing, reinvigorating and rebuilding New York City. They will work 25 hours a week for six weeks between July and mid-August and earn $15 an hour, paid by the city Department of Youth and Community Development. Our students will work on projects supporting our city’s small business, public health organizations, community-based non-profits, government agencies and schools. We have also helped get the word out to employers, inviting them to “Hire CUNY!” – because we know our students are resilient, adaptable and highly skilled.
The federal relief funds also provided the University with aid to support institutional needs throughout its 25 campuses. The University is currently developing a plan based on federal guidelines for the remaining stimulus funds, which will be included in the Fiscal Year 2022 budget proposal that is to be presented at the Board’s June meeting.
Our summer enrollment seems to be behind the pace of last year’s record of 89,000 summer students. And, also we still have time to get more students registered for our courses. I have asked Vice Chancellor Denise Maybank to provide an update on the Fall’s 2021 enrollment numbers on the next
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CAPRA meeting in two weeks. Although it is still early to determine any trends, we are hopeful that providing a new round of federal relief funds from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), which was approved by President Biden in March, to eligible new and continuing students for the Fall will result in an enrollment boost.
Returning to news that we can celebrate, my office revived the tradition of applauding hundreds of our CUNY faculty who received millions of dollars in prestigious awards and grants for their scholarly endeavors over the last three academic years in our Celebration of Scholars event on May 17th.
Here is a quick rundown of some of the other good news that has transpired since the last meeting:
• U.S. News & World Report named CUNY’s School of Law programs in clinical law education the best in the nation in March, tied with Georgetown University.
• Three nationally celebrated CUNY faculty members were awarded prestigious 2021 Guggenheim Fellowships for their work in art, letters and photography in April.
• Twelve additional faculty members representing six CUNY two-year colleges were awarded prominent 2021 Mellon/ACLS Community College Faculty Fellowships in May.
• Professor Ruth Wilson Gilmore of CUNY’s Graduate Center was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences this month, in recognition of her eminence as a scholar and activist in challenging racism and other deeply rooted economic, political and social injustices.
• Three CUNY community college students who overcame personal and academic hardships were selected as recipients of the prestigious Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship; 11 CUNY students and recent grads earned Fulbrights — the nation’s flagship international educational grant award to study and teach abroad; and CUNY community college students accounted for all 13 of this year’s Kaplan Educational Foundation’s award winners.
Commencement season is a wonderful setting to acknowledge their endurance, and this year’s ceremonies promise to be another rousing validation of the University’s hard work and the culmination of a successful journey for our students. While most ceremonies will be held virtually as we acknowledge the risks posed by large public gatherings, some of our smaller colleges and departments have elected to hold in-person ceremonies, observing the requisite health guidance, of course.
I’m excited by the amazing roster of honorary degree recipients and guest speakers who will take part in our commencements this year. They are titans of their fields like Chris Rock and Ziggy Marley; the iconic labor leader and activist Dolores Huerta; and the attorney and diplomat Julissa Reynoso Pantaleón, who is currently the chief of staff to First Lady Jill Biden.
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This month, we have celebrated Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month with a series of compelling events across our campuses that honored Asian American history and culture and also examined our responses to the recent surge of hate crimes against AAPIs.
It’s incumbent upon all of us to value and celebrate diversity in all of its forms. In June, we are set to observe Pride Month with a bevy of special events that exemplify the University’s proud history of championing LGBTQ+ rights. We are also creating internship programs that promote diversity and inclusion for LGBTQ+ students. I want to thank everyone behind these efforts and events, and shout out to our college presidents for spearheading such meaningful cultural touchstones on our campuses.
Allow me also to officially welcome to these meetings one of those innovators — Dr. Patricia Ramsey as the sixth president and the first woman to lead Medgar Evers College. Her first day was May 1st, and she is already making a great impression at Medgar. Welcome to this Board of Trustees meeting.
I will close by acknowledging the invaluable contributions of our Executive Vice Chancellor José Luis Cruz and Angie Kamath, our cherished University Dean for Continuing Education and Workforce Development. They have been the focus of many proud achievements and innovations during their successful tenures at CUNY, so it feels more than bittersweet to be bidding them adieu as they take the next steps in their remarkable careers. On behalf of the entire University, I wish them luck and thank them profoundly for their service.
One of my first actions as Chancellor was appointing José Luis Cruz as Executive Vice Chancellor and University Provost, and it was one of the best decisions I could have made for CUNY and my administration. His work expanding workforce development project and career engagement, and supporting our faculty with new approaches to pedagogy have sustained CUNY in this challenging time. Dr. Cruz will continue to add to his rich legacy at Northern Arizona University, as its new president in the coming days. Buena suerte a mi hermano, we will miss your fierce commitment to CUNY and to our students.
The work that Angie Kamath has done in implementing and managing continuing education and workforce development programs and establishing partnerships with industry groups in IT, finance, healthcare, and in municipal government will benefit our students for years to come. No one has worked harder or had a greater vision for how to set our students up for success than Angie, and we wish her well in her next endeavor as new Dean of NYU’s School of Professional Studies. Good luck, Angie, and thank you for your service to CUNY.
And with that, I will close my final report of the spring semester. I would like to give a shout out to the Class of 2021 and salute the faculty, staff and families who played such pivotal roles in helping each student reach the finish line. Commencement season is my favorite time of the academic year because it’s an acknowledgement and a reminder of our capacity for excellence. So I encourage everyone to continue to vax up, be safe, and to celebrate the year with your loved ones. If the past 15 months have
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taught us anything, it’s that nothing beats a hug from a friend or a family member after a job well done. Un abrazo and thank you!”
Chairperson Thompson, Jr. stated, “Given that all Board members are participating remotely and we cannot see everyone on the screen at the same time, I will read the resolutions and ask for members to respond only if you would like to abstain or oppose an item, otherwise your vote will be recorded as a yes vote. If you are voting no or abstaining, please state your name and vote. Additionally, if you wish to second an item or have any questions, please state your name first for the record and let’s try to avoid speaking over one another.
For clarity and coordination, I will read all of the items rather than turning to committee chairs.”
APPROVAL OF MINUTES: Chairperson Thompson, Jr. called for a motion to approve the minutes of the regular Board meeting and Executive Session of March 22, 2021, and the Special Board meeting and Executive Session of April 12, 2021, which was seconded by Trustee Michael Arvanites. He asked if there were any amendments. Upon hearing none, the item was unanimously adopted by the Board:
1. Approval of Minutes:
RESOLVED, That the minutes of the regular Board meeting and Executive Session of March 22, 2021, and the Special Board meeting and Executive Session of April 12, 2021 be approved.
Moved by Chairperson Thompson, Jr. and seconded by Trustee Henry Berger, the following resolution was presented and opened for discussion:
2. City University of New York - Amendments to Article III of the Bylaws of the Board of Trustees to Establish a Governance Committee:
WHEREAS, The Board of Trustees of the City University of New York (the “University”) is committed to enhancing the quality, efficiency and effectiveness of the Board’s work; and
WHEREAS, Beginning in 2017, the Board of Trustees adopted a series of reforms of the University’s governance and administrative policies, ensuring greater transparency and accountability, including the establishment of a standing Audit Committee of the Board of Trustees; and
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WHEREAS, The Board of Trustees remains committed to ensuring best practices and the highest level of fiscal, ethical and good governance; and
WHEREAS, In the Association of Governing Boards (“AGB”) Effective Committee Series: The Governance Committee, Public Institutions, the AGB advocates that public institutions of higher education give serious consideration to the establishment of a governance committee as “a key means by which a board monitors best practices in governance and adopts those that promise to improve effectiveness in exercising its oversight responsibilities;” and
WHEREAS, In the same report, the AGB asserts that “a successfully functioning governance committee supports the overall board in carrying out its fundamental fiduciary responsibilities – and ultimately helps define the future course of the institution;” now therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the Board of Trustees of the University amend Article III of the Board of Trustees Bylaws to create a standing Governance Committee of the Board of Trustees, effective immediately; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the Board of Trustees of the University adopt the Governance Committee Charter outlined below, effective immediately; and be it further
RESOLVED, That pursuant to Section 5.1 of the Board of Trustees Bylaws, by unanimous consent of the University Board of Trustees present, the Board of Trustees hereby waives the requirement that amendments to the Bylaws be proposed at a meeting preceding the meeting at which a vote is taken; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the Board of Trustees of the University authorizes the General Counsel and Secretary of the Board of Trustees to revise the Board of Trustees Bylaws and Manual of General Policy and bring these amended documents to the newly established Governance Committee for review and recommendation to the full Board for approval.
EXPLANATION: The establishment of a University Governance Committee of the Board of Trustees is a critical next step in ensuring best practices in the governance of the University, including the preparation of Board members to exercise their fiduciary duties. The Board of Trustees has taken numerous actions to strengthen the fiscal integrity of the University and will now examine their own operating structure and effectiveness to implement best practices in governance. In accordance with the AGB paper on Governance Committees, the Governance Committee will have the following primary functions: “(1) identify best practices in governance that are relevant for the Board; and (2) ensure a program of orientation, continuous board education, and regular assessment of the board and its members.”
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The attached Governance Committee Charter describes the purpose, authority and responsibilities of the Committee in more detail. The Committee will review the Charter annually and recommend any changes to the Board.
This amendment adds the Governance Committee to the standing committees, adds the Governance Committee’s Chairperson to the Board’s Executive Committee, and adjusts the quorum requirement for the Executive Committee accordingly. Given that an individual trustee may serve in more than one of the required roles on the Executive Committee, the quorum requirement of a majority of the individual members would be five for a committee consisting of seven individuals and four for a committee of eight individuals.
The City University of New York Board of Trustees Governance Committee Charter
Article I. Purpose
The purpose of the Governance Committee of the Board of Trustees of The City University of New York is to assist the Board of Trustees in fulfilling its oversight of the University, including the review and recommendation of policies and procedures to enhance quality, efficiency and effectiveness of the Board of Trustees.
Article II. Composition
The Committee will consist of at least three and no more than five members who shall be appointed by the Chairperson of the Board of Trustees, one of whom shall be designated by the Chairperson of the Board of Trustees to serve as the chairperson of the Committee.
Article III. Meetings and Quorum
The Committee will meet on a regularly-scheduled basis at least four times per year, with authority to convene additional meetings, as circumstances require. The Committee may invite members of management or others to attend meetings and provide pertinent information, as necessary. The presence of the majority of the appointed members shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business, and the act of a majority of the members present shall be the act of the Committee.
Article IV. Responsibilities
The Committee shall have the following duties and responsibilities:
• Review and amendment of the University’s ByLaws, Manual of General Policy and other governing documents; • Review of Committee Charters including responsibilities of each committee and recommending restructuring and or amendments where necessary; • Establish expectations for Trustees in areas of attendance, preparedness and participation; • Establish, coordinate and review with the Chairperson criteria for assessing Board performance; • Establish, coordinate and review with the Chairperson criteria for assessing the Chancellor; • Obtain any information and training reasonably necessary to continue education of all Trustees regarding governance matters;
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• In coordination with the Secretary and General Counsel of the Board, develop and maintain a Board orientation process, ensuring that new members have a clear understanding of the mission of the University; • With the assistance of the General Counsel, oversee and implement conflict of interest, financial disclosure and other policies relating to the efficient, effective and ethical operation of the Board in accordance with applicable law; • Review the Governance Committee’s charter annually, reassess its adequacy, and recommend any proposed changes to the Board of Trustees; • Perform other activities related to this Charter as requested by the Board of Trustees
BYLAW AMENDMENTS
ARTICLE III COMMITTEES OF THE BOARD
SECTION 3.1. STANDING AND SPECIAL COMMITTEES. a. The Board shall have standing committees on academic policy, programs and research, faculty staff and administration, fiscal affairs, audit, facilities planning and management, governance, and student affairs and special programs, as well as any other special committees and subcommittees that the board may establish by resolution. The membership of standing and special committees of the Board shall be determined by the chairperson. b. The procedures for providing notice of the meetings of all standing and special committees and subcommittees, and for making the agenda, summary of resolutions and minutes for such meetings available on the City University of New York website, shall be the same as they are for regular Board meetings.
SECTION 3.2. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE. a. The Board shall also have an executive committee, which shall consist of the chair of the board, the vice chair of the board, the chair of the committee on academic policy, program, and research, the chair of the committee on faculty, staff and administration, the chair of the committee on fiscal affairs, the chair of the committee on audit, the chair of the committee on facilities planning, and management, the chair of the governance committee, and the chair of the committee on student affairs and special programs. A majority of the individual members shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. b. The executive committee may meet in intervals between meetings of the Board and at such times that the chairperson of the board may convene it, upon the request of the Chancellor or his/her designee. The agenda for any Executive Committee meeting must be made available electronically on the City University of New York website twenty-four hours in advance. The Executive Committee may take any actions that could have been taken by the Board of Trustees, except to grant degrees, to make removals from office or to amend these bylaws, upon the determination that it would be detrimental to the University to delay the advancement of the matter until the next regularly scheduled meeting of the Board of Trustees. c. Certification of such determination and all actions of the Executive Committee shall be reported to all members of the Board no later than the next scheduled meeting.
Notice of such actions shall also be placed on the agenda of the next scheduled meeting of the Board.
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d. A summary of the resolutions for any Executive Committee meeting shall be electronically available on the City University of New York website no later than seven days after the meeting. The approved minutes, attendance, voting record, and video record for each executive meeting shall be posted on the website no later than seven days following their approval by the Board.
e. Notice of executive committee meetings shall be given in the same manner as it is given for special meetings of the Board.
University Faculty Senate Chair and Trustee Martin Burke asked for clarification purposes, “Will this be a committee focused on the Board of Trustees, or will it be looking at governance University-wide?” Chairperson Thompson, Jr. responded, “This committee will be looking more at the Board itself and functions of the board, as well as in preparation for Board members and for Board membership. It is more Board-focused than looking outward.”
Chairperson Thompson, Jr. asked for a vote. Cal. No. 2.A. was unanimously adopted.
3. COMMITTEE ON AUDIT: Chairperson Thompson, Jr. reported that at the May 4, 2021 meeting of the Committee on Audit, the Committee approved the following resolution, and Trustee Kevin Kim recommended its approval by the Board.
Moved by Chairperson Thompson, Jr. and seconded by Trustee Ferrer, the following resolution was presented and opened for discussion:
A. City University of New York - Approval of the Fiscal Year 2020 Uniform Guidance Report:
WHEREAS, The University receives federal aid in the form of student financial assistance, research and other grants; and
WHEREAS, Organizations such as The City University of New York that receive over $750,000 of federal funds are subject to an audit in accordance with the Uniform Guidance, and
WHEREAS, The University’s external auditor, Grant Thornton, LLP, has audited the University’s compliance with Title 2 U.S. Code of Federal Regulations (“CFR”) Part 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (“Uniform Guidance”), including our compliance with major federal programs, internal controls over compliance and the supplementary schedule of expenditures of federal awards; and
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WHEREAS, In fiscal year 2020, Grant Thornton, LLP audited both the federal student financial assistance programs and funds received under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES Act); and
WHEREAS, For fiscal year 2020, Grant Thornton, LLP has issued an unmodified or “clean” opinion of the University’s compliance with Uniform Guidance; now therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the Audit Committee of the Board of Trustees of the City University of New York approves the University’s fiscal year 2020 Uniform Guidance report.
EXPLANATION: The Audit Committee, as part of its responsibilities, must review the Uniform Guidance Report as presented by the external auditors. This year’s report is focused on both federal student financial assistance and funds received under the CARES Act. The audit of the University’s federal grant activity fiscally administered by the Research Foundation of The City University of New York is conducted separately.
The Uniform Guidance report is required to be filed with the federal government by March 31st annually; however, for recipients of federal funding associated with the pandemic, including the University, the deadline was extended by three months to June 30, 2021.
Chairperson Thompson, Jr. asked for a vote. Cal. No. 3.A. was unanimously adopted.
4. COMMITTEE ON FISCAL AFFAIRS: Chairperson Thompson, Jr. reported that at the May 3, 2021 meeting of the Committee on Fiscal Affairs, the Committee approved the following resolutions, and Trustee Ferrer recommended their approval by the Board.
Moved by Chairperson Thompson, Jr. and seconded by Trustee Ferrer, the following resolution was presented and opened for discussion:
A. Brooklyn College - Re-authorize Academic Excellence Fees in the Masters of Fine Arts, and Eliminate an Academic Excellence Fee in the Masters of Music, at Brooklyn College's Barry R. Feirstein Graduate School of Cinema:
WHEREAS, In November 2014 and January 2018, the Board of Trustees of The City University of New York (the “University”) approved and extended the academic excellence fees for Brooklyn College's Feirstein Graduate School of Cinema programs
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WHEREAS, These approvals ranged from the Fall 2015 semester through the Spring 2021 semester and included annual increases each Fall; and
WHEREAS, In January 2018, the Board of Trustees also approved a Site Fee for students in the Masters of Music (“MM”) program who enroll in courses in the Master of Fine Arts in Media Scoring and the Master of Fine Arts in Sonic Arts programs at the Feirstein Graduate School of Cinema; and
WHEREAS, The approval ranged from the Fall 2018 semester through Spring 2021 semester and also called for annual increases each fall; and
WHEREAS, The other academic excellence fees at the University are standing fees with no duration and changes to those fees are considered by the Board of Trustees; and
WHEREAS, Brooklyn College initially requested the limited duration as it wanted to reassess the fees after that period; and
WHEREAS, The College has now reviewed its academic excellence fees and has determined that due to the financial hardship that many of its students are facing, that at this time no increases will be sought; and
WHEREAS, The College also determined that the academic excellence fee passed for the Masters of Music in connection with the Conservatory of Music students taking classes at Feirstein should be eliminated; and
WHEREAS, Recognizing the inconsistencies between the academic excellence fees at the Barry Feirstein Graduate School of Cinema, the College has determined that it would seek the Board of Trustees’ approval to change the academic excellence fee at the School into a standing fee at the current rate; now therefore be it
RESOLVED, That Board of Trustees of the City University of New York eliminate the academic excellence fees for Masters of Music students taking classes at Brooklyn College’s Feirstein Graduate School of Cinema; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the Board of Trustees of The City University of New York re-authorize the current academic excellence fees for students enrolled in the Master of Fine Arts (“MFA”) in Cinema Arts, the Master of Fine Arts (“MFA”) in Media Scoring, and the Master of Fine Arts (“MFA”) in Sonic Arts at Brooklyn College's Feirstein Graduate School of Cinema, as a standing fee at the following rates.
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Fall and Spring Terms, Effective Fall 2021: MFA in Cinema Arts, Sonic Arts, or Media Scoring
• Resident and Non-Resident Full-Time Students:$5,022 per semester (12 or more credits) • Resident and Non-Resident Part-Time Students: $3,767 per semester (9 - 11 credits) • Resident and Non-Resident Part-Time Students: $2,511 per semester (Less than 9 credits)
Summer and Winter Terms, Effective Summer 2021: MFA in Cinema Arts, Sonic Arts, or Media Scoring
• Resident and Non-Resident Full or Part-Time Students: $1,175 per course
EXPLANATION: The Barry R. Feirstein Graduate School of Cinema opened at Steiner Studios at the Brooklyn Navy Yard in Fall 2015. The Feirstein School offers a 3-year specialized program in 6 disciplines leading to an MFA in Cinema Arts (Producing, Directing, Screenwriting, Cinematography, Postproduction, and Digital Animation and Visual Effects).
The Board of Trustees approved an Academic Excellence Fee when the Feirstein School opened with annual increases for each academic year. This request is for a standing academic excellence fee, with no increases. Brooklyn College recorded $1.9 million in MFA AEF revenue during FY 2020.
Housed in a renovated 68,000 sq. foot, state-of the-art facility on the Steiner Studios lot, the School is equipped with the most up-to-date production, post-production, animation, motion capture, and other facilities and equipment. As such, it boasts a filmmaking environment comparable to the finest in the world.
Feirstein offers a top-notch education in a superior facility. The Fall 2020 semester tuition and academic excellence fee for in-state residents and full-time students is currently $10,567 which is significantly less than the Fall 2020 semester costs at comparable institutions such as NYU ($30,140), Columbia University ($34,939), and the School of Visual Arts ($25,000-27,000).
Feirstein is both the first public graduate school of cinema in New York and the only film school on a working film lot in the United States. The comparative low cost of attendance further enhances the desirability of the Feirstein Graduate School of Cinema among New Yorkers, as well as out-of-state students, who will receive an education that is not only of exceptional quality, but that is also affordable, with some full and part-time
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scholarships available to those in need. The academic excellence fee will be used to fund the exceptional facility and programmatic expenses such as specialized equipment, staff, maintenance, and other needs.
Chairperson Thompson, Jr. asked for a vote. Cal. No. 4.A. was unanimously adopted.
Moved by Chairperson Thompson, Jr. and seconded by Trustee Ferrer, the following resolution was presented and opened for discussion:
B. Lehman College – Transfer MacKenzie Scott Gift Funds on Behalf of Lehman College to the Herbert H. Lehman College Foundation, Inc.:
WHEREAS, Lehman College provides undergraduate and graduate studies in the liberal arts and sciences and professional education within a dynamic research environment, serving a diverse student body of more than 15,000 students, many of whom are first generation students, parents and caretakers, and more than 81,000 alumni, offering over 90 academic programs; and
WHEREAS, On December 15, 2020, MacKenzie Scott (“Ms. Scott”),a renowned author and philanthropist, generously selected Lehman College, as one of the recipients of her groundbreaking philanthropic initiative through The 2020 fund (“The 2020 Fund”) and awarded Lehman College $30,000,000 (the “Gift”); and
WHEREAS, Ms. Scott has placed no restrictions on the Gift so long as it is used for the benefit of Lehman College and its students, subject to the priorities, guidance and approval of the Lehman College President; and
WHEREAS, On December 30, 2020, The Board of Trustees approved a resolution to accept the Gift on behalf of Lehman College; and approved the deposit of $26 million of the Gift as an unrestricted endowment fund in The City University of New York’s Long Term Investment Pool to be used for student, academic, and institutional needs, as approved by the Lehman College President; and approved the deposit of $4 million into an interest-bearing University account on behalf of Lehman College; and
WHEREAS, Lehman College desires to immediately transfer $1,800,000 of the Gift from the interest-bearing University account, and annually going forward transfer the CUNY- allotted takedown funds from the endowed $26,000,000 in the CUNY Long Term Investment Pool, to the Herbert H. Lehman College Foundation, Inc. which is empowered to hold, invest and administer charitable donations for the College; and
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WHEREAS, The funds transferred to the Herbert H. Lehman College Foundation, Inc. (the “Foundation”) shall be placed in a separately maintained and restricted account at the Foundation, which shall be named the Lehman College MacKenzie Scott Fund; and
WHEREAS, Consistent with Ms. Scott’s wishes, the funds transferred to the Lehman College MacKenzie Scott Fund shall be used only to fund specific enumerated projects as approved by the Lehman College President; now therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the Board of Trustees of The City University of New York authorizes and approves the transfer of $1,800,000 of the Gift from the interest-bearing University account to the Herbert H. Lehman College Foundation, Inc., on behalf of Lehman College, for administration and investment by the Foundation and to be used by the Foundation for Lehman College student, academic, and institutional needs, as approved by the Lehman College President; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the Board of Trustees of The City University of New York authorizes and approves the transfer, on an ongoing annual basis, up to the CUNY-annual spending allocation from the $26,000,000 in the CUNY Long Term Investment Pool to the Herbert H. Lehman College Foundation, Inc., on behalf of Lehman College, for administration and investment by the Foundation and to be used by the Foundation for Lehman College student, academic, and institutional needs, as approved by the Lehman College President; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the Board of Trustees of The City University of New York authorize the General Counsel or his designee, and that they hereby are, and each of them hereby is, authorized to sign and deliver a gift transfer agreement (the “Gift Transfer Agreement”), acknowledging, among other things the terms and conditions of the transfer of the Gift funds to the Herbert H. Lehman College Foundation, Inc.; together with any and all agreements, documents, and other instruments related thereto, and to take any and all such other actions, as such officer so acting may deem necessary or appropriate, and that such signature of the Gift Transfer Agreement by such duly authorized officer of the University shall be conclusive evidence of his or her authority to perform all such acts and to execute and deliver all such agreements, documents and instruments on behalf of the University.
EXPLANATION: Lehman College seeks to transfer a portion of the Gift funds to the Herbert H. Lehman College Foundation, Inc., to support efficient administration and investment of the funds, while honoring Ms. Scott’s wishes that the Gift be used for the benefit of Lehman College and its students, subject to the priorities, guidance and approval of the Lehman College President.
Chairperson Thompson, Jr. asked for a vote. Cal. No. 4.B. was unanimously adopted.
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Moved by Chairperson Thompson, Jr. and seconded by Trustee Ferrer, the following resolution was presented and opened for discussion:
C. City University of New York – Approval of the Fiscal Year 2022 CUNY Investment Portfolio Spending Rate:
WHEREAS, The City Univeristy of New York’s (the “University”) policies and procedures with respect to spending from its Investment Portfolio shall comply with the New York Prudent Management of Institutional Funds Act (“NYPMIFA”); and
WHEREAS, In order to ensure compliance with NYPMIFA, the funds in the City University of New York’s Investment Portfolio are categorized into groups of similarly situated funds according to purpose; and
WHEREAS, Decisions with respect to spending from the Investment Portfolio shall be made by the Board of Trustees after review; and
WHEREAS, In making this determination, the Board of Trustees has acted in good faith and with the care that an ordinarily prudent person in a like position would exercise under similar circumstances; now therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the Board of Trustees has determined, in accordance with the University’s Investment Policy, that it is prudent and appropriate to establish an expenditure appropriation of 4% for the funds in the Investment Portfolio for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022.
EXPLANATION: The CUNY Investment Portfolio (Portfolio) is a pooled investment vehicle for multiple individual accounts that include both endowed and non-endowed funds. The sources of the Portfolio are funds received by the University for its general purposes, for the benefit of a specific college, or are funds belonging to one or more of the colleges’ affiliated entities, including the College Foundations that have chosen to invest in the Portfolio.
In making this expenditure appropriation determination, the Board’s Subcommittee on Investments has reviewed the categories and the composition of each group to ensure funds are properly classified. It has deliberated on the prudence of the spending rate for each of the categories based upon the eight prudence factors mandated by NYPMIFA, and listed in Exhibit B Subsection 1A of the City University Investment Policy, prior to making its recommendation to the Board for Fiscal Year 2022.
Chairperson Thompson, Jr. asked for a vote. Cal. No. 4.C. was unanimously adopted.
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Moved by Chairperson Thompson, Jr. and seconded by Trustee Berger, the following resolution was presented and opened for discussion:
D. City University of New York – Approval of Extension of Temporary Asset Class Range Adjustments:
WHEREAS, The Board of Trustees of The City University of New York (the “University”) approved the Long-Term Asset Allocation focused on enhancing the diversification of the assets of the CUNY Investment Portfolio; and
WHEREAS, On April 27, 2020, the Board of Trustees also approved temporarily increasing the target ranges related to certain asset classes for twelve months ending April 30, 2021 in recognition of the anticipated length of the transition to the new Long- Term Asset Allocation; and
WHEREAS, The University has been making additional investments in the Private Equity markets over the past year and has achieved the floor of the investment target range of 5%; and
WHEREAS, Additional time is necessary to make the full transition to the Long-Term Asset Allocation targets for private markets assets; and
WHEREAS, While the University is increasing its private equity portfolio and waiting on private equity commitments to transition to capital calls, it is over-weighted in other asset categories, particularly in Investment Grade Bonds; now therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the Board of Trustees will extend for twelve months the increase to the target ranges related to the asset classes, ending April 30, 2022 as outlined below; and be it further
RESOLVED, That on May 1, 2022, the original target ranges for each asset class as adopted in the approved Investment Policy will take effect.
EXPLANATION: The Investment Policy Statement established a Long-Term Asset Allocation that provides the University the opportunity for enhanced diversification within asset classes. Strategic asset allocation is the single biggest factor in long-term returns. Each asset class has a target allocation that includes acceptable ranges that the University’s Outsourced Chief Investment Officer, Meketa Fiduciary Management, must stay within in order to be in compliance with the University’s Investment Policy.
Given recent market volatility, the University will take a cautious approach to deploying capital as opportunities arise.
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Long Term Long Term Temporary Target Target Target Asset Classes Allocation Ranges Range Variance Growth Assets 49% +/- 10 Public Global Equity 34% +/- 10 Private Equity 15% +/- 10 +/- 12 +/-2 Risk Mitigation 25% +/- 10 +/- 23 +/-13 Investment Grade Bonds 15% +/- 10 +/- 18 +/-8 Hedge Funds 10% +/- 5 Cash 0% n/a +5 +5 Real Assets/Inflation Hedges 17% +/- 10 +/- 15 +/-5 Private Natural Resources 5% +/- 5 Core Private Real Estate 2.5% +/- 2.5 Value-Added Real Estate 2.5% +/- 2.5 Core Infrastructure 5% +/- 5 TIPS 2% +/- 2 Credit 9% +/- 5 High Yield Bonds 3% +/- 3 Bank Loans 3% +/- 3 Emerging Market Bonds 3% +/- 3
Chairperson Thompson, Jr. asked for a vote. Cal. No. 4.D. was unanimously adopted.
5. COMMITTEE ON ACADEMIC POLICY, PROGRAMS, AND RESEARCH: Chairperson Thompson, Jr. reported that at the May 4, 2021 meeting of the Committee on Academic Policy, Programs, and Research, the Committee approved the following resolutions, and Trustee Jill O’Donnell-Tormey recommended their approval by the Board.
Moved by Chairperson Thompson, Jr. and seconded by Trustee O’Donnell-Tormey, resolutions 5.A. through 5.O. were presented and opened for discussion:
A. Baruch College – Award an Honorary Degree at Commencement to Dr. Raj Chetty:
WHEREAS, Dr. Raj Chetty, the William A. Ackman Professor of Public Economics at Harvard University and Director of Opportunity Insights, conducts research which combines empirical evidence and economic theory to help design more effective government policies; and
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WHEREAS, His work on tax policy, unemployment insurance, and education has been widely cited in media outlets and Congressional testimony; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Chetty’s current research focuses on equality of opportunity and how we can give children from disadvantaged backgrounds better chances of succeeding; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Chetty earned his AB summa cum laude from Harvard College in 2000 and his Ph.D. from Harvard University in 2003; and
WHEREAS, At the age of 23, Dr. Chetty became a professor at the University of California at Berkeley until he returned to Harvard in 2009 as one of the youngest tenured professors in Harvard’s history; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Chetty was a faculty member at Stanford from 2015 – 2018, returning to Harvard in the Summer of 2018 and rejoining the Economics Department and launching Opportunity Insights; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Chetty has received numerous awards for his research, including a MacArthur "Genius" Fellowship, the John Bates Clark medal, given to the economist under 40 whose work is judged to have made the most significant contribution to the field, the Sherwin Rosen Prize of the Society of Labor Economists and the Calvó- Armengol International Prize in Economics; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Chetty was elected as a fellow to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2014 and as a member to the National Academy of Sciences in 2018; and
WHEREAS, Baruch College has long been a catalyst for the economic and social mobility of its diverse student population with a number of independent agencies determining that Baruch is a national leader in its ability to propel students from low- income families into the middle class, which Dr. Raj Chetty has studied extensively making him an ideal candidate for an honorary degree from Baruch College; and
WHEREAS, The Board of Trustees of The City University of New York previously approved honorary degree conferral for the year 2020 but due to the uncertainty of the modality of the commencement proceedings, the determination was made to postpone such degree conferral; now therefore be it
RESOLVED, That Baruch College will award Dr. Raj Chetty the degree of Doctor of Science, honoris causa, at the college’s annual virtual commencement ceremony on May 27, 2021.
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EXPLANATION: In awarding Dr. Raj Chetty the degree of Doctor of Science, honoris causa, Baruch College will recognize Dr. Chetty’s dedication to ensuring access to economic equity and equality, inspiring policies and initiatives that ensure the social mobility of today’s generations, which embodies the historical and continuing mission of Baruch College and The City University of New York.
B. Brooklyn College – Award an Honorary Degree at Commencement to Fatima Goss Graves:
WHEREAS, Fatima Goss Graves, the President and CEO of the National Women’s Law Center (NWLC), has been an outspoken advocate for the rights of oppressed women since joining the staff of the NWLC in 2005; and
WHEREAS, Ms. Goss Graves has worked tirelessly on the front lines of the legal battles for women’s equality, and her work has resulted in significant and lasting progress; and
WHEREAS, Ms. Goss Graves has led the National Women’s Law Center’s anti- discrimination initiatives, including work to promote equal pay, and addressing harassment and violence at work and in school, with a particular focus on outcomes for women and girls of color; and
WHEREAS, Ms. Goss Graves is among the co-founders of the TIME’S UP Legal Defense Fund created in early 2018 to support lower-income women seeking justice for sexual harassment and assault in the workplace; and
WHEREAS, Ms. Goss Graves is recognized for her effectiveness in the complex public policy arena at both the state and federal levels and regularly testifies before Congress and federal agencies; and
WHEREAS, Ms. Goss Graves also appears as a legal expert on issues core to women’s lives in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, AP, Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles Times, San Francisco Chronicle, CNN, MSNBC, PBS, and NPR, among others; now therefore be it
RESOLVED, That Brooklyn College awards Fatima Goss Graves the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa, at the college’s annual commencement ceremony on May 27, 2021.
EXPLANATION: In awarding Fatima Goss Graves the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa, Brooklyn College will recognize her contributions to the legal profession and her unflagging work on the front lines of legal battles for women’s rights.
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C. City College – Award an Honorary Degree at Commencement to Edward Blank:
WHEREAS, Mr. Edward Blank’s company, Edward Blank Associates, Inc. (EBA) used the telephone as a powerful direct marketing tool defining the telemarketing industry we know today through innovations in training, quality control, technology and data security; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Edward Blank’s company, EBA, was ranked as the seventh largest outbound telemarketing service agency in the United States, and was selling products and services from 13 call centers in the United States and Canada, in 1996; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Edward Blank served as an active member of various philanthropic and political organizations, including the National Board of the Jewish National Fund and its UN representative; a board member of the Israel Policy Forum; a member of the International Board of Governors of the Tel Aviv Museum of Art; and a member of the Democratic Leadership Council; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Edward Blank, in honor of his late wife, Dr. Sharon Cosloy, a microbial geneticist and Chair of the Biology Department of The City College of New York (CCNY), endowed three funds at CCNY, including an annual scholarship to support undergraduate research; an annual lectureship bringing eminent scientists to the College; and a professional fund to support a faculty member of the Biology Department, whose research activities are in the field of microbial genetics; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Blank’s contributions to society through the preservation of our shared history is something he is particularly proud of and as a supporter of YIVO, Mr. Blank has established the Edward Blank YIVO Vilna Collections, which are the latest chapter in the dramatic story of Nazi looting during the Holocaust; now therefore be it
RESOLVED, That The City College of New York award Mr. Edward Blank the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa, at the college’s annual virtual commencement ceremony on June 4, 2021.
EXPLANATION: In awarding Mr. Edward Blank the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa, CCNY will recognize his outstanding career in marketing as well as his philanthropic endeavours and dedication to the highest ethical standards and moral principles through his service, all of which match CCNY’s and the University’s highest ideals.
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D. City College – Award an Honorary Degree at Commencement to Dr. Alondra Nelson:
WHEREAS, Dr. Alondra Nelson was presented with the Poorvu Family award for Interdisciplinary Teaching Excellence at Yale University; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Alondra Nelson directed the Institute for Research on Women, Gender, and Sexuality and was the founding co-director of the Columbia University Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Council at Columbia University; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Alondra Nelson restructured the Institute for Social and Economic Research and Policy, and helped to establish several initiatives, including the Atlantic Fellows for Racial Equity program, the Eric J. Holder Initiative for Civil and Political Rights, the June Jordan Fellowship Program, and the Sabancı Center for Turkish Studies, while serving a Dean of Social Science at Columbia University; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Alondra Nelson serves as the Harold F. Linder Professor at the Institute for Advanced Study, an independent research center in Princeton, New Jersey and president of the Social Science Research Council, an organization dedicated to the advancement of social research for the public good; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Alondra Nelson currently serves as Deputy Director for Science and Society for the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Alondra Nelson has published award-winning books and articles on science, technology, and social inequality, and she has contributed to national policy discussions on inequality, and the social implications of new technologies, artificial intelligence, big data and human gene-editing; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Alondra Nelson was co-chair of the NAM Committee on Emerging Science, Technology and Innovation and was a member of the National Academy of Engineering Committee on Responsible Computing Research; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Alondra Nelson serves as an advisor to the Obama Presidency Oral History Project; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Alondra Nelson is a director of the Center for Research Libraries and the Brotherhood/Sister Sol, a Harlem-based youth development organization; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Alondra Nelson has served on the boards of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the Russell Sage
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Foundation, the Teagle Foundation, USIU: Africa, Data & Society, and the Rockefeller Archive Center; now therefore be it
RESOLVED, That The City College of New York awards Dr. Alondra Nelson the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa, at the college’s annual virtual commencement ceremony on June 4, 2021.
EXPLANATION: In awarding Dr. Alondra Nelson the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa, CCNY will recognize her outstanding career in education, social science, science and technology in dedication to the highest ethical standards and moral principles through her service, all of which match CCNY’s and the University’s highest ideals.
E. College of Staten Island - Award an Honorary Degree at Commencement to Virginia Allen:
WHEREAS, Virginia Allen was inspired to pursue a career in nursing through the example of her Aunt, Edna Sutton-Ballard, and began working as a nurse’s aide in 1937 at Seaview Hospital, then the largest publicly funded sanitarium in the world; and
WHEREAS, Ms. Allen received her LPN from the New York City Central School for Practical Nurses and worked at Willowbrook State School helping to set up their tuberculosis treatment program; and
WHEREAS, Virginia Allen continued her education, taking courses at Cornell University, New York University, and the College of Staten Island, where she received an Associate Degree; and
WHEREAS, Virginia Allen worked as a private duty nurse before becoming a surgical nurse, and then worked as a personnel-training director at Brooklyn Jewish Hospital, before starting a career in labor relations with Local 1199 AFL-CIO; and
WHEREAS, Virginia Allen has pursued volunteer work and community involvement over almost seventy years, including decades of volunteering in the Women’s Crisis Center in Port Richmond and Bread and Roses; and
WHEREAS, She has served in a leadership capacity with numerous organizations, including The North Shore Staten Island section of the National Council of Negro Women, Cultural Crossroads, ArtLab, Staten Island OutLOUD, the Staten Island Chapter of the NAACP, New York Urban League, Sandy Ground Historical Society, Lambda Kappa Mu Sorority, the Weeksville Society, North Star Lions Club, Staten Island
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Business and Professional Women, and CSI’s Auxiliary Board for Grants for Education and Vocation; and
WHEREAS, Ms. Allen’s service has been recognized with numerous awards, including the William A. Morris Humanitarian Award, the Hope Community Staten Island Service Award, and the Staten Island Advance Woman of Achievement Award; and
WHEREAS, Virginia Allen, being the last surviving member of that group of health care workers who have come to be called the Black Angels, was recognized on the floor of the New York State Assembly in 2019; now therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the College of Staten Island award Virginia Allen the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa, at the college’s annual commencement ceremony on May 27, 2021.
EXPLANATION: In awarding Virginia Allen the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa, the College of Staten Island honors her decades of service to causes on Staten Island, as well as her service as a nurse to tuberculosis patients for many years, including her membership in the Black Angels. As a graduate of CSI with continued ties to the campus through her service on the campus Auxiliary Board, the campus is proud to recognize Virginia Allen with this honor.
F. College of Staten Island - Award an Honorary Degree at Commencement to Lucille and Jay Chazanoff:
WHEREAS, Lucille and Jay Chazanoff have decades of service to the College of Staten Island, the Staten Island Community, and the City of New York; and
WHEREAS, Lucille and Jay Chazanoff met and fell in love while students at Staten Island Community College, and their relationship thrived for 50 years until Lucille’s untimely passing in 2020; and
WHEREAS, Lucille Chazanoff’s distinguished career included service as Vice President and Controller of the National Broadcasting Company and Chief Operating Officer at Staten Island based Royal Press, Inc. Her service career is equally impressive, including work with Meals on Wheels, the Visiting Nurses Association, and the College of Staten Island Foundation, where she served for 13 years and served as the Foundation’s founding director; and
WHEREAS, Jay Chazanoff has had a distinguished career working for many corporations as an accountant and later administrator including Ernst and Whinney, Integrated Resources, Inc., BSI Inc, Pembroke Companies, and Millennium Capital
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Management, Inc. He also has an extensive record of service, including service as the Vice President of the Jewish Community Center of Staten Island and on the boards of St. Vincent’s Hospital, the Heart Institute, the UJA-Foundation of New York, and his current position as a member of the CSI Foundation Board, where he also chairs the Adopt-A-Bench Campaign Committee; and
WHEREAS, Both Lucille and Jay have been inducted into the College of Staten Island Alumni Association Hall of Fame in recognition of their service and support; and
WHEREAS, The Chazanoffs are also active philanthropists on Staten Island, where their support has touched the entire borough; and
WHEREAS, Their giving to their alma mater includes a $100,000 endowed scholarship, two memorial benches on campus grounds, as well giving generously over the course of their history in annual gifts; and
WHEREAS, The Chazanoffs named the Lucille and Jay Chazanoff School of Business at the College of Staten Island with one of the largest philanthropic gifts to a non-profit in the history of Staten Island; now therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the College of Staten Island award both Lucille and Jay Chazanoff the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa, at the college’s annual commencement ceremony on May 27, 2021.
EXPLANATION: In awarding Lucille and Jay Chazanoff the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa, the College of Staten Island honors their long commitment to the Borough of Staten Island and particularly the College of Staten Island, as well as their distinguished records of service and philanthropy to the community.
G. Hostos Community College - Award an Honorary Degree at Commencement to Congressman José E. Serrano:
WHEREAS, New York City and Eugenio María de Hostos Community College (“Hostos Community College”) are only as strong as the people who fight for them; and
WHEREAS, Congressman José E. Serrano (retired) dedicated his career in local, state, and federal politics supporting the equal opportunity, education, and economic prosperity of underrepresented communities; and
WHEREAS, Congressman Serrano served with distinction, first in the New York State Assembly for 15 years and then was elected to serve as a member of the United States House of Representatives for over 30 years beginning in 1990 until his retirement in
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2021, during which he represented and tirelessly advocated for the people of the South Bronx, where Hostos Community College is located; and
WHEREAS, Congressman Serrano attended Grace Dodge Vocational High School and attended Lehman College, both in the Bronx; and
WHEREAS, Congressman Serrano worked tirelessly to allocate funding to Hostos Community College throughout his time in public office; and
WHEREAS, Congressman Serrano arranged for Hostos Community College to have a piece of history in the form of a Puerto Rican flag that went to space on a NASA flight, which to this day hangs proudly in the College lobby; and
WHEREAS, The Serrano Scholars Program at Hostos, which created a path for Hostos graduates to attend Columbia University and enter the world of international affairs, was named in honor of José E. Serrano; and
WHEREAS, Congressman Serrano served as a role model and example of what is achievable for students in the Bronx, reflective of its diverse communities, particularly those of Puerto Rican and Hispanic descent; and
WHEREAS, Congressman Serrano always encouraged Hostos students not to lose hope in their country, to make their voices heard, and to dream big; and
WHEREAS, In granting this degree, Hostos Community College will recognize and honor retired Congressman Serrano for his lifetime of dedicated public service to the people of the Bronx and especially to Hostos Community College; and
WHEREAS, The honorary degree will also recognize Congressman Serrano for his commitment to public education and the importance to democracy of an informed, knowledgeable electorate; now therefore be it
RESOLVED, That Hostos Community College award retired Congressman José E. Serrano the degree of Associate of Humane Letters, honoris causa, at the College’s annual commencement ceremony on May 28, 2021.
EXPLANATION: In awarding Congressman José E. Serrano the degree of Associate of Humane Letters, honoris causa, Hostos Community College will recognize his lifelong commitment to public service and fighting for the people of the South Bronx, especially the Hostos Community, in accordance with the highest ideals and principles that the public expects and demands of its representatives, and the values that Hostos Community College and the University wish to impart to its students.
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H. Lehman College - Award an Honorary Degree at Commencement to Congressman Eliot L. Engel:
WHEREAS, Eliot L. Engel is perhaps the most well-known alumnus of Lehman College throughout the nation as a devoted public servant, representing the North Bronx and southern Westchester County for 16 terms from 1989 to 2021 in the United States House of Representatives, where he served as Chair of the Committee on Foreign Affairs during the 116th Congress; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Engel also served in the New York State Assembly from 1977 to 1988; and
WHEREAS, As a Bronx native raised in the Eastchester Gardens housing projects as a first-generation college student, Mr. Engel earned a bachelor’s degree in history and a master’s in guidance and counseling from Lehman College in 1969 and 1973, respectively; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Engels’ commitment to providing global political leadership was recognized by such prestigious outlets as the Washington Post which profiled him as he ended his 32-year-career in politics, in which he was quoted saying, “If we want to effectuate change in the world, if there are things we want to see in the world, if we are going to be the world leader, there are responsibilities that come with that. We are the leaders, and we should act like it”; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Engel has been nominated for a Frizis Award, usually bestowed upon a distinguished member of the Jewish community; and
WHEREAS, With Lehman’s strong emphasis on providing access to high-quality, affordable education particularly for low-income and first generation students, Mr. Engel is an ideal candidate for an honorary degree from Lehman College, demonstrating the heights to which our students can climb when they work hard and are provided with greater opportunities to succeed; now therefore be it
RESOLVED, That Lehman College award Eliot L. Engel the degree of Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, at the College’s annual commencement ceremony on May 27, 2021.
EXPLANATION: In awarding Eliot Engel the degree of Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, Lehman College recognizes his many profound contributions to the College and its students as an ambassador of the education he received at the College as well as a role model and supporter of the College’s and the University’s mission and highest ideals.
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I. Lehman College - Award an Honorary Degree at Commencement to T.J. English:
WHEREAS, T.J. English has operated as the epitome of an engaged citizen as a New York Times bestselling author, renowned journalist, activist and humanitarian through his books and writing for television; and
WHEREAS, Mr. English, has worked tirelessly to give a voice to those who may not have one, to expose bias and corruption and effect change where necessary; and
WHEREAS, Mr. English has received a number of accolades for his creative and journalistic work at the intersection of social justice and humanitarianism, including a New York Press Club Award for Best Reporting and the Global Impact Award from the Lehman College Office of International Programs and Community Engagement; and
WHEREAS, Mr. English has collaborated across physical and other borders between the U.S. and Mexico in an effort to safeguard protections for journalists in Mexico who are targeted for trying to expose the truth through his establishment of the Irish Mexican Alliance; and
WHEREAS, Mr. English demonstrates a belief that artists have a responsibility to live out their beliefs in a variety of ways related to creative expression, including his curation of a Latin Jazz series called “Dangerous Rhythms,” featuring some of the most important artists in the genre today; and
WHEREAS, Mr. English’s life, career and collaborations model for Lehman College and its students a legacy that marries purpose and creativity, making him an ideal candidate for an honorary degree from Lehman College; now therefore be it
RESOLVED, That Lehman College award T.J. English the degree of Doctor of Letters, honoris causa, at the College’s annual commencement ceremony on May 27, 2021.
EXPLANATION: In awarding T.J. English the degree of Doctor of Letters, honoris causa, Lehman College recognizes his many profound contributions to the nation, to the College and our students both as a role model and supporter of the College’s and the University’s mission and highest ideals.
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J. Lehman College - Award an Honorary Degree at Commencement to Dolores Huerta:
WHEREAS, Dolores Huerta has devoted her life to improving working conditions for farm workers and laborers, particularly those of Hispanic or Latino/x descent and from historically underserved communities; and
WHEREAS, Ms. Huerta co-founded with Cesar Chavez the National Farmworkers Association, later known as the United Farm Workers, which laid the groundwork for her successful lobbying in 1975 to secure the working rights of California laborers through the Agricultural Labor Relations Act (ALRA); and
WHEREAS, Ms. Huerta created the movement’s famous slogan, “Si Se Puede,” which inspired President Obama’s “Yes, we can” campaign, igniting a spirit of resilience and persistence that persists to this moment as marginalized people continue to fight for social justice; and
WHEREAS, Ms. Huerta earned her associates degree in California, studying to become a schoolteacher before she realized she could be more helpful to farmworkers as an organizer; and
WHEREAS, Ms. Huerta began working with the Community Service Organization (CSO), a statewide confederation that mobilized Mexican American communities to register voters and improve public services, in 1955; and
WHEREAS, With Cesar Chavez, Ms. Huerta organized a cooperative, a credit union, insurance policies and a newspaper called El Malcriado and helped organize the five- year-long Delano grape strike, during which Mexican and Filipino workers walked off the fields and refused to pick grapes in 1965 in California. She moved to New York City, then the center of grape distribution, to coordinate an industry-wide boycott of grapes in 1968 and 1969; and
WHEREAS, In granting this degree, Lehman College recognizes Dolores Huerta’s longstanding commitment to social justice and fair working conditions for all; and
WHEREAS, With Lehman College’s history of social activism and continuing emphasis on ensuring equality on this campus and the larger community, Ms. Huerta is an ideal candidate for an honorary degree from Lehman College; now therefore be it
RESOLVED, That Lehman College award Dolores Huerta the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa, at the College’s annual commencement ceremony on May 27, 2021.
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EXPLANATION: In awarding Dolores Huerta the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa, Lehman College recognizes her determination and groundbreaking achievements as an iconic social justice advocate for all people, all of which are consistent with the College’s and the University’s highest ideals.
K. Macaulay Honors College - Award an Honorary Degree at Commencement to Baratunde Thurston:
WHEREAS, Mr. Baratunde Thurston has worked throughout his career to advance the ideals of civic participation, open communication about difficult subjects, and data- based, factual inquiry into important issues; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Thurston has demonstrated a powerful commitment to critical thinking and accessible, nuanced and diverse approaches to challenging issues; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Thurston has, through his podcast, “How to Citizen with Baratunde” and his TED talk “How to Deconstruct Racism, One Headline at a Time,” advanced public understanding of civics and improved understanding among and between people; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Thurston, through his service on the boards of BUILD and the Brooklyn Public Library, demonstrated a commitment to public education and access to excellent teaching and learning; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Thurston’s interviews and essays have appeared in Fast Company and the New York Times, as well as on HBO, Comedy Central, CNN, MSNBC, BBC and NPR; and
WHEREAS, Macaulay’s students will be well-served by following the exemplary commitment and contributions of Baratunde Thurston, making him an ideal candidate for an honorary degree from Macaulay Honors College; now therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the Macaulay Honors College award Baratunde Thurston the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa, at the college’s annual commencement ceremony on June 3, 2021.
EXPLANATION: In awarding Baratunde Thurston the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa, Macaulay will recognize his public service to education and civics, his commitment to social change and anti-racism, and his dedication to communicating complex ideas about difficult issues to a wide audience, all of which match Macaulay’s and the University’s highest ideals.
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L. Medgar Evers College - Award an Honorary Degree at Commencement to Ziggy Marley:
WHEREAS, Eight-time Grammy winner, Emmy winner, musician, producer, activist and humanitarian Ziggy Marley has cultivated a legendary career for close to 40 years; and
WHEREAS, The eldest son of Bob and Rita Marley, Ziggy has hewed his own path as a musical pioneer, infusing the reggae genre with funk, blues, rock and other elements through mindful songcraft; and
WHEREAS, Ziggy Marley is a master storyteller and motivational guide who deftly explores issues from environmental awareness to self-empowerment, social injustice to political inequity, while returning again and again to the transformative power of love, which represent the teaching and learning ideals of Medgar Evers College and the Department of Mass Communication; and
WHEREAS, Ziggy Marley uses his success to champion political and philanthropic causes, serving as Goodwill Youth Ambassador for the United Nations and participating in the Bob Marley Foundation Initiatives worldwide, which are in alignment with Medgar Evers College’s commitment to implementing programs and initiatives that highlight and confront these issues; and
WHEREAS, Through his leadership of Tuff Gong Worldwide, an offshoot of his father’s music label Tuff Gong Records, Ziggy oversaw the marketing campaign for Bob Marley’s 75th birthday, which included the curation and publication in October, 2020 of a photo book with 150 rare images, and the limited engagement release this summer of the acclaimed documentary Marley, a detailed account of his father’s life originally produced by Ziggy in 2011; and
WHEREAS, Reinforcing his reputation as a community leader, one who has peacefully participated in Black Lives Matter protests, Ziggy Marley received the Black Press of America’s prestigious Global Icon Achievement Award, reflective of Medgar Evers College’s mission to be at the forefront of discourse regarding racial inequity; and
WHEREAS, Medgar Evers College’s commitment to social justice, with an emphasis on service, and dedication to preparing its students for the digital 21st century, sees a congruent match with Ziggy Marley, particularly in the area of music, performance, and communications, making Ziggy Marley an ideal candidate for an honorary degree from Medgar Evers College; now therefore be it
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RESOLVED, That Medgar Evers College of the City University of New York awards Ziggy Marley the degree of Doctor of Fine Arts, honoris causa, at the 50th commencement ceremony on June 3, 2021.
EXPLANATION: Medgar Evers College is named after the honorable Medgar Wiley Evers, who had a long and distinguished career as a civil rights leader who was a champion for social and political justice. By awarding Ziggy Marley the degree of Doctor of Fine Arts, honoris causa, the College will recognize his unwavering commitment to racial, educational, socio-economic equity, and the performing and digital arts – all of which are reflective of the College’s mission of educating for social justice, and the uplift of local and global communities.
M. Medgar Evers College - Award an Honorary Degree at Commencement to Michael T. Pugh:
WHEREAS, President, Chief Executive Officer, and businessman Michael T. Pugh has utilized his position at Carver Bancorp to provide financial access within the banking industry for over 25 years, leading teams of up to 600 associates in retail, business banking, commercial and residential lending, and call center operations; and
WHEREAS, Michael T. Pugh has also been a critical leader in bank technology integrations, launched new lines of business, and executed new growth marketing strategies, all of which represent the teaching and learning ideals of Medgar Evers College and the MEC School of Business; and
WHEREAS, Prior to joining Carver in 2012, Michael T. Pugh worked at Capital One, N.A., as Senior Vice President, Regional Executive and Market President of Eastern Maryland, Delaware, and Washington D.C. where he was responsible for revenue production, customer service, and bank operations for approximately 75 banking centers and $3 billion in deposits; and
WHEREAS, Michael T. Pugh led retail banking teams in 67 banking centers in the Michigan and Indiana markets, where his accomplishments included organically growing a new market by $400 million in deposits and leading a team to become the number one Small Business Administration lender in Indiana; and
WHEREAS, Michael T. Pugh serves as a board member of Carver Bancorp, Inc. (Consumer Compliance and Executive Committees) and Pursuit (Audit, Compensation, Executive, Governance and Nominating, and Loan Committees) as well as serving as a board member of several non-profit organizations, including Society for Financial Education and Professional Development (Board Chair, and Finance Investment
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Committee), and Madison Square Boys and Girls Club (Board Development and Youth of the Year Committees); and
WHEREAS, Michael T. Pugh earned his Bachelor of Science in Health Administration from Eastern Michigan University, his M.S. in Financial Management at the University of Maryland University College, and has also received certifications from the Babson College and The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, in Executive Leadership; and
WHEREAS, In 2020, under the leadership of Michael T. Pugh, Carver Bancorp has sponsored the HBCU finance education program and supported the College’s School of Business’ inaugural Financial Conference in celebration of the College’s 50th anniversary, serving as opening speaker for the student luncheon; and
WHEREAS, Medgar Evers College’s commitment to social justice, emphasis on service, and dedication to preparing students to identify, analyze, and solve local and global educational and socio-political issues, make Michael T. Pugh an ideal candidate for an honorary degree from Medgar Evers College; now therefore be it
RESOLVED, That Medgar Evers College of the City University of New York award Michael T. Pugh the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa, at the 50th commencement ceremony on June 3, 2021.
EXPLANATION: Medgar Evers College is named after the honorable Medgar Wiley Evers, who had a long and distinguished career as a civil rights leader who was a champion for social and political justice. By awarding Michael T. Pugh the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa, the College will recognize his unwavering commitment to racial, educational, business, and socioeconomic equity – all of which are reflective of the College’s mission of educating for social justice, and the uplift of local and global communities.
N. CUNY Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy - Award an Honorary Degree at Commencement to Heather McGhee:
WHEREAS, Writer, economist, political analyst, and public advocate Heather McGhee has demonstrated the highest level of leadership and commitment to public health, human dignity and social justice in her career; and
WHEREAS, Heather McGhee is a Distinguished Senior Fellow and immediate past president at Demos, a nonpartisan “think-and-do” tank that powers the movement for a just and inclusive multiracial democracy, where she has spent years working on economic policy, including health care disparities; and
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WHEREAS, Under her leadership at Demos she achieved landmark consumer protections to rein in credit card abuses, fought for changes in public policy that resulted in the registration of millions of low-income voters at DMVs and public agencies, and successfully advocated for pro-democracy reforms; and
WHEREAS, In her role as NBC News Political Analyst she regularly elevates the concerns of working class families on shows including “Meet the Press” and “Real Time with Bill Maher,” and has also testified in Congress, drafted legislation, and developed strategies for organizations and campaigns that won changes to improve the lives of millions; and
WHEREAS, She is chair of the Board of Directors of Color of Change, the country’s largest online racial justice organization, and a member of many other boards in philanthropy and social justice; and
WHEREAS, She is the author of The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together, published by Penguin Random House/One World in February 2021, which investigates the role of racism in the failure of the American economy— including failures in health care, voting rights and the environment—and analyzes why racism is a core dysfunction of democracy and a moral crisis crippling people of color; and
WHEREAS, In granting this degree, CUNY SPH will recognize her exceptional work to analyze racism and its impact on the economy and public systems, which both shine a light on the critical interconnectivity of dysfunctions in the United States, many of which affect public health, and help educate our students, many of whom come from the communities most impacted by these dysfunctions; and
WHEREAS, She is a champion for social justice and is an inspirational example to our students of how investing in public health and partnering with each other can empower us to overcome injustice; now therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the CUNY Graduate School of Public Health & Health Policy award Heather McGhee, JD, the Honorary Doctor of Science in Public Health, honoris causa, at CUNY SPH’s annual commencement ceremony on June 3, 2021.
EXPLANATION: In awarding Heather McGhee the Honorary Doctor of Science in Public Health, honoris causa, the CUNY Graduate School of Public Health & Health Policy will recognize her commitment to public health, her exceptional work to analyze racism and its impact on the economy and public systems, as well as her role as a champion of social justice, all of which match the University’s highest ideals.
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O. City University of New York - Award an University Honorary Degree to Christopher Julius Rock II at Kingsborough Community College’s Commencement:
WHEREAS, Christopher Julius Rock III, better known as Chris Rock, has brought laughter to diverse audiences worldwide and his ability to act, write, direct and produce films to the delight of people of various cultures, economic backgrounds and philosophies has made him one of the most distinguished stand-up comedians and comic minds of his generation; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Rock, whose successes include four Primetime Emmy awards, three Grammy award-winning comedy albums, the award-winning sitcom Everybody Hates Chris, and twice hosting the Academy Awards, has demonstrated dedication in the field of fine arts; and
WHEREAS, In addition to his work on stage and screen, Mr. Rock has translated his comedy into print form in the book Rock This!, which examines race, relationships and politics; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Rock’s first documentary, Good Hair, explores the current hair-styling industry for black women, images of what are considered acceptable and desirable for African-American women's hair in the United States, and their relation to African- American culture; and
WHEREAS, As a supporter of a number of humanitarian campaigns and philanthropic charities, including the Andre Agassi Foundation for Education, Angel Rock Project, Artists for a New South Africa, Champions for Children, HOPE Worldwide, Seeds for Peace, and UNICEF, to name a few, Mr. Rock has demonstrated his commitment to social change and education; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Rock’s commitment to the fine arts and dedication to communicating multifaceted ideas about important topics to a wide audience match the University’s highest ideals; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Rock attended Kingsborough Community College for a year, studying communications; and
WHEREAS, In granting this University Honorary Degree, The City University of New York will recognize Mr. Rock’s distinguished contributions to the fine arts as well as provoking critical thinking, political exploration, and social commentary while recognizing his commitment to public education and the importance to democracy of an informed, knowledgeable electorate; and
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WHEREAS, With Kingsborough Community College’s continuing emphasis on new media, critical thinking across disciplines, and preparing leaders to solve the challenges facing New York City and the world, Mr. Rock is an ideal candidate for an honorary degree from The City University of New York at the commencement ceremony of Kingsborough Community College; now therefore be it
RESOLVED, That The City University of New York award Christopher Julius Rock III (Chris Rock) the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa, at Kingsborough Community College’s annual commencement ceremony on June 17, 2021.
EXPLANATION: In awarding Christopher Julius Rock III the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa, The City University of New York will recognize his extensive contributions to the fine arts, commitment to public education, and his dedication to communicating complex ideas and expressions about important issues to a wide audience, all of which match the University’s highest ideals.
Chairperson Thompson, Jr. noted, “CUNY confers honorary degrees to distinguished individuals who have made invaluable contributions to society through their scientific, political, or artistic achievements. These esteemed individuals have also dedicated themselves to a life of radical and demanding work for the betterment of society, which is the type of work that is in perfect harmony with the CUNY mission. For the Spring 2021 commencement, most of CUNY’s honorary degrees will be conferred via virtual ceremonies that will be livestreamed. This years’ honorees include an iconic civil rights leader, two Emmy-winning artists, two former U.S. congressmen, two best-selling authors, and multiple business leaders who have devoted their resources to furthering a more just and inclusive society.”
Chairperson Thompson, Jr. asked for a vote. Cal. Nos. 5.A. through 5.O. were unanimously adopted.
Moved by Chairperson Thompson, Jr. and seconded by Trustee O’Donnell-Tormey, the following resolution was presented and opened for discussion:
P. City University of New York – Extend the Special COVID-19 Temporary Suspension of Standardized Testing Requirements for Undergraduate Admission:
WHEREAS, On June 8, 2020, the Board of Trustees of The City University of New York (the “University”) approved the “Special COVID-19 Temporary Suspension of Standardized Testing Requirements for Undergraduate Admission,” which implemented a temporary suspension of standardized admissions testing requirements (e.g., SAT/ACT) for undergraduate admissions for the Spring 2021, Fall 2021, and Spring 2022 admission cycles only; and
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WHEREAS, This action was intended to address the inability of many high school seniors to prepare for such admissions exams as a result of the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 public health emergency; and
WHEREAS, This action was aligned with the policy decisions of a majority of universities and colleges across the country to temporarily change their standardized testing policies for admissions by making the standardized SAT and ACT admissions tests optional or suspending their use; and
WHEREAS, This action was aligned with recommendations from the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC), which urged institutions to reassess the use of the SAT and ACT admissions exams in light of the disruptive effects the COVID-19 public health emergency was having on graduating high school students and academic schedules; and
WHEREAS, In response to this action and to maintain the University’s admissions standards, the University’s colleges developed and implemented more sophisticated admissions practices for Spring 2021 and Fall 2021 admissions, including using more information from high school transcripts, with a focus on performance in key subjects and expanding the use of student essays and letters of recommendation at our most selective colleges; and
WHEREAS, The University’s highest priority continues to be to protect the health and safety of current and prospective students, faculty and staff while creating the conditions for our students to make progress in their academic programs, for our faculty to advance their creative and scholarly activities, and our staff to meet our myriad programmatic goals; and
WHEREAS, In light of the ongoing COVID-19 public health emergency, which continues to pose a threat to the continuity of business and education, challenge prospective students to effectively plan, and has disproportionately affected the most vulnerable communities in the City, the University would like to extend the temporary suspension of standardized testing requirements through Academic Year 2022-2023; and
WHEREAS, This extension acknowledge the request made by the New York City Department of Education (“DOE”), that the University extend the “Special COVID-19 Temporary Suspension of Standardized Testing Requirements for undergraduate admission, recognizing the negative impact the pandemic has had on the number of students taking such tests; and
WHEREAS, This extension would also be aligned with similar actions taken by a majority of 4-year colleges, which have announced changes to their testing policies
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covering the Fall 2022 admission cycle and in some instances extending to the Spring 2023 admission cycle; now therefore be it
RESOLVED, That effective immediately, the University will extend for a year the temporary suspension of standardized admissions testing requirements (e.g., SAT/ACT) for undergraduate admissions and will communicate to prospective students that it shall not consider standardized admissions tests in evaluating their applications; and be it further
RESOLVED, That this action will pertain to the Fall 2022 and Spring 2023 admission cycles and the Chancellor shall take such actions as are reasonable and necessary to accomplish the foregoing while maintaining the University’s commitment to inclusive excellence.
EXPLANATION: A core feature of the University’s mission is to provide opportunities to lift all citizens of New York City, both economically and intellectually. By extending this temporary suspension of the standardized testing requirements for admissions, the University continues to be responsive to the uncertain and rapidly changing educational situation brought on by the current public health crisis while maintaining admissions standards through more sophisticated practices, including the use of more information from high school transcripts, with a focus on performance in key subjects, and the expansion of the use of student essays and letters of recommendation as appropriate. This extension will send an important message to prospective students and their families that the University values their health and well-being, which may be crucial to building the trust they need to consider enrolling at one of our colleges, while ensuring our high expectations of student success in college are reflected in our admissions process.
Chairperson Thompson, Jr. asked for a vote. Cal. No. 5.P. was unanimously adopted.
Moved by Chairperson Thompson, Jr. and seconded by Trustee Mayra Linares-Garcia, the following resolution was presented and opened for discussion:
Q. City University of New York – Approve the Actions in the CAPPR Dashboard:
WHEREAS, The Board of Trustees of the City University of New York (the “University”) who serve on the Committee of Academic Policy, Programs, and Research approve a range of academic actions presented by the Office of Academic Affairs before these actions go to the full Board of Trustees; and
WHEREAS, Proposed academic actions are submitted to the CAPPR committee for approval either through individual resolutions or in summary form; and
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WHEREAS, Individual resolutions are submitted to the CAPPR committee in the case of new academic degree programs, university-wide academic or research policy, transfer of degree-granting authority, the establishment or closing of departments, and the establishment of university-wide institutes; and
WHEREAS, A summary report is submitted to the CAPPR committee in the case of changes to existing academic degree programs that require New York State Education Department approval, the creation of new certificate programs and new degree programs from existing programs, the establishment of campus-based policy, and the inclusion of approved courses in general education; and
WHEREAS, Members of the CAPPR committee have requested that the summary report be presented in a dynamic, interactive dashboard that helps to visualize academic activity from the previous month and over time; and
WHEREAS, The Office of Academic Affairs introduced its CAPPR Dashboard during the CAPPR meeting on October 7, 2019 and will continue to provide updated dashboards at every committee meeting; now therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the actions in the CAPPR Dashboard be approved effective May 25, 2021.
NOTE: The Academic Board Report for the May 2021 Board meeting is on file in the Office of the Secretary of the Board and at https://www.cuny.edu/wp- content/uploads/sites/4/page-assets/about/trustees/meetings-of-the-board/Committee- on-Academic-Policy-Programs-and-Research-Report-May-2021.pdf
EXPLANATION: Routine academic matters, local academic policies, and course inclusions in the University’s general education program are presented to the Committee of Academic Policy, Programs, and Research in summary form. The new CAPPR Dashboard makes it possible for Trustees to interact with this summary data. Using the new dashboard format, Trustees are able to manipulate and explore graphic representations and charts of the academic activity from the previous month and over time using various tools and filters.
Chairperson Thompson, Jr. asked for a vote. Cal. No. 5.Q. was unanimously adopted.
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6. COMMITTEE ON FACULTY, STAFF AND ADMINISTRATION: Chairperson Thompson, Jr. reported that at the May 3, 2021 meeting of the Committee on Faculty, Staff and Administration, the Committee approved the following resolutions, and Trustee Kevin Kim recommended their approval by the Board.
Moved by Chairperson Thompson, Jr. and seconded by Trustee Linares-Garcia, the following resolution was presented and opened for discussion:
A. City University of New York – Approve the Committee on Faculty, Staff and Administration (CFSA) Report:
WHEREAS, The colleges and University central office appoint faculty, executives, and staff to ensure academic and administrative operations continue seamlessly and new initiatives are implemented effectively; and
WHEREAS, Faculty are evaluated and reappointed on a systematic basis, sometimes resulting in the awarding of tenure, in order to retain superior faculty; and
WHEREAS, Faculty are granted fellowship leave in order to conduct research, improve their teaching, or conduct creative work, thereby improving the students’ experience and university’s success; and`
WHEREAS, Other personnel actions, including executive level appointments, appointments named chair, appointments waiving bylaws requirements, and appointments with 211 waivers and 212 notices, are considered as appropriate to guarantee University and campus goals and commitments are achieved; now therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the CFSA Report prepared by the Office of Human Resources Management and presented, be approved effective May 24, 2020.
NOTE: The CFSA Report for the May 2021 Board meeting is on file in the Office of the Secretary of the Board and at https://www.cuny.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/page- assets/about/trustees/meetings-of-the-board/Committee-on-Faculty-Staff-and- Administration-Report-May-2021.pdf
Chairperson Thompson, Jr. asked for a vote. Cal. No. 6.A. was unanimously adopted.
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Moved by Chairperson Thompson, Jr. and seconded by Trustee Sandra Wilkin, the following resolution was presented and opened for discussion:
B. City University of New York – Implement Paid Family Leave Benefits For Members Of The Executive Compensation Plan, Classified Managerial Staff And Other Non- Represented Employees:
WHEREAS, In April 2016, New York State enacted legislation (Chapter 54, Laws of 2016) which amended Workers’ Compensation Law Article 9 to provide for a Paid Family Leave (PFL) benefit for eligible employees working in New York State; and
WHEREAS, Paid Family Leave benefits provide employees with job-protected, paid time off to bond with a newly born, adopted, or fostered child, care for a family member with a serious health condition, or assist loved ones when a family member is deployed abroad on active military service; and
WHEREAS, Pursuant to Collective Bargaining Agreements, the University provides Paid Family Leave benefits for many represented employees; and
WHEREAS, Public employers can opt-in non-represented employees and provide Paid Family Leave benefits through an insurance carrier; and
WHEREAS, Paid Family Leave insurance coverage is funded through employee payroll contributions that are set each year to match the cost of coverage and the rate of employee contributions is reviewed annually subject to change by the New York State Department of Financial Services; and
WHEREAS, Paid Family Leave benefits provide for up to 12 weeks of leave in any 52- week period at 67% of the employee’s average weekly wage, not to exceed 67% of the State Average Weekly Wage, which is set annually by the New York State Department of Financial Services; now therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the Board of Trustees of The City University of New York authorizes the Vice Chancellor for Human Resources Management to implement Paid Family Leave benefits for members of the Executive Compensation Plan, Classified Managerial Staff, and other non- represented employees.
EXPLANATION: Paid Family Leave is employee-funded insurance that provides job- protected, paid time off to:
• Bond with a newly born, adopted or fostered child; • Care for a family member with a serious health condition; or
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• Assist loved ones when a spouse, domestic partner, child or parent is called to active military service abroad.
Employees who regularly work 20 or more hours per week are eligible for Paid Family Leave after 26 weeks of employment. Employees who work less than 20 hours per week are eligible after they have worked 175 days.
Paid Family Leave provides for up to 12 weeks of paid leave at 67% of the employee’s average weekly wage, not to exceed 67% of the State Average Weekly Wage, which is set annually by the New York State Department of Financial Services.
Paid Family Leave is funded through employee payroll contributions that are set each year to match the cost of coverage. The rate of employee contributions is reviewed annually, and is subject to change by the New York State Department of Financial Services. For 2021, the payroll deduction is 0.511% of the employee’s wages each pay period, up to a cap established by NY State. The annual maximum employee contribution is $385.34, which is 0.511% of the Statewide Average Weekly Wage.
Chairperson Thompson, Jr. asked for a vote. Cal. No. 6.B. was unanimously adopted.
Moved by Chairperson Thompson, Jr. and seconded by Trustee Kim, the following resolution was presented and opened for discussion:
C. Brooklyn College - Amend the Governance Plan:
WHEREAS, Brooklyn College’s (“Brooklyn”) Governance Plan was adopted by the Board of Trustees on November 22, 1976; and
WHEREAS, Brooklyn College’s Governance Plan has been amended several times by the Board of Trustees, most recently on June 24, 2019; and
WHEREAS, Brooklyn College’s Governance Plan outlines membership requirements for student representatives on Brooklyn’s Policy Council, which is Brooklyn’s governance body; and
WHEREAS, Brooklyn College’s Undergraduate Student Government proposed changes to Brooklyn College’s Governance’s Plan to extend the term limits for a restricted number of undergraduate student representatives to Brooklyn’s Policy Council in order to reduce student turnover and lack of continuity; and
WHEREAS, Brooklyn College’s Policy Council, which includes an equal number of administrators, faculty and students, approved such amendments to the Brooklyn
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Governance Plan on February 24, 2021, and the amendments are supported by the College President; now therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the proposed amendments to the Brooklyn Governance Plan be adopted, effective May 25, 2021.
EXPLANATION: The proposed amendments to the Brooklyn College Governance Plan have been approved by the College’s Undergraduate Student Government and Brooklyn College’s Policy Council (“Policy Council”), and they are recommended by the President.
The Policy Council is comprised of the Faculty Council, representing faculty and other instructional staff, the Undergraduate Student Government, the Graduate Student Organization, and representatives from the administration. All 20 representatives from Faculty Council and the administration serve multi-year terms. Currently, all ten student representatives serve only one-year terms. The proposed amendments would provide more continuity for undergraduate student representatives by extending their terms to two years, which would allow them to address major issues that may span multiple years.
The student representatives are selected by their respective student government based on the size of their population. Currently, there are seven seats allocated to undergraduate students, with one seat dedicated to the current undergraduate student government president, and three seats allocated to graduate students, with one seat dedicated to the graduate student president. Therefore, there are six seats available for undergraduate students. Under the proposed amendments, all six undergraduate representatives would be selected by the current undergraduate student government for a two-year term on a staggered basis, three each year. The graduate student seats would remain one-year appointments. The amendment also provides a process for replacing undergraduate students who are not able to return the second year of their term.
Chairperson Thompson, Jr. asked for a vote. Cal. No. 6.C. was unanimously adopted.
Moved by Chairperson Thompson, Jr. and seconded by Trustee Berger, the following resolution was presented and opened for discussion:
D. City University of New York - Appoint David Gómez as Commissioner of the Civil Service System:
WHEREAS, Dr. David Gómez, a distinguished academic leader, teacher and experienced administrator served as President of Hostos Community College from 2014 through 2020, and as Interim President from 2013 through 2014; and
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WHEREAS, Prior to his Presidency, Dr. Gómez was a longtime senior administrator at Kingsborough Community College where he served as Interim Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost after having been Vice President for Academic Administration, Program Planning and Development; Dean of Instructional Services and Student Support; and Dean of Instructional Services as well as a Professor in the Department of Behavioral Sciences and Human Services at Kingsborough Community College beginning in 1993; and
WHEREAS, Before joining the Kingsborough administration, Dr. Gómez spent more than a decade at Hostos Community College in senior administrative positions, serving as Dean of the College, Interim Dean of Academic Affairs, Associate Dean of the College, and Special Assistant to the President for Management and Planning; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Gómez holds an Ed.D. in Higher and Adult Education from Teachers College, Columbia University, an M.A. in Higher Education Administration from Teachers College, Columbia University, and a B.A. in English Literature from The State University of New York at Albany; now therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the Board of Trustees of The City University of New York hereby authorizes the Chancellor to appoint David Gómez as a Commissioner of the Civil Service System of The City University of New York, for a term commencing June 1, 2021 through May 31, 2027.
EXPLANATION: David Gómez is being recommended to serve as the third member of the Civil Service Commission. The appointment of Dr. Gómez will enable the University to continue to operate under the Rules and Regulations of its Civil Service Commission, as approved by the New York State Education Law and as governed by the New York State Civil Service Law.
The Chancellor highly recommends this appointment.
Chairperson Thompson, Jr. asked for a vote. Cal. No. 6.D. was unanimously adopted.
Moved by Chairperson Thompson, Jr. and seconded by Trustee Arvanites, the following resolution was presented and opened for discussion:
E. City University of New York - Appoint Mohamed Attalla as Vice Chancellor for Facilities Planning, Construction and Management:
WHEREAS, Mohamed Attalla has been serving as the Executive Director of Facilities and Services at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign since August 2018 and prior to that he served as Assistant Vice President and Chief Facilities Officer at
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McMaster University from 2011 to 2018 and at Toronto District School Board from 2000 to 2011; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Attalla is a professional engineer with over twenty-five years of experience in senior executive and administrative portfolios in education, corporate leadership as well as strategic planning and policy developments; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Attalla has participated in numerous scientific researches and published over thirty-five international publications in construction management and rehabilitation of buildings; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Attalla’s experience includes budget preparation, fiscal management and delivery of multi million dollars annual operating and capital budgets as well as experience with State/City and municipal government agencies, elected officials, higher education institutions and private partners, reporting to and presenting at public meetings, and representing the department on governance committees, working with multiple internal and external stakeholders to ensure smooth operations, and the development of partnerships with public and private partners for facilities and real estate development and management; and
WHEREAS, The appointment of Dr. Attalla as Vice Chancellor will provide an experienced leader to manage capital construction projects, facilities planning, physical plant operations and maintenance throughout the University, who will also serve as a member of the Chancellor's Cabinet and as staff to the Board of Trustees' Committee on Facilities Planning, Construction, and Management; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Attalla holds a Ph.D. degree from the University of Waterloo in Construction Engineering and Management and an Executive Master of Business Administration from McMaster University; now therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the Board of Trustees of The City University of New York approve the appointment of Mohamed Attalla as Vice Chancellor for Facilities Planning, and Construction Management at The City University of New York at a salary of $270,000 effective June 14, 2021.
EXPLANATION: Dr. Attalla has a demonstrated track record of more than twenty-five years of progressive executive leadership in complex public sector education organizations in the areas of Facilities Management, Design and Construction management and Real-Estate development.
Mohamed Attalla will lead the University’s Office of Facilities Planning, and Construction Management and oversee Capital Budget, Financial Management, Vendor Integrity and
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Investigations, Real Estate transactions, Contracting services and the CUNY Construction Fund.
Dr. Attalla’s background, education and experience in facilities and construction engineering and management makes him particularly suited for this leadership role. He was selected after a nationwide competitive search process following a comprehensive recruitment strategy that included placement of ads in national journals, online postings, notices to job boards, and the dissemination of the position announcement to a number of professional organizations. Six shortlisted candidates from a diverse pool of applicants representing various races, ethnicities and genders were interviewed for the position by the search committee, and Mr. Attalla emerged as the finalist.
The Chancellor strongly recommends this appointment.
Chairperson Thompson, Jr. asked for a vote. Cal. No. 6.E. was unanimously adopted.
Moved by Chairperson Thompson, Jr. and seconded by Trustee Wilkin, the following resolution was presented and opened for discussion:
F. Hunter College - Name the Patty and Jay Baker Endowed Scholarship:
WHEREAS, Patty Baker graduated from Hunter College in 1982 as a Thomas Hunter Honors student and Theatre major and is an active Broadway producer, who has served as a Trustee of the Hunter College Foundation since 2008 and is Chair of the Hunter College Theatre Advisory Board; and
WHEREAS, Jay H. Baker is the retired CEO and Chair of Kohl's department stores, who had an active career in the retail business, and is a philanthropist who serves on numerous boards including the Cal Ripkin Foundation, The Baker Museum in Naples, FL, and the Jay H. Baker Retailing Center at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania; and
WHEREAS, Patty and Jay Baker are generous supporters of Hunter College, having donated more than $13,000,000 to the Hunter College Foundation in recent years; and
WHEREAS, Among their most notable contributions, was the funding to acquire and renovate the Baker Theater Building, which is adjacent to the College and houses Hunter’s Theater Department; and
WHEREAS, The Bakers have also supported the establishment of the Patty and Jay Baker Theatre Chair, Theatre programming, and Hunter’s Mother’s Day Scholarship Fund; and
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WHEREAS, In December 2020, Patty and Jay Baker, made their most recent donation to the Hunter College Foundation in the amount of $2,000,000 to establish an endowed scholarship, which will support Hunter graduate and undergraduate students majoring in Theater; now therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the Board of Trustees of the City University of New York approves the naming of the Patty and Jay Baker Endowed Scholarship at Hunter College.
EXPLANATION: To celebrate the generosity and long-standing commitment of the Bakers to Hunter and its students, the College enthusiastically supports the naming of the Patty and Jay Baker Endowed Scholarship.
Chairperson Thompson, Jr. asked for a vote. Cal. No. 6.F. was unanimously adopted.
Moved by Chairperson Thompson, Jr. and seconded by Trustee Linares-Garcia, the following resolution was presented and opened for discussion:
G. Hostos Community College - Name the John Anthony Chardavoyne Endowed Scholarship:
WHEREAS, Mrs. Esther Rodríguez-Chardavoyne has dedicated nearly two decades of her career to Eugenio María de Hostos Community College and currently serves as the Senior Vice President of Administration and Finance; and
WHEREAS, In March 2021, Mrs. Rodríguez-Chardavoyne made a generous pledge of $75,000 to the Hostos Community College Foundation to establish an endowed scholarship, which will empower the next generation of leaders at the College; and
WHEREAS, This scholarship will support students in excellent academic standing and those who have matriculated at Hostos, without consideration for financial or legal status; and
WHEREAS, Students eligible for this scholarship will be enrolled in an A.A. Liberal Arts and Sciences Degree Program and working towards completion of an Historical Studies Option sequence within the Program, they will demonstrate community service, and will be continuing to a four-year college degree program upon graduation; and
WHEREAS, Mrs. Rodríguez-Chardavoyne has completed the payment in full and with this gift, she seeks to celebrate the life of her late husband John Anthony Chardavoyne and honor his passion for learning and spreading joy; and
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WHEREAS, Mr. Chardavoyne was an avid traveler - who visited six continents and most enjoyed observing rare animals in their natural habitats - as well as a writer, having recently published a collection of short stories; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Chardavoyne passed away unexpectedly in November 2020 and will be remembered as the “Indiana Jones” of his family—an adventurous spirit who made friends and found happiness everywhere he went; now therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the Board of Trustees of The City University of New York approves naming of the John Anthony Chardavoyne Endowed Scholarship at Eugenio Maria de Hostos Community College.
EXPLANATION: In recognition of Mrs. Esther Rodríguez- Chardavoyne’s generosity and commitment to Eugenio María de Hostos Community College and its students, the College enthusiastically supports the naming of the John Anthony Chardavoyne Endowed Scholarship.
Chairperson Thompson, Jr. asked for a vote. Cal. No. 6.G. was unanimously adopted.
Moved by Chairperson Thompson, Jr. and seconded by Trustee O’Donnell-Tormey, the following resolution was presented and opened for discussion:
H. City University of New York - Accept a Grant from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation for The Chancellor's Emergency Relief Fund:
WHEREAS, The mission of the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation Inc. is to improve the quality of people's lives through grants supporting the performing arts, environmental conservation, medical research and child well-being, and through preservation of the cultural and environmental legacy of Doris Duke's properties; and
WHEREAS, The Board of Trustees of The City University of New York (the “University”) established The Chancellor’s Emergency Relief Fund by resolution on March 30, 2020, to provide financial assistance and support to University students in the greatest need across the University’s 25 campuses during the economic crisis triggered by the COVID- 19 pandemic; and
WHEREAS, At its meeting on February 23, 2021 the Board of Trustees of the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, Inc. approved a grant in the amount of $1,200,000 to the Research Foundation of The City University of New York in support of The Chancellor's Emergency Relief Fund; now therefore be it
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RESOLVED, That in accordance with Board of Trustees Policy 3.05 - Trust and Gift Funds, Acceptance and Administration, the Chancellor is hereby authorized to accept a transfer from the Research Foundation of The City University of New York of the $1,200,000 in grant funds from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, Inc. to be deposited in The Chancellor's Emergency Relief Fund; and be it further
RESOLVED, That, in accordance with a certain grant agreement, by and between the Research Foundation of The City University of New York and the the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, Inc., and entered into on behalf of the University, no later than March 14, 2023, all grant funds will be disbursed to University students in the form of relief grants.
EXPLANATION: Given the unprecedented and enduring public health and economic crisis posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and the severe impact it has had on our community, the University recommends the acceptance of the transfer to The Chancellor's Emergency Relief Fund of the grant funds from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, Inc. as accepted by the Research Foundation on behalf of the University.
Chairperson Thompson, Jr. asked for a vote. Cal. No. 6.H. was unanimously adopted.
Moved by Chairperson Thompson, Jr. and seconded by Trustee Arvanites, resolutions 6.I. and 6.J. were presented and opened for discussion:
I. City College of New York - Appoint Yiannis Andreopolous as Distinguished Professor:
WHEREAS, Professor Yiannis Andreopoulos is a world-leading researcher in the field of fluid dynamics, turbulence, micro electro-mechanical systems and wind energy; and
WHEREAS, Professor Andreopoulos has published 87 peer-reviewed journal articles, six book chapters and 47 reviewed conference papers and holds three patents; and
WHEREAS, Over the past 30 years, Professor Andreopoulos has received over $9 million in continuous external funding from the National Science Foundation, NASA, the Office of Naval Research and the NYC Department of Environmental Protection, among others; and
WHEREAS, Professor Andreopoulos is a Fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and received the Charles Sharpe Beecher Prize of the Aerospace Industries Divisional Board of the Institute of Mechanical Engineers in 2008 and the Distinguished Lecturer Award from the Najing University of Science and Technology in China in 2005 and 2015; and
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WHEREAS, As one of his reviewers notes, Professor Andreopoulos “has made groundbreaking contributions in a number of areas that are important. He is leading the way in developing innovative wind energy harvesting technologies using a novel ducted wind turbine concept. And his work on energy harvesting is just one of the many practical topics in which he has contributed and is continuing to contribute at a very high level of productivity. I am very impressed by his insightful contributions in understanding manhole explosions for public safety by analyzing compressible flow phenomena as well as his work on understanding aerodynamic loads on buildings during mega storms impacting urban areas;" and
WHEREAS, Dr. Andreopoulos joined City College as an Associate Professor in 1985,was promoted to Professor in 1990 and has been the Michael Pope Professor of Energy Research at the Grove School of Engineering since 2003; and
WHEREAS, Prior to his appointment at City College, he was a Research Staff member and Lecturer at Princeton University and a Research Engineer at the University of Karlsruhe in Germany; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Andreopoulos earned a Ph.D. in Aeronautics at the Imperial College, London University in Great Britain and served as a Post-Doctoral Fellow at the University of Karlsruhe and Princeton University; now therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the Board of Trustees of The City University of New York appoint Yiannis Andreopoulos as Distinguished Professor at City College effective June 1, 2021, with compensation of $28,594 per annum in addition to his regular academic salary, subject to financial ability.
EXPLANATION: Professor Andreoupoulos has a long and internationally renowned career in his field and is conducting scholarship and teaching of the highest caliber. City College and The City University of New York will be well-served by Professor Andreopoulos’ appointment as Distinguished Professor.
J. City College of New York - Appoint Hernan Makse as Distinguished Professor:
WHEREAS, Professor Hernan Makse is an internationally renowned scholar of complex systems, soft condensed matter physics and network theory; and
WHEREAS, Professor Makse has published 130 peer-reviewed journal articles, including 28 in top journals like Nature and the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, and six book chapters and holds 1 patent; and
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WHEREAS, Professor Makse has received over $7 million in external funding from the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes for Health, the Department of Defense and the Department of Energy, among others; and
WHEREAS, Professor Makse was named a Fellow of the American Physical Society in 2012 and received the Cesar Milstein Award from the Secretaria De Ciencia y Tecnica, Programma Raices, Argentina, in 2007; and
WHEREAS, In addition, Professor Makse has given over 120 invited or keynote lectures in the U.S. and internationally; and
WHEREAS, As one of his reviewers notes, Professor Makse “is a world leader in the field of complex networks research. His name is well known in the community and he has made a number of important discoveries recognized with publication in high-profile venues and substantial influence in the field broadly. Perhaps Professor Makse’s best known work is on the identification of influential spreaders in networks. He was one of the first to bring the question of identifying important spreaders to the attention of the scientific community.” This work “inspired a wealth of extensions, adaptations and generalizations” by later researchers and is “indicative of a scientific leader who not only discovers important results, but also influences the research direction of the field by the problems they choose to work on;" and
WHEREAS, Dr. Makse joined City College as an Assistant Professor in 2000,was promoted to Associate Professor in 2005, Professor in 2008 and has served as a Professor in the Physics doctoral program at the Graduate Center since 2008; and
WHEREAS, Prior to his appointment at City College, Dr. Makse served as a Post- Doctoral Fellow at Schlumberger-Doll Research and College de France; and
WHEREAS, He earned his Ph.D. from Boston University; now therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the Board of Trustees of The City University of New York appoint Hernan Makse as Distinguished Professor at City College, effective June 1, 2021, with compensation of $28,594 per annum in addition to his regular academic salary, subject to financial ability.
EXPLANATION: Professor Makse has a long and internationally renowned career in his field and is conducting scholarship and teaching of the highest caliber. City College and The City University of New York will be well-served by Professor Makse’s appointment as Distinguished Professor.
Chairperson Thompson, Jr. asked for a vote. Cal. Nos. 6.I. and 6.J. were unanimously adopted.
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Moved by Chairperson Thompson, Jr. and seconded by Trustee Berger, resolutions 6.K. through 6.N. were presented and opened for discussion:
K. City College Of New York - Award Dr. Lesia Ruglass with Early Tenure with an Application of Bylaws 6.2.c(2):
WHEREAS, Dr. Lesia Ruglass has served as Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology at The City College of New York since 2012, but her service was interrupted when she was recruited by Rutgers University, where she spent two years, until City College successfully recruited her back with a retention offer; and
WHEREAS, The Department of Psychology, the Colin Powell School for Civic and Global Leadership, and the College-wide Review Committee all recommend that Dr. Ruglass be granted early tenure and promotion to Associate Professor, and external reviewers also unanimously agree with the committees’ judgement that shemerits early tenure and promotion; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Ruglass has developed an influential and productive program of clinical translational research by using clinical trials to investigate therapeutic treatments for patients diagnosed with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and exploring the neural bases of substance-use disorder by using neuroimaging methods such as electroencephalography; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Ruglass’s has an impressive track record of securing support from federal and state sources for both research and training projects; and
WHEREAS, She also plays strong and effective roles in the department and the College, serving as director of the Credentialed Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Counselor Program, which provides the educational and training requirements for City College undergraduates seeking New York State certification in addiction counseling; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Ruglass has served as Internship Director of the Mental Health Counseling Program, securing off-site training opportunities for City College graduates counseling students, and her colleagues have closely followed her commitment to teaching, and in particular her role in providing funded training to racial/ethnic minority students pursuing advanced careers in clinical translational research; now therefore be it
RESOLVED, That Dr. Lesia Roglass be awarded tenure in the Department of Psychology at The City College of New York, effective September 1, 2021 with an application of Bylaw 6.2.c(2), subject to financial ability.
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EXPLANATION: The Psychology faculty consider Dr. Lesia Ruglass, an outstanding researcher, a caring mentor and a strong advocate for the underserved. Professor Ruglass’s exceptional publication record, success as a teacher, and tremendous service to the College indicate that there is significant benefit to the College in granting her tenure and promotion now.
L. The Graduate Center - Award Matthew Sfeir with Early Tenure with an Application of Bylaws 6.2.c(2):
WHEREAS, Dr. Matthew Sfeir is an Associate Professor in the Ph.D. Programs in Physics and Chemistry at The Graduate Center and is a member of the Photonics Initiative at the Advanced Science Research Center (ASRC); and
WHEREAS, In 2005, Dr. Sfeir became an Assistant Scientist at Brookhaven, and then worked at the Center for Functional Nanomaterials in 2009 where He was consistently promoted until reaching the level of Scientist with Continuing Appointment in 2016; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Sfeir concurrently served as an adjunct professor at Wuhan University of Technology from April 2017-2019, joining The Graduate Center and the ASRC in January 2019; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Sfeir had secured a “Continuing Appointment” in the U.S. Energy Department's 17 National Labs, which is the equivalent of academic tenure and since the University does not recognize that equivalence, he was promised in his appointment letter that he would be proposed for early tenure; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Sfeir is a highly regarded researcher on the topics of molecular and nanoscale spectroscopy, including excitonic states in carbon nanotubes, molecular nanoclusters, and most notably his recent body of work on molecular singlet fission, and he is an author or coauthor on over 100 articles published in top journals, has presented at 22 conferences, has five patents, and has developed two software projects; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Sfeir’s exceptional scholarly output has led him to be cited on Google Scholar over 9,000 times, with an H index of 43, which in this field is at the level of a tenured Full Professor at a top institution; and
WHEREAS, An outside reviewer from a leading university in Germany concurs that “Dr. Sfeir‘s work often breaks new ground and is consistently of the highest scientific level. He executes his studies at the highest level, as also exemplified by the topnotch journals that consider and publish his work and the rapidly increasing number of citations that his papers have been getting;" and
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WHEREAS, Dr. Sfeir is highly regarded in his field on a national and international level, as evidenced by the support of an external reviewer at an Ivy League university who notes that “Dr. Sfeir is an outstanding scientist who has led an incredibly productive and highly collaborative research program in singlet fission, resulting in many impactful publications. This is a substantive body of work that I bring to your attention;" and
WHEREAS, Dr. Sfeir has been very instrumental to the development of the Photonics Initiative at the ASRC and is always ready to jump into collaborative discussions of interest to the broad ASRC community; and
WHEREAS He has also been instrumental in working to establish the new Photonics track within The Graduate Center’s Physics Ph.D. program, serving as a key organizer for the first U.S. Middle East Conference in Photonics, and was voted by his peers to represent the The Graduate Center’s Physics Ph.D. Program Executive Committee; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Sfeir has taught a number of courses at The City University of New York and The Graduate Center, including a special Ultrafast Phenomena Workshop in Spring 2020, a graduate course on Photonics at The Graduate Center, and is currently supervising two Postdoctoral researchers and one Ph.D. student, and is co-supervising one Ph.D. student at Columbia University; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Sfeir has an excellent record in regard to service to the institution and hisfield, currently serving on the Ph.D. Physics Program Executive Committee, the program’s Admissions Committee, as a member of the ASRC Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee, and as a reviewer on the Graduate Center Dissertation Fellowship Awards Panels; and
WHEREAS, In the wider academic field, Dr. Sfeir serves on the Executive Committee for the Energy Subdivision of the American Chemical Society Physics Division and on the External Advisory Board of the Columbia University Materials Research Science and Engineering Center; now therefore be it
RESOLVED, That Dr. Matthew Sfeir be awarded tenure in the Ph.D. Programs in Physics and Chemistry at The Graduate Center of The City University of New York, effective September 1, 2021 with an application of Bylaw 6.2.c(2), subject to financial ability.
EXPLANATION: Dr. Sfeir is an outstanding scientist, with a career trajectory that gives every reason to believe that his work will continue to be impactful on the global academic stage. He merits early tenure. His position at The City University of New York brings both credit to the institution and opportunities for those University students who
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benefit from his mentorship and research excellence. Therefore, the University should not risk losing Dr. Sfeir to a competing institution.
M. Hunter College - Award Jama Shelton with Early Tenure at the Silberman School of Social Work with an Application of Bylaws 6.2.c(2):
WHEREAS, Dr. Jama Shelton is currently an Assistant Professor at the Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College, having joined the Hunter faculty in 2016; and
WHEREAS, Based on their exceptional record of scholarship, excellence in teaching, and outstanding service to the School and the College, Professor Shelton requested to be considered for an early promotion to Associate Professor and tenure review, and as evidenced by their impressive scholarly achievements, they have exceeded the standards for tenure and promotion; and
WHEREAS, Since arriving at Hunter in 2016, Dr. Shelton’s scholarship includes 21peer- reviewed journal articles, four book chapters, and one co-authored book, on which they are second author; and
WHEREAS, They currently are working on a book, on which they are first author, on the topic of social work with transgendered youth and they are the sole or first author on 12 peer-reviewed articles and three book chapters; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Shelton has 8 peer-reviewed manuscripts under review, and has ten manuscripts currently in preparation, having published in peer-reviewed journals that are among the top journals in social work, including Social Work; the Journal of Sociology and Social Welfare; Children and Youth Services Review and the Journal of Adolescent Health; and
WHEREAS, They were also a co-editor of a Special Issue of Child Welfare, focusing on sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, and child welfare; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Shelton’s career as a social work practitioner, researcher, and educator has consistently centered around lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender/queer (LGBTQ) youth and young adult homelessness; and
WHEREAS, Informed by 13 years of post- master’s social work practice, their research focuses on identifying the unique needs of and barriers faced by LGBTQ youth experiencing homelessness, and the challenges homeless service providers face in providing safe and affirming care for this population; and
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WHEREAS, Dr. Shelton has received more than $88,000 in external funding for their research, and while at Hunter, they have received 8 grants from competitive city, state, federal, and private sources and also led more than $366,000 in educational and training grants funded through New York State Office of Homeless Services; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Shelton’s teaching scores are consistently evaluated as “excellent” and “outstanding,” having taught a range of courses across the social work curriculum and primarily in the method area of Community Organizing and being rated as consistently excellent by their faculty peers; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Shelton’s service to the Silberman School of Social Work and the Hunter College community is outstanding, having served on the Executive Committee, LGBT Social Science and Public Policy Center at Roosevelt House Public Policy Institute at Hunter College, as an active member of the School of Social Work’s Community Organizing Practice method, taking the lead in re-framing two of the core courses for this method sequence, and as an active member of several other committees within the School; and
WHEREAS, They are also involved in many professional and community-based organizations locally, nationally, and internationally with their service to the community being recognized with multiple local and national awards; now therefore be it
RESOLVED, That Dr. Jama Shelton be awarded tenure in the Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College, effective September 1, 2021 with an application of Bylaw 6.2.c(2), subject to financial ability.
EXPLANATION: Dr. Jama Shelton has accumulated an impressive scholarly record that far exceeds standards for tenure and promotion. Notably, their scholarship is shaping the national conversation in the area of LGBTQ youth homelessness.
Relatively early-on in their academic career, they have achieved a noteworthy portfolio of scholarship and a national and international reputation in their area. Their external review letters, from nationally renowned scholars in their area, strongly support Professor Shelton’s early tenure and promotion. Hunter College should make every effort to retain them rather than risk losing them to a competing institution.
N. Hunter College - Award Michaela Soyer with Early Tenure with an Application of Bylaws 6.2.c(2):
WHEREAS, Dr. Michaela Soyer has been an Assistant Professor in the Department of Sociology at Hunter College and a Faculty Associate of the Roosevelt House Public Policy Institute since 2015; and
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WHEREAS, When Dr. Soyer was hired by Hunter College she had already completed a two-year Postdoctoral Scholar fellowship at the Penn State Justice Center for Research; and
WHEREAS, The Sociology Department of Hunter College believes Dr. Soyer’s case for early tenure is exceptionally strong because she has already exceeded the College’s standards for tenure with the prodigious quantity and exceptionally high quality of her work, as well as the three criteria used by Hunter College of scholarship, teaching, and service; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Soyer has published two well received, influential scholarly books published by a top academic university press, including her groundbreaking first book, A Dream Denied: Incarceration, Recidivism and Young Minority Men in America (University of California Press, 2016), which offers a rich and descriptive look at young male offenders’ cycles of desistance and recidivism with their everyday understandings about success and failure in American society; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Soyer’s work combines empirical data, in-depth interviews with teenagers, and a sophisticated theoretical framework, providing great insight into the complexities of the juvenile and adult criminal justice systems while documenting how young men who are entrapped in criminal activities and social networks can still fight to find ways to succeed; and
WHEREAS, According to external reviewers, Dr. Soyer is “one of sociology’s leading contributors to the study of juvenile delinquency and youth incarceration in the context of being reared in conditions of socioeconomic constraint” and “has not only garnered a national reputation for her research but she has done remarkable service to the sociological profession as well;" and
WHEREAS, Dr. Soyer’s teaching record is very strong, and displays her ability to teach many courses and her commitment to pedagogy, especially remote and online teaching, and she has put a great deal of energy into undergraduate teaching, with consistently strong peer observations and student evaluations; and
WHEREAS, She has received excellent reviews in her peer observations each year while teaching at Hunter College, and therefore, makes a huge contribution to the department, adding to her already very strong case for tenure and promotion based on her scholarship; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Soyer has served as Chair of the Senate Committee on Computing and Technology for the past three years, as the Sociology representative to the College Curriculum committee for two years, and in the Sociology Department , she has
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contributed greatly to the culture and organization of the department, serving on numerous committees, including the Curriculum Committee, Grade Appeal Committee, and the Public Events Committee; now therefore be it
RESOLVED, That Dr. Michaela Soyer be awarded tenure in the Department of Sociology at Hunter College, effective September 1, 2021 with an application of Bylaw 6.2.c(2), subject to financial ability.
EXPLANATION: Dr. Soyer is a nationally respected scholar conducting important, innovative research that address one of the nation’s most pressing problems. On the basis of exceptional scholarship, engaging teaching, and committed service both to the Department of Sociology and to Hunter College, it would be in the interest of The City University of New York to approve her tenure, less the University loses her to a competing institution.
Chairperson Thompson, Jr. asked for a vote. Cal. Nos. 6.K. and 6.N. were unanimously adopted.
7. COMMITTEE ON FACILITIES PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT: Chairperson Thompson, Jr. reported that at the May 3, 2021 meeting of the Committee on Facilities Planning and Management, the Committee approved the following resolution, and Trustee Brian Obergfell recommended its approval by the Board.
Moved by Chairperson Thompson, Jr. and seconded by Trustee Obergfell, the following resolution was presented and opened for discussion:
A. New York City College of New York - Authorize Construction of The Pearl Building Façade Replacement at 259 Adams Street, Brooklyn, NY:
WHEREAS, The City University Construction Fund (“CUCF”) is authorized to provide facilities that support the educational purposes of The City University of New York (the “University”); and
WHEREAS, The façade of the Pearl Building at New York City College of Technology (the “College”), a six story concrete and masonry building built in 1922 with an exterior renovation in the 1950’s, needs to be replaced since the windows and metal panels have deteriorated causing air and water to infiltrate the building interior; and
WHEREAS, In 2019, the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York (“DASNY”) retained Ismael Levya Architects (“ILA”), a design consultant, to provide architectural services for the renovation of the exterior façade of the Pearl Building; and
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WHEREAS, Based on probes and site inspections, ILA confirmed that the windows and metal panels have reached the end of their useful life and that the windows and metal cladding are also not in compliance with current NYC Energy Conservation Code; and
WHEREAS, ILA recommended that all windows and existing exterior cladding be replaced with energy efficient and code compliant systems; and
WHEREAS, The first floor windows and exterior cladding were replaced in 2018 as part of the University’s full floor renovation project to create a New Communications Design Department for the College ; and
WHEREAS, The second floor windows and exterior cladding are currently being replaced under the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory DNA Learning Center project; and
WHEREAS, The University estimates that the cost of replacing the windows and exterior cladding for floors 3-6 of the Pearl Building (“the Project”) will cost $14,750,000; and
WHEREAS, New York State has appropriated capital funding to CUCF for the Project in an amount not to exceed $14,750,000; now therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the University’s Board of Trustees request CUCF to provide funding for the Project in an amount not to exceed $14,750,000.
EXPLANATION: The Pearl Building at New York City College of Technology is an existing six story concrete and masonry building that was built in 1922 and last underwent an exterior renovation in the 1950s. At that time, the building was clad in metal panels and new windows were installed. In recent years, the windows and metal panels have deteriorated and as a result air and water is infiltrating the building interior. The Dormitory Authority of the State of New York (“DASNY”) retained ILA, a design consultant, to provide architectural services for the renovation of the exterior façade. Based on probes and site inspections it was confirmed that the windows and metal panels have reached the end of their useful life. The windows and metal cladding are also not in compliance with current energy conservation codes. It was recommended that all windows and existing exterior cladding be replaced with energy efficient and code compliant systems.
The project scope will include the installation of new windows and metal panels for floors 3 through 6. The first floor windows and exterior cladding were replaced in 2018 and those on the second floor are currently being replaced under the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory DNA Learning Center project. The window and metal panel specifications identified for those floors will be used for floors 3 through 6 to achieve a coherent façade. The replacement cladding will provide a watertight and fully insulated wall
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system. The system consists of three components: metal panels, a mounting system, and insulation and waterproofing. New aluminum “low E” windows, new window shades, and new exterior signage, will be installed.
Chairperson Thompson, Jr. asked for a vote. Cal. No. 7.A. was unanimously adopted.
Moved by Chairperson Thompson, Jr. and seconded by Trustee Arvanites, the following resolution was presented and opened for discussion:
B. City University of New York - Formalize Policy that All CUNY Single-Occupancy Bathrooms be Used by Persons of All Genders:
WHEREAS, The City University of New York (the “University”) is committed to creating and maintaining a safe and welcoming environment for students, faculty, administrators, staff and visitors to learn and work in a community that respects and celebrates the differences among us; and
WHEREAS, On May 12, 2016, the University’s Office of the General Counsel and Senior Vice Chancellor for Legal Affairs issued a memorandum directing all colleges and units to post signs outside all single-occupancy restrooms indicating that those restrooms may be used by persons of all genders; and
WHEREAS, On December 23, 2020, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signed into law Senate Bill 6479-A, an act to amend the New York State Education Law in relation to single-occupancy restroom facilities; and
WHEREAS, Section 6206 of the New York Education Law was amended to add a new Subdivision 20, which requires the University’s Board of Trustees to adopt rules for each college and unit including written policies designating all public, single-occupancy restroom facilities as open to persons of all genders, and requiring such restroom facilities be clearly designated as such with clear signage on or near the entry door of each such restroom facility; and
WHEREAS, The aforementioned changes to the New York State Education Law took effect on or about March 23, 2021, the ninetieth day after the act became law; now therefore be it
RESOLVED, That in accordance with New York State Education Law, the University’s Board of Trustees hereby requires all of its colleges and units to designate all public, single-occupancy restroom facilities open to persons of all genders and that each of those facilities will have signage on or near its entry door stating “All Gender Restroom.”
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EXPLANATION: This recent amendment to the New York State Education Law codifies the previous recommendations made by the University’s Office of General Counsel to designate all public, single-occupancy restrooms be used by persons of all genders. The University’s Office of General Counsel’s issued a memorandum in May 2016 directing all colleges and units to post signs outside all single-occupancy restrooms indicating that those restrooms may be used by persons of all genders and as such the colleges and units should already be in compliance with this requirement. However, the Board of Trustees’ adoption of this resolution is required in order to comply with the new, specific requirement that these practices be formalized with a written policy in accordance with the amendment to New York State Education Law Section 355 which adds a new subdivision 20, requiring a written policy.
The term “single-occupancy restroom" is “a restroom intended for use by no more than one occupant at a time or for family or assisted use and which has a door for entry into and egress from the restroom that may be locked by the occupant to ensure privacy and security." This definition mirrors the definition of the same term in the Public Buildings Law, Section 145(1)(d).
The law imposes similar requirements on the State University of New York and all community colleges, public, charter and nonpublic schools within the state. In addition, the New York State Civil Rights Law was amended by adding Section 79-p, which requires all single-occupancy restroom facilities located in public places, including but not limited to those located in restaurants, bars, mercantile establishments, or factories, be designated as open to all genders and marked with appropriate signage.
The Office of General Counsel will be convening the Presidents to review the requirements and ensure the University’s compliance with the law.
Chairperson Thompson, Jr. asked for a vote. Cal. No. 7.B. was unanimously adopted.
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8. COMMITTEE ON STUDENT AFFAIRS AND SPECIAL PROGRAMS: Chairperson Thompson, Jr. reported that at the May 3, 2021 meeting of the Committee on Facilities Planning and Management, the Committee approved the following resolution, and Trustee Una Clarke recommended its approval by the Board.
Moved by Chairperson Thompson, Jr. and seconded by Trustee O’Donnell-Tormey, the following resolution was presented and opened for discussion:
A. City University of New York - Approve the Award of The Jonas Salk Scholarships:
WHEREAS, In 1955 the Board of Estimate of the City of New York created the Jonas Salk scholarships to honor the City College graduate who developed the first anti-polio vaccine; and
WHEREAS, The Jonas Salk scholarships are awarded annually to graduates of The City University of New York senior colleges; and
WHEREAS, The scholarships are awarded to students who have been accepted to a U.S. medical school or graduate school in pursuit of the M.D. and D.O as well as Ph.D. or D.Sc. in biomedical/biological sciences and have performed scientific research as an undergraduate; and
WHEREAS, The students’ research papers are reviewed and recipients are selected for their potential to make significant contributions to medical and biomedical research by a committee of prominent physicians chaired by Dr. Arnold Melman, President of the Society of Salk Scholars; and
WHEREAS, Since 1955, over five hundred students have been awarded the Jonas E. Salk Scholarship (the “Salk Scholarship”); and
WHEREAS, Salk Scholarship winners receive a total of $8,000 over the course of four years to help defray the cost of study for M.D. and D.O. degrees as well as doctoral degrees in Biomedical Sciences; now therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the Board of Trustees approve the award of the Jonas E. Salk Scholarships to the following graduates who have been recommended by the Chancellor of The City University of New York, effective May 24, 2021:
1. Silva Baburyan, Hunter College 2. Tzippora Chwat, Macaulay Honors College at the City College of New York 3. Soham Ghoshal, Macaulay Honors College at Hunter College 4. Miguel Chavez Pachas, City College of New York
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5. Mathiu Perez Rodriguez, City College of New York 6. Naomi Shohet, Macaulay Honors College at Queens College 7. Elise Wang, Macaulay Honors College at Hunter College 8. Daniela Yakobashvili, Macaulay Honors College at Hunter College
Chairperson Thompson, Jr. asked for a vote. Cal. No. 8.A. was unanimously adopted.
9. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE: Chairperson Thompson, Jr. noted that Calendar Item No. 9 is being read for informational purposes only. It serves as Notice of Action taken by the Board of Trustees’ Executive Committee on March 29, 2021.
A. City University of New York – Appointment of Denise Maybank as Interim President of Medgar Evers College Eduardo R.C. Capulong as Interim Dean of CUNY School of Law:
Moved by Chairperson Thompson, Jr. and seconded by Trustee Berger, resolutions 10 and 11 were presented and opened for discussion:
10. Medgar Evers College - Appoint Kimberly Whitehead as Senior Vice President for Strategy and Chief of Staff:
WHEREAS, Kimberly Whitehead is currently serving as Vice President and Chief of Staff at the University of Maine, a land, sea, and space-grant university and flagship University of the University of Maine System, where she oversees the daily operations of the President’s Office and works collaboratively with other senior leaders to progress the mission of the University; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Whitehead was previously Interim Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Maryland’s 1890 regional comprehensive land-grant university and a part of the University System of Maryland, where she served as the chief academic officer and administered the division of academic affairs, served on the President’s leadership team as the chief authority on undergraduate and graduate education, enrollment management, faculty affairs, academic student support and sponsored research; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Whitehead also served as Vice Provost for Academic Affairs and Interim Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs, where she was responsible for academic program quality assurance, reviewing and monitoring curriculum proposals and academic
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program reviews, and served as accreditation liaison officer for UMES to Middle States Commission on Higher Education; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Whitehead is an innovative and creative higher education leader skilled in planning, accreditation, program development and consensus building, with diverse experience in higher education and a strong commitment to institutional effectiveness and student success; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Whitehead holds a leadership and management graduate certificate from the University of Maryland Global Campus, a Ph.D in Genetics from North Carolina State University, and B.S. in Biology from Norfolk State University; now therefore be it
RESOLVED, That Kimberly Whitehead be appointed as Senior Vice President for Strategy and Chief of Staff of Medgar Evers College at The City University of New York with a search waiver, effective on or about June 1, 2021, at an annual salary of $230,000.
EXPLANATION: Dr. Whitehead will join incoming President Patricia Ramsey to serve the students, faculty and administration of Medgar Evers College.
The Chancellor highly recommends this appointment with a search waiver.
11. Medgar Evers College - Appoint Jesse Kane as Senior Vice President for Student Success and Enrollment Management:
WHEREAS, Mr. Kane is currently serving as the Vice President for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management at Fort Valley State University, part of the University System of Georgia, and
WHEREAS, Mr. Kane is responsible for Admissions, Financial Aid, Housing & Residential Life, Registrar’s Office, Dean of Students, Counseling Services, Office of Student Conduct, Campus Life, TRiO Programs (Upward Bound, Talent Search, McNair Program), and the Center for Student Engagement; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Kane was previously the Interim Associate Vice President for Enrollment Management in the Division of Academic Affairs at University of Maryland, Eastern Shore, where he served as the Chief Enrollment Officer and Strategist for the University and supervised the offices of Admission, Center for Access & Academic Success, Registrar and Upward Bound; and
WHEREAS, Prior to this, Mr. Kane was an Education Policy Analyst for the Maryland Higher Education Commission, where, as part of the Collegiate Unit within the Division of Program
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Review and Compliance, he served as a regulator of both in-state and out-of-state institutions, and set academic, faculty and financial standards for these institutions; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Kane is committed to the development of students in the collegiate environment with proven strength in enrollment management and student success planning, as well as a demonstrated proficiency in strategic planning, continuous quality improvement and effective assessment strategies in higher education.
WHEREAS, Mr. Kane holds an M.A in Counseling-Psychology and a B.S. in Biology from Bowie State University; now therefore be it
RESOLVED, That Jesse Kane be appointed as Senior Vice President for Student Success and Enrollment Management of Medgar Evers College at The City University of New York with a search waiver, effective on or about June 1, 2021 at an annual salary of $215,000.
EXPLANATION: Mr. Kane will join incoming President Patricia Ramsey to serve the students, faculty and administration of Medgar Evers College.
The Chancellor highly recommends this appointment with a search waiver.
Chairperson Thompson, Jr. asked for a vote. Cal. Nos. 10. and 11 were unanimously adopted.
Moved by Chairperson Thompson, Jr. and seconded by Trustee Ken Sunshine, the following resolution was added to the agenda.
12. City University of New York - Appoint Jorge P. Silva-Puras as Interim Dean of the School of Professional Studies:
Board Secretary Gayle M. Horwitz read the resolution for the record.
Moved by Chairperson Thompson, Jr. and seconded by Trustee Berger, the following resolution was presented and opened for discussion:
WHEREAS, Jorge Silva-Puras currently serves as Provost at Universidad del Sagrado Corazón, the oldest institution of higher education in Puerto Rico, with over 4,000 undergraduate and graduate students, and a professional studies unit with over 3,000 annual participants; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Silva-Puras was previously Head of Sagrado Global, the School of Professional Studies at the Universidad del Sagrado Corazón, where he led the adoption of alternative education methodologies to better serve over 3,000 Hispanic students , including blended and online learning; and
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WHEREAS, Mr. Silva-Puras previously served as President Barack Obama's appointee to the United States Small Business Administration (“SBA”), where he served as the Administrator for Region II in NYC, leading the SBA’s programs in NY, NJ, PR and USVI, with over 2.7 million small businesses and a portfolio of over $6.1 billion in guaranteed loans; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Silva-Puras served as Chief of Staff to Puerto Rico's Governor Acevedo Vilá and held senior government positions, including Secretary of Economic Development and Commerce, Executive Director of the PR Industrial Development Company (PRIDCO) and President of the Economic Development Bank for PR (EDB); and
WHEREAS, Jorge Silva-Puras is a former Distinguished Lecturer of Business at Hostos Community College at The City University of New York and has also taught at Universidad del Sagrado Corazón and New York University; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Silva-Puras holds an MBA from The University of Texas at Austin – Red McCombs School of Business, a J.D. from Universidad de Puerto Rico and a B.A. in Political Science and Economics from Yale University; now therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the Board of Trustees of The City University of New York approve the appointment of Jorge Silva-Puras as Interim Dean of the School of Professional Studies at The City University of New York, effective August 2, 2021, at an annual salary of $270,000.
EXPLANATION: As Provost of Universidad del Sagrado Corazón and formerly as Head of Sagrado Global, the School of Professional Studies at the Universidad del Sagrado Corazón, Mr. Silva- Puras has a demonstrated track record leading higher education institutions, especially institutions with a focus on professional studies and alternative learning formats.
The appointment of Mr. Silva-Puras as Interim Dean will ensure the critical work of the School continues uninterrupted during the search for the next Dean of the CUNY School of Professional Studies.
The Chancellor highly recommends this appointment.
Chancellor Matos Rodriguez stated, “I'm delighted that we have such an innovator in the field of online education and adult education as Mr. Silva-Puras is someone who knows our students from his experience as a faculty member at Hostos Community College, his experience in higher ed, in government, in business, having worked in Proctor & Gamble and Citigroup, and also in the law. So a very innovative leader that would take the School of Professional Studies to new heights in this interim period. Very difficult to replace a founding dean, John Mogulescu. We are very thankful to John for his work and service there, but I am very, very enthusiastic about what Mr. Silva-Puras will bring to SPS and to the entire group of presidents and deans.”
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Chairperson Thompson, Jr. echoed Chancellor Matos Rodriguez thanks to John Mogulescu stating, “John, wonderfully well done. We will miss him.”
Chairperson Thompson, Jr. asked for a vote. Item No. 12 was unanimously adopted.
***
Moved by Chairperson Thompson, Jr. and seconded by Trustee Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez, the meeting was adjourned at 6:50 p.m.
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