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Minutes of the Meeting of the Board of Trustees of The City University of New York

December 16, 2019

The Board of Trustees of The City University of New York (CUNY) met on December 16, 2019 at Baruch College Vertical Campus, New York, New York, pursuant to a Notice sent by the Office of the Secretary of the Board on December 2, 2019.

Trustees Present: Chairperson William C. Thompson, Jr., Vice Chairperson Barry F. Schwartz, Michael Arvanites, Henry T. Berger, Lorraine A. Cortés-Vázquez, Fernando Ferrer, Kevin D. Kim, Robert F. Mujica, Jr., Brian D. Obergfell, Jill O’Donnell-Tormey, Charles A. Shorter, Ken Sunshine, Una S. T-Clarke, Sandra Wilkin, Timothy Hunter, ex officio, and Martin Burke, ex officio (non- voting)

Trustee Absent: Mayra Linares-Garcia

Others present: Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodriguez, EVC&UP José L. Cruz, EVC&COO Hector Batista, SAC and Board Secretary Gayle M. Horwitz, Interim General Counsel and SVC Pamela S. Silverblatt, SVC and Special Counsel Glenda G. Grace, Senior Vice Chancellor Allen Y. Lew, SVC&CFO Matthew Sapienza, Vice Chancellor Brian Cohen, Vice Chancellor Doriane K. Gloria, Vice Chancellor Maite Junco, Vice Chancellor Richard R. White, Interim Vice Chancellor Andrea Shapiro Davis; and President Michelle Anderson, President Vincent Boudreau, President Rudolph Crew, Interim President Berenecea Johnson Eanes, President Scott E. Evenbeck, President William J. Fritz, President David Gómez, President Russell K. Hotzler, President Thomas Isekenegbe, Interim President Daniel Lemons, Interim President Timothy G. Lynch, President Karol V. Mason, Interim President James Muyskens, President Jennifer J. Raab, President Claudia Schrader, Interim President William Tramontano, President Mitchel Wallerstein, Interim President Karrin E. Wilks, Dean Sarah Bartlett, Dean Mary Lu Bilek, Dean Ayman El-Mohandes, Dean Mary Pearl

CONVENING OF PUBLIC MEETING Chairperson William C. Thompson, Jr. called the Public Meeting to order at 4:36 p.m. and announced that the Public Meeting is being transmitted live on cable Channel 75 and webcast live at www.cuny.edu/livestream. He also announced that the Public Meeting will be available as a podcast

http://www.cuny.edu/livestream

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December 16, 2019 Minutes of the Meeting of the Board of Trustees

within 24 hours and can be accessed through the CUNY website.

CHAIRPERSON’S REPORT

William C. Thompson, Jr.’s Remarks: “On Monday, December 9, 2019, the Board held a Budget Request Hearing and Public Hearing at Lehman College.

Trustee Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez chaired the meeting. Trustees Fernando Ferrer, Una Clarke, Jill O’Donnell-Tormey and Kevin Kim joined Trustee Cortés-Vázquez. University Faculty Senate Chair and Trustee Martin Burke, University Student Senate Chair and Trustee Timothy Hunter, and members of the chancellery attended the meeting. Lehman College Interim President Daniel Lemons and Bronx Community College President Thomas Isekenegbe also participated in the meeting.

75 speakers signed up to speak and 46 speakers testified.

Students and professors from various colleges spoke in opposition to the proposed tuition increase and the proposed health and wellness fee.”

Chairperson Thompson, Jr. noted that Councilmember Inez Barron of the New York City Council Committee on Higher Education was in the audience.

CHANCELLOR’S REPORT

Félix V. Matos Rodriguez’ Remarks: “Thank you, Chair Thompson, Trustees, Presidents and Vice Chancellors. It’s great to be here with you today.

The last time we met, the historic agreement with the Professional Staff Congress had just happened, an agreement that provided across-the-board wage gains and an increase of up to 71 percent for adjunct faculty.

Well, just before Thanksgiving we had more good news with the agreement’s ratification by a resounding 86 percent vote of the union’s membership, marking its highest-ever voter turnout on ratification.

The pact reflects the University’s ongoing commitment to its full-time and part-time faculty and staff. The agreement contains provisions to more fully incorporate our part-time faculty into the daily life of our campuses. They will also be able to devote more time to working with students. This deal is good

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for teachers and members of the professional staff; it’s good for students, and it’s good for CUNY.

I would like to thank Governor Cuomo for his guidance and leadership throughout this process, along with Mayor de Blasio, and I must acknowledge the hard work of our Interim General Counsel and Senior Vice Chancellor for Legal Affairs, Pamela Silverblatt, and Senior Vice Chancellor and Chief Financial Officer Matthew Sapienza.

We saw another example of the great work that can be accomplished when people work toward a common goal on Giving Tuesday, the annual nationwide day of giving on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, known in these parts as CUNY Tuesday.

This year, the University reached the $1.5 million mark, surpassing the $1 million goal we set and a tremendous increase from the $966,000 raised last year. 5,649 donors made this possible and showed off the generosity of the CUNY community. The money raised will go toward a range of needs, from emergency funds and scholarships for our students to faculty development and more—all sustaining our standing as the nation’s premier urban public University. CUNY Tuesday accepts donations until December 31st so there’s still time to contribute.

Usually, we don’t like our school presidents clashing in public, but in the case of Kingsborough Community College President Claudia Schrader and Hostos Community College President David Gomez, it was entirely acceptable — and highly productive, since it was for a good cause.

They both did a little trash talking to see which school could raise the most money for CUNY Tuesday. Suffice to say, the winner was CUNY by a country mile.”

***VIDEO PRESENTATION OF THE TWITTER CHALLENGE CUNY TUESDAY***

The links are available as follows: https://youtu.be/m4_1F7_iakA

“Now, that’s what I call school spirit.

And Doctors Schrader and Gomez weren’t the only school presidents to have words. We all know that emotions can run high when it comes to CUNY Athletics, and that was certainly the case when City College took on John Jay College in the women’s soccer championship in November. A lot was at stake — including bragging rights on social media between City College President Vincent Boudreau and John Jay College President Karol Mason over who would have to dress in the other’s school colors if their school prevailed.”

***VIDEO PRESENTATION OF THE TWITTER CHALLENGE SOCCER CITY COLLEGE & JOHN JAY COLLEGE***

The links are available as follows: https://youtu.be/SlNn6Idat0w

https://youtu.be/m4_1F7_iakA

https://youtu.be/SlNn6Idat0w

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“Now that’s what I call going out on a limb for the sake of your school. By the way, John Jay’s Bloodhounds won the match to capture their first title in program history, and the last I heard President Boudreau is still a little hoarse. But in all seriousness, it’s great to see our college presidents generating excitement and support for their school’s teams and for CUNY Athletics. Well done on their part, and to the players who are balancing schoolwork and athletics.

As this Board knows, food insecurity is a serious problem in colleges across the country that we are working aggressively to address.

As part of our mission to make sure that no student goes hungry, we have partnered with City Council Speaker Corey Johnson to announce a $1 million pilot program to address food insecurity among CUNY students at our seven community colleges.

The Speaker’s pilot builds on CUNY’s efforts to guide more students to available resources and address food insecurity. These efforts range from opening food pantries or offering food vouchers at all 18 undergraduate colleges to growing food on three campuses.

Under the Speaker’s pilot, in the fall and spring semesters, 1,050 qualifying students, including CUNY DREAMers, will get $400 per semester to spend in campus cafeterias. These services will allow students to focus on their studies with a clearer mind, rather than wondering when they will have their next meal.”

Chairperson Thompson, Jr. moved that the Board take a recess at 4:49 p.m.

Chairperson Thompson, Jr. resumed the meeting at 5:02 p.m.

Félix V. Matos Rodriguez’ Remarks, continued: “Last month we announced the creation of a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Incubator that will build on work already underway to transform CUNY’s campuses into national models of equity. Made possible by a $500,000 grant from Council Speaker Corey Johnson, the incubator will be developed by the Center for Ethnic, Racial and Religious Understanding at Queens College, and its recommendations, strategies and practices will be piloted on five CUNY senior and community college campuses by the end of 2020, with the goal of expanding the work University-wide.

I want to take a moment to acknowledge a couple of recent, very sad losses in the CUNY family.

William E. Macaulay enhanced CUNY with his vision and generosity.

We were all deeply saddened to hear the news of Bill’s passing on November 26th at the age of 74. Bill was a product of New York City, a kid from the Bronx and a graduate of City College. The Honors College was named after him in 2006, after his extraordinary donation of $30 million, one of the largest gifts in the University’s history.

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He was kind and thoughtful, always there to lend a helping hand. Bill’s call was one of the first I received after I was appointed to be the Chancellor. He offered his help to continue to advance the mission of CUNY. I will miss standing next to Bill at the Macaulay Honors College commencement, proudly shaking the hand of every graduate, so excited for what they had done and what they would accomplish. His commitment to excellence in public higher education will be missed but his legacy of kindness and generosity will live on.

I was also saddened to learn the news of the passing of Jay Kriegel on December 5th at the age of 79. Jay was a true servant of the city, a former chief of staff and special counsel in the administration of Mayor John Lindsay. He was a champion of progressive policies, a passionate advocate of the city, and a friend to CUNY. He will be missed.

Last month we held a day-long conference on this issue that was attended by 230 faculty, staff, students and administrators. It was co-sponsored by The Steve Fund, a national organization dedicated to improving mental health for college students of color. We hope it will lead to improvements in the way we leverage the resources we already have, even as we seek additional resources to more fully meet the range of mental health needs facing our students. We have used some of the suggestions from the conference to inform our current budget request.

I want to give you a quick update on our Food Service Contract. We are at the end of our negotiations and expect it will be coming for a vote at the next Board meeting, so we can look forward to gaining resolution on that matter.

On the Hogan Lovells report — I requested and have received input from Executive Vice Chancellor and University Provost (EVC&UP) José Luis Cruz and Interim Research Foundation President Gayle Horwitz, and will share my observations and recommendations at the next Board meeting.

We continue to scour the country to fill senior leadership positions with the most qualified individuals who possess impeccable credentials and a wealth of experience, along with the highest degrees of integrity and a demonstrated appreciation of our shared values.

Since we last met:

● City College of New York alumnus Allen Y. Lew was appointed as senior vice chancellor of facilities planning, construction and management in a historic move. Lew, whose nomination is before you later this evening, is a highly accomplished executive with a stellar record of organizational oversight and on-time, on-budget project delivery. If approved, he becomes the first Asian-American appointed vice chancellor in the University’s history.

● As I previewed at the last meeting, we selected a stellar candidate for Vice Chancellor for Human Resources, whose nomination you approved at your October meeting. We are so happy to welcome Doriane K. Gloria to the team to fill this critical managerial role. Vice Chancellor

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Gloria brings a wealth of experience and a stellar track record, having served at the highest levels of human resources management in higher education, health care and community-based organizations.

We continue to receive good news and validation of CUNY’s unparalleled ability to elevate students; I will briefly share a few details.

● Three CUNY community colleges were selected by the Aspen Institute for their outstanding achievements, putting them among the top 15 percent of community colleges nationwide. Borough of Manhattan Community College, Guttman Community College and Kingsborough Community College will now compete for the $1 million 2021 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence, a prestigious honor given out biennially.

● Six CUNY colleges—Baruch College, Queens College, Brooklyn College, Lehman College, Hunter College and City College—placed in the top 25 nationally on CollegeNET’s 2019 Social Mobility Index, while Baruch College notched the No. 1 spot for a fifth straight year for successfully enrolling low-income students and graduating them into well-paying jobs. Another CUNY college, York College, ranked 46th.

At CUNY, we empower all students to be their best, to be trendsetters and pioneers in their chosen field and to challenge the status quo.

The 15th Annual Women’s Leadership Conference, on November 1st at Hunter College, was a remarkable opportunity to inspire the next generation of managers and bosses at CUNY and to discuss partnerships and opportunities for professional development with cultural, media and political leaders in the New York State. We got to hear from some of the students serving in CUNY’s Women’s Public Service Internship Program, which has benefitted 324 students since 2005 when the program was launched as part of the CUNY Women’s Leadership Initiative. Trustees Sandra Wilkin and Mayra Linares-Garcia were in attendance and can attest to what I’m saying of the immense benefits of this work.

Last week, we announced the creation of a series of new tech-based courses developed in collaboration with IBM and other member companies of the Business Roundtable’s Workforce Partnership Initiative for the Greater New York City region, including Pitney Bowes, JPMorgan Chase and Aon, that were designed to align coursework with market demands, in order to better prepare students for today’s workforce. The nine new courses focus on Cybersecurity and Data Analytics and will be offered at seven senior and community colleges—Brooklyn College, Baruch College, York College, LaGuardia Community College, Queensborough Community College, BMCC and Hostos Community College—beginning in the Spring 2020 semester. Students can sign up for these courses later this month when registration opens.

https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20191212005270/en/Business-Leaders-City-University-New-York-Launch

https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20191212005270/en/Business-Leaders-City-University-New-York-Launch

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One of the perks of my job is being able to travel to campuses in every borough to help celebrate the many great accomplishments of this University.

● Last Friday, I spoke at the 13th commencement of the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism and celebrated with the 118 graduates their achievements and completion of one of the most dynamic and forward-thinking journalism programs in the country. It’s no coincidence that news organizations are snapping up their graduates. More than three-quarters of last year’s class was employed in the field eight months after graduation. That’s a jump of nearly 10 percent over the previous year.

● Also on Friday, I attended the official opening of Brooklyn College’s Immigrant Student Success Office, which will greatly aid recently arrived immigrants, first-generation students and DACA students by providing supports needed to ensure their timely graduation. The establishment of the office, enabled by a generous donation from Brooklyn College Foundation trustee Irwin Federman, falls in line with the University’s mission to prioritize success and retention of students from underrepresented populations and it follows the opening of a similar office at John Jay College of Criminal Justice during the last academic year. These offices will make a difference in the lives of our students.

Guttman Community College President Scott Evenback announced his retirement this month, foretelling another loss to the University. When we talk about indispensable leadership at CUNY, Scott has been central to the University’s success. I have known him since 2011, when he launched what would later become Guttman Community College, and I was the Hostos Community College president. We quickly bonded and became friends. I watched as he turned Guttman Community College into one of the premier community colleges in the country, creating educational pathways for those not usually served by higher education. I’m sure I’m not the only one who has been enriched by his guidance, and his shoes will be difficult to fill.

This brings me to the conclusion of my report. As I have been doing since May 1st, I plan to continue advancing our priorities, and championing our students, faculty and staff every day. I am constantly humbled by the generosity, dedication and determination on display in every corner of the CUNY community.

I am thrilled by our accomplishments and exhilarated by the potential we have to do more together. I wish you all a very warm, happy holiday season with your loved ones, and a prosperous, healthy New Year, and new decade. Thank you.”

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APPROVAL OF MINUTES: Chairperson Thompson, Jr. called for a motion to approve the minutes of the regular Board meeting and Executive Session of October 28, 2019, which was seconded by Trustee Henry Berger. 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 October 28, 2019 be approved.

University Student Senate Chair and Trustee Timothy Hunter left the meeting.

2. COMMITTEE ON AUDIT: Trustee Kevin Kim reported that at the October 30, 2019 meeting of the Committee on Audit, the Committee approved the following resolution, and he recommended its approval by the Board.

Moved by Trustee Kim and seconded by Trustee Una Clarke, the following resolution was presented and opened for discussion:

A. The City University of New York - Approval of the FY 2019 Audited Financial Statements:

WHEREAS, The University is required to prepare annual, audited and consolidated financial statements; and

WHEREAS, The University’s external auditor, Grant Thornton, LLC, has independently audited the financial statements; and

WHEREAS, The City University of New York Board Audit Committee Charter, Section 4.01, requires the Audit Committee to review with management and external auditors the results of the annual independent financial statement audit and accept the University’s independently audited basic financial statements, and

WHEREAS, For fiscal year 2019, Grant Thornton, LLC has issued an unmodified, or “clean”, opinion of the University’s financial statements; 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 2019 audited Financial Statements.

EXPLANATION: The financial statements are considered consolidated because they include the University’s separately incorporated, not-for-profit affiliated entities such as auxiliary enterprises, college associations, foundations and child care centers as discretely presented component units. The statements also include the financial

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activities of the Research Foundation of the City University of New York and the City University Construction Fund.

Chairperson Thompson, Jr. asked for a vote. Cal. No. 2.A. was unanimously adopted.

3. COMMITTEE ON ACADEMIC POLICY, PROGRAMS, AND RESEARCH: Trustee Jill O’Donnell-Tormey reported that at the November 25, 2019 meeting of the Committee on Academic Policy, Programs, and Research, the Committee approved the following resolutions, and she recommended their approval by the Board.

Moved by Trustee O’Donnell-Tormey and seconded by Trustee Berger, resolutions 3.A. and 3.B. were presented and opened for discussion:

A. New York City College of Technology – BS in Health Communication:

WHEREAS, Communication is a nationally recognized field of study and ranks among the top ten majors in popularity across higher education, and communication skills are especially valued by employers within the health care industries, with 75% of said industries wanting more focus on communication skills in college, according to a 2013 survey by the Association of American Colleges and Universities; and

WHEREAS, The Bachelor of Science in Health Communication (HCBS) degree will prepare students to apply theoretical, practical, and critical understandings of communication to health, medical, and other industries and will include the degree requirements of courses in general biology, anatomy, physiology, and psychology while providing students a foundation in media studies, research methods, and multicultural health care settings; and

WHEREAS, CUNY community colleges have created associate degree programs in Communication that educate students in Health Communication, but choices for students looking to continue baccalaureate studies in this area are limited to expensive out-of-state programs or private schools; and

WHEREAS, HCBS is modeled after existing Communication undergraduate programs and no significant new resources are needed to establish the degree in the Humanities department, as this degree program builds on course offerings already available in Humanities and other departments; and

WHEREAS, HCBS is consistent with NYCCT’s commitment to providing innovative baccalaureate programs, complimenting the school’s existing programs in allied health and will build capacity and deepen connections between NYCCT community organizations and industries, such as hospitals, tech and media companies, activist

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organizations, and not-for-profits; now therefore be it

RESOLVED, That the Board of Trustees of the City University of New York authorize that the program in Health Communication at City Tech leading to the Bachelor of Science be approved effective December 17, 2019, subject to financial ability.

EXPLANATION: A dedicated baccalaureate degree in Health Communication will allow interested students the comprehensive educational foundation and exposure to professional practices and methodologies required for a career in a growing industry that is directly involved in the health care and wellness of the New York City Community.

B. CUNY Office of Academic Affairs - Approval of the actions in the CAPPR Dashboard:

WHEREAS, The Trustees of the City University of New York 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

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 NYSED 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

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RESOLVED, That the actions in the CAPPR Dashboard be approved effective December 17, 2019, subject to financial availability.

NOTE: The Academic Board Report for the December 2019 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-December-2019-Report.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. Nos. 3.A. and 3.B. were unanimously adopted.

Trustee Ken Sunshine left the meeting.

4. COMMITTEE ON FACULTY, STAFF AND ADMINISTRATION: Trustee Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez reported that at the November 25, 2019 meeting of the Committee on Faculty, Staff and Administration, the Committee approved the following resolutions, and she recommended their approval by the Board.

Moved by Trustee Cortés-Vázquez and seconded by Trustee Brian Obergfell, the following resolution was presented and opened for discussion:

A. The City University of New York – Approval of 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

https://www.cuny.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/page-assets/about/trustees/meetings-of-the-board/Committee-on-Academic-Policy.-Programs-and-Research-December-2019-Report.pdf



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WHEREAS, Other personnel actions, including executive level appointments, appointments of 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 December 17, 2019.

NOTE: The CFSA Report for the December 2019 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-December-2019-Report.pdf


Moved by Trustee Cortés-Vázquez and seconded by Trustee Clarke, the following resolution was presented and opened for discussion:

B. The City University of New York – Approval of the 2016-2021 Collective Bargaining Agreement with the International Brotherhood f Teamsters, Local 237:

WHEREAS, The City University of New York and the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Local 237 are parties to a collective bargaining agreement that expired on December 17, 2016; and

WHEREAS, The City University of New York and the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Local 237 commenced bargaining for a successor agreement in October 2018; and

WHEREAS, The City University of New York and the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Local 237 reached a tentative settlement on August 16, 2019, covering fifty-seven months and providing for four 2% wage increases, and certain other supplementary benefits; and

WHEREAS, The parties’ tentative settlement is subject to ratification by the Union’s membership and approval by CUNY’s Board of Trustees; and

WHEREAS, The International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Local 237 notified the University on September 16, 2019, that the tentative settlement was ratified by its membership; now therefore be it

https://www.cuny.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/page-assets/about/trustees/meetings-of-the-board/Committee-on-Faculty-Staff-and-Administration-December-2019-Report.pdf



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RESOLVED, That the collective bargaining agreement between The City University of New York and the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Local 237, for the period December 18, 2016, through September 18, 2021, is hereby approved by the CUNY Board of Trustees; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Chancellor is hereby authorized to execute this agreement.

EXPLANATION: The prior collective bargaining agreement between The City University of New York and the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Local 237, expired on December 17, 2016. At CUNY, Teamsters Local 237 is comprised of approximately 1,200 represented employees (837 full-time and 363 hourly/part-time). Under CUNY’s classified staff Blue Collar Unit Agreement, Teamsters Local 237 consists of the CUNY public safety and stock worker titles series.

This resolution approves the successor 2016-2021 collective bargaining agreement negotiated between The City University of New York and the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Local 237. The agreement covers a fifty-seven month period, and provides for four 2% wage increases, as well as increases in welfare fund, uniform allowance, and certain other supplementary benefits.

Chairperson Thompson, Jr. asked for a vote. Cal. No. 4.B. was unanimously adopted.

Moved by Trustee Cortés-Vázquez and seconded by Trustee Fernando Ferrer, the following resolution was presented and opened for discussion:

C. The City University of New York – Distribution of Optional Retirement Plan and Tax Deferred Annuity Plan Generated Fees to Plan Participants:

WHEREAS, In 2015, CUNY was authorized to establish Revenue Credit Accounts for the Optional Retirement Plan and the Tax Deferred Annuity Plans, respectively; and

WHEREAS, Continued negotiations with TIAA led to credits being accrued as a plan asset; and

WHEREAS, These accruals have resulted in a substantial balance, while accounting for the ongoing payment of plan expenses; and

WHEREAS, The University has determined the most equitable course of action is to credit these balances to the participants’ accounts in each respective plan (while continuing to allow the use of the fund in each Revenue Credit Account to pay expenses incurred in the administration of the Plan of which it is a part); and

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WHEREAS, The five methods that TIAA employs in distributing these revenue credit account balances to participants (via Plan Servicing Credits) were reviewed. The options range from allocations based on participants’ balances, number of participants, or variations of pro-rata incorporating the consideration of revenue sharing; and

WHEREAS, To achieve a reasonably equitable allocation for the retirement plan participants, it is recommended to proceed with an asset-based option (pro-rata) proportionate to investment revenue share, and continue this practice annually, unless it is determined that a more suited practice is made available; now therefore be it

RESOLVED, That the Board of Trustees of The City University of New York distribute, in the first quarter of 2020, the balance of plan servicing credits to the Optional Retirement Plan and the Tax Deferred Annuity Plan participants based on the participant’s investment revenue share of the account, in consideration of any legitimate plan operating expenses that may need to be accounted.

EXPLANATION: After a review of the Optional Retirement Plan, the most appropriate and equitable use of revenue credits is to return to plan participants based on their investment revenue share of the account.

Chairperson Thompson, Jr. asked for a vote. Cal. No. 4.C. was unanimously adopted.

Moved by Trustee Cortés-Vázquez and seconded by Trustee Clarke, resolutions 4.D. through 4.I. were presented and opened for discussion:

D. College of Staten Island - Naming of the Professor Ercument Ozizmir Endowed Commencement Award for Excellence in Mathamatics:

WHEREAS, Professor Ercument Ozizmir taught mathematics at the College of Staten Island for nearly four decades from 1968 until 2007; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Ozizmir earned his undergraduate and Master’s degrees in electrical engineering from Istanbul Technical University, where he served as a valedictorian and president of student government; and

WHEREAS, As part of President Eisenhower’s “Atoms for Peace” Initiative, he came to the United States on a scholarship and earned a Ph.D. from the University of Michigan in nuclear engineering, becoming a proud American citizen in 1978; and

WHEREAS, After joining the faculty at College of Staten Island in 1968, Dr. Ozizmir pioneered the development of Computer Science within the Department of Mathematics and served as its chair for many years; and

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WHEREAS, Dr. Ozizmir passed away in February of 2018 and donations totaling $27,693.68 have since been made in his honor to the CSI Foundation, Inc., including $23,000 from Dr. Ozizmir’s widow, Martha O. Shoemaker and $4,693.68 from other family and colleagues, including their son Dan Ozizmir and members of the Department of Mathematics; and

WHEREAS, These contributions were made to establish a named endowed award to be given annually at Commencement to one or more full-time or part-time undergraduates receiving a BS in Mathematics, who have achieved a GPA of 3.5 or higher and are deemed to be academically excellent, with final selection made by the Chair of the Mathematics Department, in conjunction with faculty; and

WHEREAS, The CSI Foundation, in conjunction with the Mathematics Department and the Provost Office, shall be responsible for administering the distributions from the Fund; and

WHEREAS, This award reflects Dr. Ozizmir’s lasting legacy in the field of Mathematics and at the College of Staten Island; now therefore be it

RESOLVED, That the Board of Trustees of The City University of New York approve naming of the Professor Ercument Ozizmir Endowed Commencement Award for Excellence in Mathematics.

EXPLANATION: In recognition of Dr. Ercument Ozizmir’s nearly 40-year service to the College of Staten Island, the College of Staten Island endorses the naming of the Professor Ercument Ozizmir Endowed Commencement Award for Excellence in Mathematics. This gift demonstrates a long-term commitment to supporting students who have achieved excellence in Mathematics.

E. Hunter College – Naming of the Maralyn G. Cohn LGBTQ Community Space:

WHEREAS, Maralyn G. Cohn graduated from Hunter College in 1945 and had a long career as an art teacher; and

WHEREAS, Upon her retirement, she moved to Florida and became a founding member of Senior Action in a Gay Environment (SAGE) of South Florida, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of gay and lesbian senior citizens through social programs and community activism; and

WHEREAS, Maralyn G. Cohn established the Maralyn G. Cohn Trust and provided that upon her death a portion of the Trust should be designated to support Gay and Lesbian students at Hunter College; and

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WHEREAS, Maralyn G. Cohn died on August 25, 2018 and on April 10, 2019 the Hunter College Foundation received $389,471.42 from the Maralyn G. Cohn Revocable Trust; and

WHEREAS, The Trust and the Hunter College Foundation entered into an Agreement Regarding Disposition dated April 10, 2019, to effectuate the disposition of the residuary estate; and

WHEREAS, Hunter College seeks to create, furnish and maintain a space where LGBTQ students can gather, seek support, access resources, and participate in programs that empower them; now therefore be it

RESOLVED, That the Board of Trustees of The City University of New York hereby approves the naming of the Maralyn G. Cohn LGBTQ Community Space at Hunter College.

EXPLANATION: In honor of Ms. Cohn’s lifelong activism and care for the LGBTQ community, Hunter College enthusiastically recomments the naming of the Maralyn G. Cohn LGBTQ Community Space at Hunter College.

F. Hunter College - Naming of the Grateful Auditor Spaces:

WHEREAS, Hunter College has a vibrant community of lifelong learners over the age of 60, who—as part of CUNY’s Auditor Program—audit undergraduate courses at Hunter tuition-free; and

WHEREAS, Hunter’s auditors enrich the dynamic and diverse student body, by providing students with a multi-generational experience in the classroom; and

WHEREAS, On October 21, 2019 the Hunter College Foundation received a gift of $250,000 from a generous auditor, who has been taking one or two classes each semester for the past seven years; and

WHEREAS, The donor, who wishes to remain anonymous, is grateful for the free education they receive and is deeply impressed by Hunter’s student body; and

WHEREAS, The donor would like to provide Hunter’s students with comfortable, attractive and productive areas for study, small group meetings and recreation by contributing to the renovations of the open areas near the escalator core of the 2nd through 7th floors of the Hunter West Building; now therefore be it

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RESOLVED, That the Board of Trustees of The City University of New York approves the naming of the Grateful Auditor Spaces at Hunter College.

EXPLANATION: In recognition of this anonymous donor’s generosity Hunter College enthusiastically supports the naming of the open areas near the escalator core of the 2nd through 7th floors of the Hunter West Building the Grateful Auditor Spaces.

G. Hunter College - Naming of the Elise C. Tepper Early Childhood Lab:

WHEREAS, Elise C. Tepper is an alumna of Hunter College’s Class of 1956 who, received a BA in English with a specialty in Kindergarten and Nursery School Teaching and became a kindergarten teacher, currently serving as a member of the Children’s Advisory Council at the Port Washington Library; and

WHEREAS, She has been a generous supporter of the Early Childhood Education program at Hunter and in 2013 established the Elise C. Tepper Scholarship Fund; and

WHEREAS, In 2016, The Elise C. Tepper Visiting Education Fellow Fund was created in honor of Ms. Tepper and supports the Tepper Fellow, a distinguished practitioner for a semester-long fellowship, as well as expenses associated with public lectures and events featuring the Tepper Fellow; and

WHEREAS, Hunter College seeks to design, renovate, outfit and maintain a model classroom in which future early childhood teachers will experiment and innovate with the equipment, materials and technology that comprise the best practices in early childhood education; and

WHEREAS, A state-of-the-art classroom with up to date systems and technologies creates opportunities for early childhood teacher candidates to hone their skills and implement effective learning techniques in preparation for their careers teaching Pre-K and elementary school children; and

WHEREAS, Such a space can encourage and facilitate cognitive development while expanding the social and emotional skills of students, demonstrating a model lab for Hunter College’s teacher candidates to forge their own future classrooms; and

WHEREAS, The Hunter College Foundation will receive a gift of $250,000 from the Tepper Family Foundation for the purpose of creating this space by renovating a classroom on the 9th floor of Hunter College’s West Building; now therefore be it

RESOLVED, That the Board of Trustees of The City University of New York hereby approves the naming of the Elise C. Tepper Early Childhood Lab at Hunter College.

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EXPLANATION: In recognition of Ms. Tepper’s generousity and support of the Early Childhood Education program, Hunter College enthusiastically recommends the naming of the Elise C. Tepper Early Childhood Lab at Hunter College.

H. Hunter College - Naming of the Zankel Arts Hub:

WHEREAS, Judy Francis Zankel is a professional illustrator, who graduated from Hunter College in 1967 and has remained a lifelong supporter; and

WHEREAS, Ms. Zankel currently serves as a Trustee of the Hunter College Foundation and as a member of Hunter’s Art Advisory and Music Advisory boards; and

WHEREAS, Ms. Zankel is a dedicated philanthropist, who also serves on the boards of Cooper-Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum, Carnegie Hall, and the Society of Illustrators; and

WHEREAS, On September 6, 2018, Ms. Zankel made a generous commitment to the Hunter College Foundation in the amount of $150,000 to create, furnish and maintain a space that will serve as a focal point for student engagement in The Arts at Hunter; and

WHEREAS, This space will house the Office of the Arts, a ticket distribution center for free and reduced admission to cultural institutions, internships, the Muse Scholars Program, The Arts through New York City, and Certificate in Arts Management and Leadership courses; and

WHEREAS, To date Ms. Zankel has made payments totaling $125,000 toward her pledge and will complete paying the remaining balance of $25,000 on or before December 31, 2021; now therefore be it

RESOLVED, That the Board of Trustees of The City University of New York hereby approves the naming of the Zankel Arts Hub at Hunter College.

EXPLANATION: In recognition of Ms. Zankel’s generosity, her commitment to Hunter students pursuing careers in the Arts and her service to the Hunter College community, Hunter College enthusiastically recommends the naming of the Zankel Arts Hub.

I. John Jay College of Criminal Justice - Naming of the Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority Inc. Scoreboard at The Aquatics Center:

WHEREAS, Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority Inc. is an organization whose 96-year history has been centered on enhancing the quality of life within underserved and underrepresented communities across the nation; and

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WHEREAS, Sigma Gamma Rho formed a partnership with John Jay, recognizing its mission to educate traditionally underrepresented groups and a commitment to foster an inclusive and diverse community; and

WHEREAS, The lack of access to swimming pools and availability of swimming instruction in communities of color largely contribute to the racial gap in drowning rates, with the Center for Disease Control reporting that accidental drowning is one of the lead causes of death among black and Hispanic youth; and

WHEREAS, On August 21, 2019, in an effort to build awareness and increase access to swimming pools and water safety instruction, Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. pledged $25,000 to establish the Swim1922 Fellowship at John Jay College; and

WHEREAS, On October 2, 2019 Sigma Gamma Rho made the first pledge payment in the amount of $12,500 and will complete the commitment with another payment $12,500 on or before June 30, 2020; and

WHEREAS, The Swim 1922 Fellowship at John Jay College will provide an opportunity for two students to plan and implement water-safety workshops and lifeguard for their fellow students and the neighboring community annually for two years; and

WHEREAS, The Fellows, supervised by the Athletics Director, will work 10 hours a week each semester and receive a stipend of $7,500 per year (total student support $15,000) with the remaining $10,000 to be used to fund the water-safety workshops, maintain the aquatics center, provide additional insurance and outreach to the neighboring communities; now therefore be it

RESOLVED, That the Board of Trustees of The City University of New York approves the naming of the aquatics center scoreboard, the Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority Inc. Scoreboard.

EXPLANATION: In recognition of the generosity of Sigma Gamma Rho, John Jay College of Criminal Justice enthusiastically supports the naming of the scoreboard in the new aquatics center the Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority Inc. Scoreboard for a period of five years.

Chairperson Thompson, Jr. asked for a vote. Cal. Nos. 4.D. through 4.I. were unanimously adopted.

Chairperson William C. Thompson, Jr. left the meeting.

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Moved by Trustee Cortés-Vázquez and seconded by Trustee O’Donnell-Tormey, resolutions 4.J. through 4.P. were presented and opened for discussion:

J. The City College of New York - Appointment of Susan Perkins with Immediate Tenure:

WHEREAS, Dr. Susan Perkins is a distinguished Biologist at the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH), one of the premiere scientic institutions in the nation; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Perkins has “curatorial” tenure at AMNH, awarded through a process closely aligned with that of most research universities, including CUNY, and

WHEREAS, Dr. Perkins is also a professor at the AMNH’s Richard Gilder Graduate School, accredited by the New York State Board of Regents to award doctoral degrees; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Perkins is co-author of the book Welcome to the Microbiome: Getting to Know the Trillions of Bacteria and Other Microbes In, On, and Around You (Yale University Press, 2015), and co-author of over 70 peer-reviewed articles and contributing chapters; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Perkins was the co-curator of the major AMNH exhibit “The World Inside You” (2015), which drew visitors from around the nation and internationally and was praised by the New York Times for its use of dynamic, interactive games and animations to educate visitors about the “hundreds of trillions of bacteria, viruses, fungi and other organisms that, taken together, constitute something known as the human microbiome”; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Perkins is the recipient of major Federal grant funding at a level comparable to senior research faculty in CUNY; and

WHEREAS, in addition to the Richard Gilder School, Dr. Perkins has taught and advised doctoral students extensively at the CUNY Graduate Center and at New York University; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Perkins has held leadership positions at prestigious research institutions including the National Science Foundation and the American Society of Parasitologists; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Perkins has been recommended for immediate tenure at the department (Biology), division (Science) and College promotion and tenure committee levels; now therefore be it

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RESOLVED, That Susan Perkins be appointed as a Professor with tenure in the Department of Biology at The City College of New York, effective January 6, 2020, with a waiver of Bylaw 6.2.b, subject to financial ability.

EXPLANATION: Dr. Susan Perkins is well prepared to lead the research and educational enterprise of City College’s Division of Science and exceptionally qualified to expand CCNY’s public partnerships and to raise the national profile of CCNY and CUNY’s flagship STEM programs.

K. Baruch College - Appointment of Alison Griffiths as Distinguished Professor:

WHEREAS, Professor Alison Griffiths is an internationally recognized leader in film and media studies, historical cinema and media and visual media; and

WHEREAS, Professor Griffiths has published three books, including Carceral Fantasies: Cinema and Prison in Early Twentieth-Century America, Shivers Down your Spine: Cinema, Museums and the Immersive View, and Wondrous Difference: Cinema, Anthropology, and Turn-of-the-Century Visual Culture, as well as 22 journal articles and 23 book chapters; and

WHEREAS, In addition, Professor Griffiths has given over 50 invited talks and keynote lectures around the world; and

WHEREAS, Professor Griffiths has been awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship; a Mayer Fellowship from the Huntington Library in San Mario, California, the Best Edited Anthology award from the Society for Cinema and Media Studies, a Design Award from the Bookbinders Guild and the Katherine S. Kovics Book award for the best published book in the field of Cinema and Medial Studies; and

WHEREAS, Professor Griffiths’ work has been supported by the American Council of Learned Societies, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Woodrow Wilson Foundation and the Eugene Lang Foundation; and

WHEREAS, As one of her reviewers notes that Professor Griffiths is, “a brilliant historian and researcher in communications and media studies and the foremost interpreter of early non-fiction and scientific film and the history of the human sciences working today.” Her scholarship “demonstrates a profound commitment to interdisciplinary inquiry, one that handles with as much comfort the complexities of media studies, visual anthropology and museum studies as those of history of science, politics and philosophy. Simply put, few scholars today can handle such an extraordinary range and attend with rigor and care to the expectations and requirements of these disciplines, all the while offering close reading of texts, images and practices. This is indicative of a

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world-leading scholar”; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Griffiths joined Baruch College in 1998 as an Assistant Professor of Film and Media Studies and was promoted to Associate Professor in 2004 and full Professor in 2009. Dr. Griffiths earned her Ph.D. in Cinema Studies from New York University, an M.A. in Film and Media from the University of London and a B.A. with Honors in English/Drama from the University of Leicester; now therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the Board of Trustees of The City University of New York appoint Alison Griffiths as Distinguished Professor of Film and Media at Baruch College effective January 1, 2020, with compensation of $28,594 per annum in addition to her regular academic salary, subject to financial ability.

EXPLANATION: Baruch College and The City University of New York will be well-served by Professor Griffiths’ appointment as Distinguished Professor.

L. Brooklyn College - Appointment of Alexandra Juhasz as Distinguished Professor:

WHEREAS, Professor Alexandra Juhasz is an internationally renowned scholar of film and media studies, feminist media studies and digital humanities; and

WHEREAS, Professor Juhasz has published three single-authored books, three coedited volumes, 25 book chapters and 31 journal articles; and

WHEREAS, In addition, Professor Juhasz has produced three feature films and two short films that have been screened at the Sundance, Berlin, Toronto, Hong Kong, Creteil, Seoul and Flaherty film festivals and exhibited at the Whitney Biennial, Guggenheim, New Museum and the Museo del Barrio; and

WHEREAS, Professor Juhasz produced the film Watermelon Woman, which won the Teddy Award for the best feature film at the Berlin Film Festival and was recently acquired by the Museum of Modern Art; and

WHEREAS, Professor Juhasz has received funding from the Mellon and Tow Foundations, the Pembroke Center for Research on Women and the Canadian Research Council to support her work; and

WHEREAS, As one of her reviewers notes, Professor Juhasz “is a groundbreaking scholar and important producer of documentary films who also has a very successful career as a digital media scholar and maker. She is also one of the most cutting-edge and admired scholars of feminist digital humanities in the world”; and

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WHEREAS, Dr. Juhasz joined Brooklyn College as Professor and Chair of the Feirstein School of Cinema in 2016. She started her academic career as an Assistant Professor of media history, theory and production and gender, queer and cultural studies at Pitzer College in 1995, where she was promoted to Associate Professor in 1997 and full Professor in 2003. Dr. Juhasz earned her Ph.D. in Cinema Studies, with distinction, from New York University and a B.A., Summa Cum Laude, in American Studies and English from Amherst College; now therefore be it

RESOLVED, That the Board of Trustees of The City University of New York appoint Alexandra Juhasz as Distinguished Professor of Cinema Studies at Brooklyn College effective January 1, 2020, with compensation of $28,594 per annum in addition to her regular academic salary, subject to financial ability.

EXPLANATION: Brooklyn College and The City University of New York will be well-served by Professor Juhasz’s appointment as Distinguished Professor.

M. The City College of New York - Appointment of Yingli Tian as Distinguished Professor:

WHEREAS, Professor Yingli Tian is an internationally recognized leader in electrical engineering; and

WHEREAS, Professor Tian has published 54 peer-reviewed journal articles, 12 invited chapters and 134 peer-reviewed conference presentations that have received over 13,000 citations, with an h-index of 54; and

WHEREAS, In addition, Professor Tian has 29 patents; and

WHEREAS, Professor Tian has been awarded $6 million in research grants from the National Science Foundation, the Department of Homeland Security, the Office of Naval Research, Microsoft Research and the Federal Highway Administration; and

WHEREAS, Professor Tian is a Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and was awarded IEEE Best Paper Awards in 2007, 2015 and 2017 and IBM Invention Achievement Awards in 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006 and 2007; and

WHEREAS, As one of her reviewers notes of Professor Tian “I especially admire that she has not stopped with her successes, but has continued to pioneer new work. She has brought the most advanced methods to helping people who are blind, visually impaired, deaf or hard of hearing, and has invented numerous solutions to make their lives better. Her work is not only technically innovative and brilliant, it is also making lives better for so many people in need”; and

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WHEREAS, Dr. Tian joined City College in 2008 as Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering and the Director of the CCNY Media Laboratory. She was promoted to full Professor in 2013. Dr. Tian earned her Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from the Chinese University of Hong Kong and an M.S. in Thermophysical Engineering and a B.S. in Precision Instrument and Opto-Electronics Engineering from TianJin University, China; now therefore be it

RESOLVED, That the Board of Trustees of The City University of New York appoint Yingli Tian as Distinguished Professor of Electrical Engineering at the City College of New York effective January 1, 2020, with compensation of $28,594 per annum in addition to her regular academic salary, subject to financial ability.

EXPLANATION: The City College of New York and The City University of New York will be well-served by Professor Tian’s appointment as Distinguished Professor.

N. College of Staten Island - Appointment of Joel Hamkins as Distinguished Professor:

WHEREAS, Professor Joel Hamkins is an internationally renowned scholar of mathematical logic and set theory and their interaction with philosophy; and

WHEREAS, Professor Hamkins has published over 90 peer-reviewed journal articles and three books that have received over 2000 citations (Google Scholar), with an hindex of 24; and

WHEREAS, In addition, Professor Hamkins has given 90 invited talks and colloquia since 2011; and

WHEREAS, Professor Hamkins has been awarded research grants from the National Science Foundation, the Simons and Templeton Foundations, and the Dutch and German governments; and

WHEREAS, Professor Hamkins has been a Visiting Professor or Fellow at Oxford University, the Isaac Newton Institute of Mathematical Sciences in Cambridge, UK, NYU, the Fields Institute at the University of Toronto, Carnegie Mellon University and the University of California at Berkeley; and

WHEREAS, As one of his reviewers notes, Professor Hamkins is “one of the most intellectually stimulating and original researchers in mathematical logic and set theory. In most of his papers, there is an ingenious original question and a conceptual innovation. Hamkins excels in positioning a technical mathematical proof in an elegant conceptual framework”; and

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WHEREAS, Dr. Hamkins joined the College of Staten Island in 1995 as an Assistant Professor of Mathematics and was promoted to Associate Professor in 1999 and full Professor in 2003. He has been on the doctoral faculty at the Graduate Center in Mathematics since 1997, Computer Science since 2012 and Philosophy since 2013. Dr. Hamkins earned his Ph.D. in Mathematics from the University of California at Berkeley and a B.S. in Mathematics from the California Institute of Technology; now therefore be it

RESOLVED, That the Board of Trustees of The City University of New York appoint Joel Hamkins as Distinguished Professor of Mathematics at the College of Staten Island effective January 1, 2020, with compensation of $28,594 per annum in addition to his regular academic salary, subject to financial ability.

EXPLANATION: The College of Staten Island and The City University of New York will be well-served by Professor Hamkins’ appointment as Distinguished Professor.

O. College of Staten Island - Appointment of Tyehimba Jess as Distinguished Professor:

WHEREAS, Professor Jess is an internationally distinguished poet and author; and

WHEREAS, Professor Jess has published two books of poetry, one non-fiction book, three plays and one libretto, as well as poems in 28 anthologies and 24 periodicals; and

WHEREAS, Professor Jess won the Pulitzer Prize in Poetry, the Anisfield-Wolf Award in Poetry, the Black Caucus of the American Library Association Citation for Contribution to Publishing, the Lannan Foundation Award and was a nominee for the Kingsley Tufts Award, the National Book Critics Circle Award in Poetry and the PEN Jean Stein Award for Olio (2016); and

WHEREAS, Professor Jess has also been awarded the Whiting Award and was a four-time nominee for the Pushcart Award for his earlier works; and

WHEREAS, Professor Jess has been awarded fellowships/residencies from the Lannan Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Provincetown Fine Arts Work Center; and

WHEREAS, As one of his reviewers notes, Professor Jess is “an outstanding American poet. Jess has claimed his place in the absolute forefront of American letters. He’s a writer of international stature. He’s made his way utterly on his own terms. His originality – formal, conceptual, syntactical, and tonal – is formidable. Tyehimba Jess is a writer who is invaluable to our culture. He is making poetry new”; and

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WHEREAS, Professor Jess joined the College of Staten Island as an Assistant Professor in 2009 and was promoted to Associate Professor in 2015 and full Professor in 2017. Professor Jess earned his Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from New York University and a B.A. in Public Policy Studies from the University of Chicago; now therefore be it

RESOLVED, That the Board of Trustees of The City University of New York appoint Tyehimba Jess as Distinguished Professor of English at the College of Staten Island effective January 1, 2020, with compensation of $28,594 per annum in addition to his regular academic salary, subject to financial ability.

EXPLANATION: The College of Staten Island and The City University of New York will be well-served by Professor Jess’s appointment as Distinguished Professor.

P. College of Staten Island - Appointment of Patricia Smith as Distinguished Professor:

WHEREAS, Professor Smith is an internationally renowned poet; and

WHEREAS, Professor Smith has published 11 books, 94 peer-reviewed articles and eight book chapters; and

WHEREAS, Professor Smith was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in Poetry and was awarded the Kingsley Tufts Poetry Prize, the Los Angeles Times Book Prize in Poetry, the Best Poetry Award from the Black Caucus of the American Library Association, the NAACP Image Award for Poetry, and the National Endowment for the Arts Award in Poetry for the book Incendiary Art (2017); and

WHEREAS, Professor Smith has also been awarded the Rebeka Bobbitt Poetry Prize, the Lenore Marshal Prize from the Academy of American Poets, and the Pushcart Prize, among others, for her earlier works; and

WHEREAS, Professor Smith has been awarded fellowships/residencies from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Civitella Foundation in Umbria, Italy, the Corporation of Yaddo in Saratoga Springs, NY and the MacDowell Colony in Peterbough, NY; and

WHEREAS, As one of her reviewers notes, Professor Smith “is among the most gifted and revered of contemporary poets, not only in the United States, but throughout the English-speaking world.” Her work “is at the summit of poetic writing in our language”; and

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WHEREAS, Professor Smith joined the College of Staten Island as an Assistant Professor in 2009 and was promoted to Associate Professor in 2015 and full Professor in 2017. Professor Smith earned her Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from the University of Southern Maine; now therefore be it

RESOLVED, That the Board of Trustees of The City University of New York appoint Patricia Smith as Distinguished Professor of English at the College of Staten Island effective January 1, 2020, with compensation of $28,594 per annum in addition to her regular academic salary, subject to financial ability.

EXPLANATION: The College of Staten Island and The City University of New York will be well-served by Professor Smith’s appointment as Distinguished Professor.

Trustee Cortés-Vázquez asked for a vote. Cal. Nos. 4.J. through 4.P. were unanimously adopted.

Moved by Trustee Cortés-Vázquez and seconded by Trustee Obergfell, resolutions 4.Q. through 4.S. were presented and opened for discussion:

Q. The City University of New York - Appointment of Allen Y. Lew as Senior Vice Chancellor of the Office of Facilities, Planning, and Construction Management:

WHEREAS, Allen Y. Lew has a Master of Science in Architecture and Urban Design from Columbia University, a Bachelor of Architecture from City College of New York and a Bachelor of Science from City College of New York; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Lew has extensive experience managing real estate development and construction projects, negotiating building contracts, labor, and collective bargaining agreements, and the federal and state procurement process. Mr. Lew has overseen the planning, design, and construction of multiple high-value projects including the $850 million Washington Convention Center, the $650 million Washington Nationals Ballpark, and the rehabilitation of the historic RFK Memorial Stadium for Major League Baseball; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Lew has administered a $3.5 billion school construction program, has consistently stayed within budget for all his construction projects, and regularly worked with high-value stakeholders including the DC Council, federal government agencies, and community groups. Mr. Lew has a strong and consistent record of managing building infrastructures with a commitment to a service oriented operations model; now therefore be it

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RESOLVED, that the Board of Trustees of the City University of New York approves the appointment of Allen Y. Lew as Senior Vice Chancellor of the Office of Facilities Planning and Construction Management effective December 17, 2019 at an annual salary rate of $275,000.

EXPLANATION: The appointment of Mr. Lew as Senior Vice Chancellor of the Office of Facilities, Planning, and Construction Management will ensure that CUNY has the leadership to advance excellence in facility operations, contract and labor strategy, and the maintenance of CUNY infrastructure to work towards achieving greater academic and institutional effectiveness.

The Chancellor strongly recommends this appointment.

R. The City College of New York - Appointment of Celia Lloyd as Vice President of Student Affairs:

WHEREAS, Ms. Lloyd currently serves the College as Interim Vice President of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management and has more than twenty-five years of progressive administrative and leadership experience in higher education; and

WHEREAS, Ms. Lloyd is an expert in managing integrated Student Information Systems, an advocate for excellence in student services, an effective communicator with constituents, and a collaborator with students, faculty, staff and administration; all while fostering team building, team-based management, conflict resolution and advocating for excellence in student services; and

WHEREAS, Ms. Lloyd will continue to bridge the gaps in the system of student advisement, integrating the flow of information from orientation through degree completion by utilizing the Student Welcome Center, which has helped to improve efficiencies within Enrollment Management and throughout the College community; and

WHEREAS, Ms. Lloyd holds an MBA from St. John’s University as well as a Certificate in Educational Leadership from Harvard University; now therefore be it

RESOLVED, That the Board of Trustees of The City University of New York approve the appointment of Ms. Celia Lloyd as Vice President of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management at The City College of New York, effective December 17, 2019 at an annual salary rate of $211,911.

EXPLANATION: The appointment of Ms. Celia Lloyd as Vice President of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management will ensure that The City College of New York has the leadership to create a more collaborative student services initiative between student

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affairs, academics and enrollment management, and to promote student achievement.

Ms. Lloyd is a forward thinking and adept leader with comprehensive experience and understanding of higher education and student services. Ms. Lloyd’s experience and leadership acumen will support and enhance the College’s mission of access to excellence and enhance the student experience across their interactions with different offices and bureaucracies.

The President strongly recommends this appointment.

S. Medgar Evers College - Appointment of Jacqueline Clark as Senior Vice President of Administration and Finance/Chief Operating Officer:

WHEREAS, Ms. Clark has over ten years of finance and leadership experience in higher education having held positions such as Controller, Assistant Vice President of Administration Finance, and Vice President of Administration & Finance; and

WHEREAS, Ms. Clark’s experience with accounting and reporting, accounts payable and budget, procurement and public safety, property management and plant operations, and risk management at both York College and Medgar Evers College positions her to support the needs of the college while providing stringent internal controls and financial analysis; and

WHEREAS, Ms. Clark holds a Master’s in Accounting from Post University and a Bachelors of Science in Accounting from Medgar Evers College; now therefore be it

RESOLVED, That the Board of Trustees of The City University of New York approve the appointment of Ms. Jacqueline Clark as Senior Vice President of Administration & Finance/ Chief Operating Officer at Medgar Evers College, effective December 17, 2019 at an annual salary rate of $206,000.

EXPLANATION: Ms. Clark will serve as a member of the President’s senior team and will incorporate innovative practices, plans and strategies needed to transform and elevate our division of Administration & Finance. This appointment will ensure Medgar Evers College has the leadership to advance excellence in Administration and Finance.

The President strongly recommends this appointment.

Trustee Cortés-Vázquez asked for a vote. Cal. Nos. 4.Q. through 4.S. were unanimously adopted.

Chairperson William C. Thompson, Jr. and Trustee Ken Sunshine returned to the meeting.

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5. COMMITTEE ON FACILITIES PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT: Trustee Brian Obergfell reported that at the November 25, 2019 meeting of the Committee on Facilities Planning and Management, the Committee approved the following resolutions, and he recommended their approval by the Board.

Moved by Trustee Obergfell and seconded by Trustee Ferrer, the following resolution was presented and opened for discussion:

A. Borough of Manhattan Community College – Cooling Towers Replacement and Related Work:

WHEREAS, The City University Construction Fund (“CUCF”) is responsible for developing, planning and designing the capital facilities for the City University of New York (the “University”); and

WHEREAS, The main BMCC building, located at 199 Chambers Street, houses all of the college's labs, data servers, media center, security and phone systems for all of BMCC, and the majority of the college's classrooms, computer centers, faculty and administrative offices; and

WHEREAS, The Cooling Towers at the Borough of Manhattan Community College’s main building (BMCC) are at the end of their useful life, are in poor condition and need replacement (the “BMCC Cooling Towers Project”); and

WHEREAS, Funding has been appropriated to CUCF for the BMCC Cooling Towers Project with fifty (50%) of the funding being provided by the City and fifty (50%) of the funding being provided by the State, for an amount not to exceed $24,000,000; now therefore be it

RESOLVED, That the University’s Board of Trustees request CUCF to provide funding for the BMCC Cooling Towers Project in an amount not to exceed $24,000,000.

EXPLANATION: BMCC’s existing 3,000 ton and 350 ton cooling towers and their associated piping, valves and dunnage are over 30 years old and have reached the end of their useful life. These cooling towers are key components of the existing HVAC system that provides cooling to the entire 780,000 square foot main campus building, located at 199 Chambers Street. The main building houses all of the college's labs, and the majority of the college's classrooms, computer centers, faculty and administrative offices. This building also contains the data servers, media center, security and phone systems serving this and other buildings at BMCC. The scope of work will include the installation of new cooling towers, piping, valves, and dunnage. The design will provide a safe, easily maintained and code-compliant heat rejection system for the two new

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chillers recently installed in the building. This project will be built using a DASNY Energy Performance Contractor for the design and construction management services in consultation with CUNY and the college. Construction is scheduled to begin April 2020 and end November 2020.


Trustee Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez left the meeting.

Moved by Trustee Obergfell and seconded by Trustee Berger, the following resolution was presented and opened for discussion:

B. CUNY School of Law – Design and Construction of a Trial Practice Courtroom:

WHEREAS, The City University Construction Fund (“CUCF”) is responsible for developing, planning, designing and construction of the capital facilities for the City University of New York (the “University”); and

WHEREAS, In 2011, CUCF purchased a condominium unit (the “CUCF Condominium Unit”) which comprises approximately 45% of the condominium building at 2 Court Square, Long Island City, New York 11101 (the “2 Court Square Condominium”) from Citigroup for use by the CUNY Law School (the “Law School”), and Citigroup retained a condominium unit comprising approximately of 55% of the 2 Court Square Condominium; and

WHEREAS, The Law School plans to convert an existing classroom within the CUCF Condominium Unit into a modern, fully equipped Trial Practice Courtroom (The Trial Practice Courtroom Project); and

WHEREAS, Under the documents governing the 2 Court Square Condominium, the property manager for the 2 Court Square Condominium may procure and hold all contracts for capital work, with CUCF having approval rights for work within the CUCF Condominium Unit which CUCF has used to require that all capital work within the CUCF Condominium Unit be subject to the same CUCF capital requirements for prevailing wage and minority- and women-owned business enterprises used by CUCF for its capital projects on University facilities; and

WHEREAS, The City of New York has appropriated funding to CUCF for the design and construction of the Trial Practice Courtroom Project in an amount not to exceed $1,100,000; now therefore be it

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RESOLVED, That the University’s Board of Trustees request CUCF to provide funding for the Trial Practice Courtroom Project, to be chargeable to City Project No. CL018-015, for an amount not to exceed $1,100,000.

EXPLANATION: The Law School plans to convert a classroom into a modern, fully equipped Trial Practice Court that will function as a place where students in courses and on competition teams can hold mock trials, and as a demonstration courtroom for classes and groups from both inside and outside the Law School. The scope of work will include demolition of the existing fixed furnishings, closets and closet doors, a portion of a wall, finishes, floor boxes, electrical conduit and wiring, and ceiling-mounted equipment. The scope of work also includes installation of fixed cabinetry and furniture, such as constructing a raised judge's bench, a witness stand, an elevated jury box, counsel tables and fixed seating for viewers as well as new finishes and electrical infrastructure. It is anticipated that construction will begin April 2020 and end August 2020.


Moved by Trustee Obergfell and seconded by Trustee Ken Sunshine, the following resolution was presented and opened for discussion:

C. New York City College of Technology – Amendment to the Architectural Services Contract for the New Academic Building:

WHEREAS, The City University Construction Fund (“CUCF”) is responsible for developing, planning, designing and construction of the capital facilities for the City University of New York (the “University”); and

WHEREAS, On June 23, 2008, Cal. No. 6D, the Board of Trustees previously requested that CUCF execute a consultant contract with the firm of Perkins Eastman in an amount not to exceed $16,000,000; and

WHEREAS, On November 22, 2010, (Cal. No. 6F) the Board of Trustees requested that CUCF amend the consultant contract previously approved in an amount not to exceed $17,000,000; and

WHEREAS, On February 21, 2017 (Cal. No. 5D) the Board of Trustees requested that CUCF amend the consultant contract previously approved for the second time, in an amount not to exceed $20,000,000; and

WHEREAS, An additional amendment to the previously approved architectural services contract for the New Academic Building at New York City College of Technology is

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required to provide unanticipated additional design and commissioning services that will address required HVAC design, related construction work, construction sequencing, coordination and system performance and functionality, completion of the exterior façade, and additional construction administration services (the “New Academic Building Project”); and

WHEREAS, New York State appropriated capital funding to CUCF for the New Academic Building Project in an amount not to exceed $975,000; now therefore be it

RESOLVED, That the Board of Trustees of the City University of New York amends its previous resolution adopted on June 23, 2008 (Cal. No. 6D), amended on November 22, 2010 (Cal. No. 6F) and further amended on February 21, 2017 (Cal No. 5 D) for the increase in the approved amount of $975,000; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the CUCF be requested to execute an amendment to an existing consulting contract to reflect the Fund’s purchase of additional design and construction related services to complete the construction closeout for the New Academic Building for the increased scope of $975,000 for a total not to exceed amount of $20,975,000.

EXPLANATION: Due to the complexity of the building’s HVAC system and controls, and the curtain wall façade, additional inspections and commissioning work was required during the construction phase that contributed to the extended duration of the project schedule and final completion of the facility. As a result, the construction phase has extended beyond the construction schedule of 60 months. Additional construction administration services by the design team, commissioning authority and the contractor are required to complete the project. Some of the issues that require additional design input and construction administration services are the completion of the exterior façade, which is expected to be completed by the spring of 2020, ongoing HVAC commissioning work, and associated work in the laboratories to address operational requirements. There is sufficient project funding to cover the increases in consultant fees.

The design services will address unanticipated additional design requirements and related construction sequencing, coordination and system performance and functionality, completion of the exterior façade, additional HVAC design, operational requirements in laboratories, and additional construction administration services. These additional services were not anticipated as part of the original agreement with Perkins Eastman.


Trustee Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez and University Student Senate Chair and Trustee Timothy Hunter returned to the meeting.

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Moved by Chairperson Thompson, Jr. and seconded by Trustee Berger, the following resolution was presented and opened for discussion:

6. The City University of New York - Approval of the 2017-2023 Collective Bargaining Agreement with the Professional Staff Congress/CUNY:

WHEREAS, The City University of New York and the Professional Staff Congress/CUNY are parties to a collective bargaining agreement that expired on November 30, 2017; and

WHEREAS, The City University of New York and the Professional Staff Congress/CUNY commenced bargaining for a successor agreement in or about March 2018; and

WHEREAS, The City University of New York and the Professional Staff Congress/CUNY reached a tentative settlement on October 18, 2019, covering sixty-three months and providing for five 2% wage increases and certain other supplementary benefits; and

WHEREAS, The parties’ tentative settlement is subject to ratification by the Union’s membership and approval by CUNY’s Board of Trustees; and

WHEREAS, The PSC notified the University that the contract was ratified by an 86% vote; now therefore be it

RESOLVED, That the collective bargaining agreement between The City University of New York and the Professional Staff Congress/CUNY for the period December 1, 2017, through February 28, 2023, is hereby approved by the CUNY Board of Trustees; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Chancellor is hereby authorized to execute the collective bargaining agreement between The City University of New York and the Professional Staff Congress/CUNY.

EXPLANATION: The prior collective bargaining agreement between The City University of New York and the Professional Staff Congress/CUNY expired on November 30, 2017. This resolution approves the successor 2017-2023 collective bargaining agreement negotiated between the parties. The Professional Staff Congress/CUNY collective bargaining unit is comprised of approximately 7,300 full-time faculty; 13,900 part-time faculty; 6,600 full-time non-teaching instructional staff; and 4,900 part-time non-teaching instructional staff. The agreement covers a sixty-three month period and provides for five 2% wage increases for full-time faculty and for full-time and part-time non-teaching instructional staff. Teaching adjuncts will receive the first four 2% wage increases; effective the start of the Spring 2020 semester, the workload of most adjunct teaching faculty will be restructured to enable them to devote more time to work with students, as well as to engage in professional development and other activities that contribute to student success, and they will see a commensurate increase in their compensation.

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In addition to the across-the-board salary increases and other financial enhancements, including increases to the per capita contributions to the PSC-CUNY Welfare Fund and increases to travel and various professional development funds, the parties agreed to a number of other provisions, including a pilot program to enable the University to pay faculty for defined projects through stipends; a restructuring of reassigned time for untenured faculty to allocate six (6) hours of such reassigned time to be used during the first three (3) academic years after the attainment of tenure; a standardized process for classroom teaching observations of online courses; research accounts for department chairs; and various enhancements for graduate employees.

Chairperson Thompson, Jr. acknowledged and thanked the Chancellor and his staff for their fabulous leadership as well as the Trustees on the excellent agreement. He further singled out and thanked Trustee Robert Mujica, Jr. for his assistance.

Trustee Cortés-Vázquez stated that this has been an exceptional process, and acknowledged the City of New York for being a partner in terms of the adjunct faculty support and funding.

USS Chair and Trustee Hunter asked will the budget proposal include the future cost of the collective bargaining agreement. Senior Vice Chancellor and Chief Financial Officer Matthew Sapienza responded that the cost of all collective bargaining agreements are in the 4-year plan and in the budget request.

Chairperson Thompson, Jr. asked for a vote. Cal. No. 6 was adopted. University Student Senate (USS) Chair and Trustee Timothy Hunter abstained.

7. JOINT COMMITTEE ON FISCAL AFFAIRS AND COMMITTEE ON FACILITIES PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT:

Trustee Fernando Ferrer reported that at the December 5, 2019 meeting of the Joint Committee on Fiscal Affairs and Committee on Facilities Planning and Management, the Committee approved the following resolution, and he recommended its approval by the Board.

Moved by Trustee Ferrer and seconded by Trustee Cortés-Vázquez, the following resolution was presented and opened for discussion:

A. The City University of New York - Approval of the Fiscal Year 2020-2021 Budget Request:

WHEREAS, The City University seeks to continue its strong commitment to provide the people of New York City and State with affordable access to educational services of the highest quality; and

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WHEREAS, The University continues its multi-year planning activities designed to identify resources that, together with the important support from New York State and City, will fund strategic investments in the University and the costs of collective bargaining agreements with our employee unions; and

WHEREAS, The City University of New York (“University”) is required every year to submit a five-year capital plan to the State Division of the Budget and the City Office of Management and Budget; and

WHEREAS, The State of New York provides 100% of the capital funding for projects at senior colleges and 50% of the capital funding for projects at community colleges; and the City of New York provides the matching 50% capital funding for projects at community colleges and capital funding for special projects at senior colleges; and

WHEREAS, These capital projects are funded through bonds sold by the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York with debt service payments appropriated by the State of New York and the City of New York, and through bonds sold by the City of New York; capital projects are also supported by state minor repair funding from the General Fund; now therefore be it

RESOLVED, That subject to the availability of resources, the University’s Board of Trustees approves an operating budget request that seeks additional funds for FY2020-2021 of $126.4 million from the State and $76.9 million from the City to cover mandatory cost increases and strategic investments; and be it further

RESOLVED, The request continues the predictable tuition policy, with an annual increase of $200 at the senior colleges and community colleges; and be it further

RESOLVED, The request includes a $120 fee increase to generate revenue that will be dedicated to health and wellness services and education; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the University’s Board of Trustees approve a five-year capital budget request for Fiscal Years 2020-21 through 2024-25 of $5.2 billion for projects authorized by The City University Construction Fund to address capital renewal, infrastructure, and programmatic initiatives and strategic initiatives in support of the University’s mission; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the University’s five-year request breaks down to $3.79 billion for the Senior Colleges and $1.41 billion for the Community Colleges, and that the University’s first-year bonded funding request is $1.03 billion; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the University’s request for City Fiscal Year 2021 local elected official funding is $97 million; and be it further

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RESOLVED, That the University’s Master Plan be and is hereby amended as necessary to provide for the capital proposal.

NOTE: The draft University Budget Request for Fiscal Year 2020-2021 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/2020-2021-Operating-Budget-Request-and-Four-Year-Financial-Plan.pdf

EXPLANATION: With the Fiscal Year 2021 Budget Request, the University enhances its capacity to carry out its mission of access and opportunity for New Yorkers and its commitment to meet the economic and educational needs of New York State and New York City. CUNY’s strategic priorities align with the priorities of the State and City. They include initiatives that will speed student progress toward degree attainment, improve access and retention, provide experiential learning opportunities that prepare students for the workforce and assist students in achieving post graduate success.

State and City financing of fixed mandatory needs, such as contractually required incremental salary increases, collective bargaining agreements, fringe benefit and building rental cost increases, will allow existing funding to remain in programmatic areas so that the University can continue to provide high quality services in support of its statutory mission and its commitment to all New Yorkers.

The FY2020-21 through FY2024-25 capital request focuses on completion of existing projects and critical health, safety, code compliance and rehabilitation projects, while recognizing the need for expansion and modernization of facilities as called for in campus master plans.

In formulating specific projects under this plan, an effort will be made, where possible, to leverage available University real estate resources through public-private development.

Chancellor Matos Rodriguez contextualized some of the elements of the budget request by highlighting that the budget is part of a team effort and was put together by the new administration. It is part of CUNY’s blueprint of how the University intends to build a bigger, better, and bolder CUNY. It is a budget crafted as part of CUNY’s responsible analysis of the University needs and aspirations matched against the resources available from funding sources. He further stated that the budget is focused on funding mandatory and inflationary costs, plus new support for four areas of strategic investment: expanding access and accelerating success; recognizing student health and wellbeing as integral to students' success; embracing the future of work; and investing in our critical IT and facilities infrastructure.

Chairperson Thompson, Jr. asked what percentage of CUNY students fall into the category of not paying fees because of TAP or Pell Grants. SVC&CFO Sapienza stated that about two-thirds of CUNY students currently attend college tuition free when you consider all of the financial aid that is made

https://www.cuny.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/page-assets/about/trustees/meetings-of-the-board/2020-2021-Operating-Budget-Request-and-Four-Year-Financial-Plan.pdf



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available through Pell Grants, state TAP, state Excelsior, City Council Merit Scholarships, and other financial aid. He further stated that only 17 percent of CUNY students, currently pay for full tuition out-of-pocket which means 83 percent of CUNY students are getting some type of financial assistance.

Chairperson Thompson, Jr. requested that the Office of Budget and Finance (OBF) provide the Board with the percentage of students who will not wind up being impacted by the additional new fees.

Trustee Cortés-Vázquez requested clarification between tuition and fees pertaining to classification. SVC&CFO Sapienza stated that not all of the sources of financial aid that the University receives cover fees. The New York State Tuition Assistance Program (TAP), which is one of the most generous in the country, covers tuition but not fees. Pell Grants can be used for tuition, fees, living expenses, so that is the main reason why we split them out that way.

Trustee Clarke also requested OBF to provide a breakdown—international, immigrant, etc.—of the percentage of student who will be impacted by the additional new fees.

USS Chair and Trustee Hunter made a motion to amend the resolution by removing the tuition hike from the 2020-2021 Budget Request. Trustee Clarke seconded, and following discussion, the motion did not carry.

Trustee Michael Arvanites joined the meeting.

USS Chair and Trustee Hunter made another motion to amend the resolution by removing the Health and Wellness fee from the 2020-2021 Budget Request. Trustee Clarke seconded, and following discussion, the motion did not carry.

***VIDEO PRESENTATION OF THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK OPERATING BUDGET REQUEST FOR FISCAL YEAR 2021 BY SVC&CFO SAPIENZA***

Y:\FY2021 University Budget Request.pdf

University Faculty Senate Chair and Trustee Martin Burke commented, “Just a note of thanks to Chancellor Matos Rodriguez, EVC&UP Cruz, and SVC&CFO Sapienza for including 564 new faculty lines over a 4-year cycle. This will considerably add to the amount of full-time faculty and help to restore CUNY’s seriously depleted ranks. For a first go, for a first budget, it is great for the faculty to hear the administration is willing to invest in faculty as well.”

Further discussion about the budget request followed, including the health and wellness fee annual increase of $120, predictable tuition policy and fee increases, and the TAP gap increase as a result of the mandatory and inflationary cost increase.

Chairperson Thompson, Jr. asked for a vote. Cal. No. 7 was adopted. USS Chair and Trustee Hunter opposed.

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8. COMMITTEE ON FISCAL AFFAIRS: Trustee Fernando Ferrer reported that at the December 5, 2019 meeting of the Committee on Fiscal Affairs, the Committee approved the following resolutions, and he recommended their approval by the Board.


A. Queens College - Authorization of Expenditures for Wi-Fi Network Equipment:

WHEREAS, Queens College is committed to providing a secure and reliable computer and Wi-Fi network to the faculty, students, and administrative staff in furtherance of the University’s academic mission; and

WHEREAS, The administration of the College has worked closely with its’ student government to identify this need and collaborate on potential solutions; and

WHEREAS, Queens College is also committed to decreasing costs through volume purchasing where appropriate, as well as to maintaining strong MWBE participation rates; and

WHEREAS, The College has selected and deployed certain equipment and services manufactured and produced by Cisco Systems Inc. to aid in efforts to secure and protect the campus network including Wi-Fi; and

WHEREAS, Queens College has conducted a mini-bid process under a New York State Office of General Services (OGS) contract to purchase and install network equipment for the campus; now therefore be it

RESOLVED, That the Board of Trustees of The City University of New York authorize Queens College to issue purchase orders to Compulink Technologies, Inc., an MWBE value-added reseller of Cisco Systems, Inc., which shall not exceed $1,250,000 including a contingency amount of $21,046.

EXPLANATION: Queens College will be able to replace its current Wi-Fi network equipment with state-of-the-art equipment with extended warranties in order to provide better Wi-Fi access to its students, faculty and staff.


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B. The City University of New York - Waiver of Application Fees to Spouses of Student Veterans:

WHEREAS, The City University of New York has a long history of honoring and supporting its student- veterans, which total over 3,300 for the current academic year; and

WHEREAS, The University provides educational and career opportunities to its student-veterans through the CUNY Office of Veterans Affairs and collaborations across its 25 colleges; and

WHEREAS, Eight CUNY colleges – John Jay College, Queensborough Community College, Lehman College, the School of Professional Studies, Medgar Evers College, New York City College of Technology, York College, and the College of Staten Island – have been named Military Friendly Schools for the current academic year; and

WHEREAS, The College of Staten Island has been declared a Purple Heart University, a recognition of its efforts to provide services to student veterans and their families, and is the first college in New York City to earn such an accolade; and

WHEREAS, On November 10, 2019, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that all SUNY and CUNY schools would waive application fees for veterans and spouses; and

WHEREAS, CUNY has historically waived application fees for veterans, as outlined in the University Tuition and Fee Manual; now therefore be it

RESOLVED, That the Board of Trustees of The City University of New York authorize the waiver of application fees to the spouses of veterans; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Board of Trustees authorize the appropriate amendments to Sections III and VII of the University’s Tuition and Fee Manual to codify these waivers.

EXPLANATION: CUNY has and will continue to provide critical support to student-veterans, including a waiver of application fees. Adding veterans’ spouses to the application fee waiver policy represents an important addition to the roster of services and opportunities the University already provides it’s student-veterans, and underscores CUNY’s ongoing commitment to this deserving population.


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Moved by Trustee Ferrer and seconded by Trustee Clarke, the following resolution was presented and opened for discussion:

C. The City University of New York - Approval of the CUNY Early Childhood Workforce Waivers:

WHEREAS, As part of the New York Women’s Agenda and based on recommendations by the Early Childhood Advisory Council, CUNY is launching a new scholarship to support early childhood educators working 20 hours or more in licensed early childhood centers; and

WHEREAS, These scholarships will enable early childhood educators to attain credit bearing credentials, degrees and certifications; and

WHEREAS, The scholarships will be awarded to approximately 200 educators through tuition waivers for up to 2 courses or 6 credits, per semester; and

WHEREAS, These tuition waivers will be awarded using needs-based criteria, with single parents given additional priority; now therefore be it

RESOLVED, That the Board of Trustees of The City University of New York approves a waiver of required tuition for individuals who work 20 hours or more, each week, in the city’s licensed early childhood centers to attend CUNY colleges (two-year, four-year, and graduate) in pursuit of credit-bearing credentials, certificates, and degrees. The waiver is intended to support part-time study for up to two courses per term for each eligible student, and will begin in Spring 2020, and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Board of Trustees of The City University of New York authorizes CUNY campuses to apply the waiver of required tuition for individuals who meet the criteria for this needs-based program.

EXPLANATION: The CUNY Office of Early Childhood Initiatives and its Career Center will manage applications, work with students to create study plans, track student perseverance and success, and submit reports to the Chancellor, the Executive Vice Chancellor and University Provost, and the Senior Vice Chancellor and Chief Financial Officer. Waivers will be based on a sliding scale that takes gross family income and family size into account.


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Moved by Trustee Ferrer and seconded by Trustee Berger, the following resolution was presented and opened for discussion:

D. The City University of New York - Renewal of the American Chemical Society (ACS) Journal Collection for CUNY-Wide Access:

WHEREAS, The ACS Journal Collection, subscribed to by all CUNY campus libraries, is up for renewal this year; and

WHEREAS, The ACS is the world’s largest scientific society and are recognized as a leading publisher of authoritative scientific information; and

WHEREAS, CUNY libraries have worked together to form buying groups that enable the University group-wide or system-wide access to many library e-resources; and

WHEREAS, Leveraging this purchasing power has enabled CUNY to save money and improve its collections, and helped the CUNY libraries to build one of the most comprehensive centralized e-resource collection of any large-scale college consortium in the country; now therefore be it

RESOLVED, That the Board of Trustees of the City University of New York authorize the General Counsel to execute a contract on behalf of the University to subscribe to the American Chemical Society’s (ACS) complete portfolio of journals for all of the CUNY campus libraries, without competitive bidding pursuant to University law and regulations; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the contract shall not exceed a total estimated cost of $1,137,939 over the three-year term, and that the contract shall be subject to approval as to form by the Office of General Counsel.

EXPLANATION: CUNY libraries have a long history of subscribing to this society’s journals and as a group for over 15 years. This current agreement has been negotiated to provide access to the complete collection of journals for all students, faculty, and staff. All CUNY libraries pay their own subscription costs. All content is indexed widely and is discoverable in the University Libraries’ Discovery platform, OneSearch.

Chairperson Thompson, Jr. asked for a vote. Cal. No. 8.D. was unanimously adopted.

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Moved by Trustee Ferrer and seconded by Trustee Sandra Wilkin, the following resolution was presented and opened for discussion:

E. The City University of New York - Renewal of the Stem Initiative Package of Electronic Library Resources for CUNY-Wide Access:

WHEREAS, CUNY libraries seek to expand access to library resources to all students, faculty, and staff and to work together to form buying groups that enable group-wide or system-wide access to many library e-resources; and

WHEREAS, The University’s STEM Initiative package was devised and implemented five years ago by the Office of Library Services (“OLS”), working with CUNY’s Chief Librarians, the Council of Chief Academic Officers, and the Vice Chancellor for Research; and

WHEREAS, The initiative provided system-wide access to a set of critical electronic resource packages in the STEM disciplines while saving millions of dollars over what the costs to individual colleges would have been for all or parts of these collections; and

WHEREAS, The STEM initiative provided the basic and advanced STEM journals needed at each of the colleges, and helped to fill gaps in the collections of each CUNY library, including content in science, medicine, technology, engineering, mathematics, and the social sciences; and

WHEREAS, all resources in the STEM initiative package are up for renewal this year; and

WHEREAS, the renewal of this initiative is characterized by lower annual renewal rates and more content; and; now therefore be it

RESOLVED, That the Board of Trustees of the City University of New York authorize the General Counsel to execute contract renewals on behalf of the University with five key STEM publishers in order to maintain subscription access to the Elsevier Science Direct Freedom Collection of Journals, the Wiley Database Model Journal Collection, the Springer Journals Full Collection, a select package of Nature Journals and Reviews, and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Xplore Collection for all of the CUNY campus libraries, without competitive bidding pursuant to University law and regulations; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the total amount of the five contracts shall not exceed $25,294,151 over the five-year term, and that these contracts shall be subject to approval as to form by the Office of General Counsel.

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EXPLANATION: The following is a breakdown by resource of the total cost over five years:

Elsevier Science Direct Freedom Collection (2300 journals): $11,900,450 Wiley Database Model (1700 journals): $ 6,732,609 Springer Journals Full Collection (2000 journals): $ 3,020,454 Nature Journals (28 journals): $ 2,146,316 IEEE Xplore Collection (4,000,000 articles, proceedings, and standards): $ 1,494,322

The renewal of this initiative will continue to put all CUNY libraries on an equal footing and assure that all students throughout CUNY have equal access to this shared content.

While the cost of all e-resources are rising each year, during the term of the original STEM initiative, usage has increased at a much higher rate resulting in a lower cost per use each year. In addition, the University was able to negotiate lower renewal rates with each of the publishers, and all of the publishers have added content to their collections, thereby enhancing the value of these agreements.

All content is indexed and discoverable in the University Libraries’ Discovery system, Onesearch.

Chairperson Thompson, Jr. asked for a vote. Cal. No. 8.E. was unanimously adopted.

Moved by Trustee Ferrer and seconded by Trustee Michael Arvanites, the following resolution was presented and opened for discussion:

F. The City University of New York – Authorization of Contract with Credential Solutions, LLC to Provide Electronic Transcript Services:

WHEREAS, CUNY requires services to enable its’ students to electronically request and submit their official transcript to other higher education institutions; and

WHEREAS, Credential Solutions, LLC has been providing such services to CUNY since 2009; and

WHEREAS, The cost of the services is covered by the students requesting the transcripts, via a transcript fee, as outlined in Section III B of the University’s approved Tuition and Fee Manual; and

WHEREAS, CUNY plans to continue offering these services to its students while implementing new features and technological improvements; now therefore be it

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RESOLVED, That the Board of Trustees of The City University of New York authorize the General Counsel to execute a contract with Credentials Solutions, LLC for transcript management services, without competitive bidding and pursuant to law and University Regulations; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the contract term shall be five (5) years.

EXPLANATION: Currently, all twenty-five (25) CUNY schools provide their students with transcript management services from Credential Solutions, LLC. This secure siteis available 24 hours a day, seven days a week from any computer with internet access.

Chairperson Thompson, Jr. asked for a vote. Cal. No. 8.F. was unanimously adopted.

Moved by Trustee Ferrer and seconded by Trustee Berger, the following resolution was presented and opened for discussion:

G. The City University of New York – Authorization of a Contract with CourseDog, Inc. to Provide a Class Management and Facility Events Scheduling System:

WHEREAS, Fourteen (14) CUNY colleges are currently using the Resource 25/Schedule 25 system, a class management and facility events scheduling tool; and

WHEREAS, This contract is scheduled to expire on December 31, 2019; and

WHEREAS, The University Office of the Academic Affairs seeks a university-wide accessible curriculum and event management system (“CEMS”) that will facilitate an online, paperless submittal and approval process for all curriculum updates, class scheduling and facility management; and

WHEREAS, CUNY issued a Request for Proposal (“RFP”) and in response to this request, received two proposals; and

WHEREAS, As a result of the evaluation of the proposals by the selection committee, one vendor was selected to provide this system, as was permitted under the RFP; now therefore be it

RESOLVED, That the Board of Trustees authorize the General Counsel to execute a contract with CourseDog Inc. to provide an enterprise-wide class management and facility events scheduling system; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the contract term shall be five years and shall not exceed $6,500,000, and is being awarded based on best value after public advertisement and timely submission of sealed proposals pursuant to law and University regulations.

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EXPLANATION: CEMS will be designed to automatically update campus catalogs and schedule of classes with approved changes. All changes to the centrally stored curriculum libraries will be communicated to the appropriate parties. The CEMS will facilitate an online, paperless submittal and approval process for all curriculum updates and foster better communication and collaboration, by storing all curriculum library additions, changes, and deletions in one database that each college can access.

Trustee Charles Shorter inquired about Minority and Women-owned Business Enterprise (MWBE) participation. SVC&CFO Sapienza stated, “Unfortunately not, as this is a unique type of service being provided. This will be a new vendor through a vendor that CUNY has had in the past. OBF is very excited about some of the functionality that this new vendor is going to bring and some of the improvements to the class and events scheduling system.”

Chairperson Thompson, Jr. asked for a vote. Cal. No. 8.G. was adopted. Trustee Charles Shorter opposed and Trustee Cortés-Vázquez abstained.

Moved by Trustee Ferrer and seconded by Trustee Wilkin, the following resolution was presented and opened for discussion:

H. The City University of New York – Adoption of Modifications to the University’s Procurement Policy:

WHEREAS, The CUNY Board of Trustees adopted the current Procurement Policy and Procedures of The City University of New York (“CUNY”) on February 21, 2017 (the “Procurement Policy”); and

WHEREAS, Under New York State Executive Law Article 17-B, CUNY is authorized to “set-aside” certain procurements to New York State-certified service-disabled veteran-owned businesses (“SDVOBs”); and

WHEREAS, The Minority and Women owned Business Enterprises (“MWBE”) Reauthorization Bill, signed on July 15, 2019 by Governor Andrew Cuomo, will permit State entities to increase the maximum dollar threshold for informal (discretionary) purchases from $200,000 to $500,000 in relation to (i) purchases of recycled or remanufactured products and (ii) purchases from small businesses and New York State-certified MWBEs and SDVOBs; and

WHEREAS, This law will become effective on January 11, 2020; and

WHEREAS, The Offices of the New York State Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and the New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli agreed to modify requirements of pre-audit review for contracts of The State University of New York, The State University of

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New York Construction Fund, The City University of New York, The City University Construction Fund, the Office of General Services, and the Research Foundation for the State University of New York, through the execution of a Memorandum of Understanding (“MOU”) dated August 15, 2019; and

WHEREAS, The MOU would require pre-audit review for contracts valued at $250,000 or more for construction, commodities, computer equipment (including software and hardware), and printing, and non-construction related services; and

WHEREAS, The MOU provides that it is contingent upon CUNY and CUCF’s respective Boards of Trustees to approve the terms of the MOU within 30 days of the MOU’s effective date or the Executive will propose legislation mandating such review; and

WHEREAS, The MOU’s effective date is 30 days following the signing of the MOU and finalization of the mutually agreed upon checklist required by the MOU; and

WHEREAS, The CUNY Board of Trustees approved and ratified the terms of the MOU signed by the Chancellor at a Meeting of the Board of Trustees on October 28, 2019; now therefore be it

RESOLVED, That the Board of Trustees of The City University of New York authorize changes to the CUNY Procurement Policy to increase the maximum dollar amount permitted for use of certain “Enhanced Informal Purchases” to implement the change in thresholds for discretionary purchases permitted under the Minority and Women owned Business Enterprises (“MWBE”) Reauthorization Bill, signed on July 15, 2019 by Governor Andrew Cuomo, effective January 11, 2020; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Board of Trustees of the City University of New York authorize changes to the CUNY Procurement Policy to increase the maximum dollar amount permitted for the use of “Informal Purchasing Methods” under the Procurement Policy from $100,000 to $250,000 to improve the efficiency of its procurement practices, effective concurrent with the effective date of the MOU; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Board of Trustees of the City University of New York authorize changes to the CUNY Procurement Policy to reflect the requirement for pre-audit review by the Office of the State Comptroller for contracts valued at $250,000 or more for construction, commodities, computer equipment (including software and hardware), printing, and non-construction related services as required by the MOU, effective concurrent with the effective date of the MOU, and that the revised Procurement Policy attached hereto is adopted.

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NOTE: The modified CUNY Procurement Policy and Procedures is on file in the Office of the Secretary of the Board and at Y:\CUNY Procurement Policy and Procedures.pdf

EXPLANATION: These changes will be reflected in an updated Procurement Policy (attached). All other provisions of the Procurement Policy remain unchanged. It is anticipated that the General Counsel and the Senior Vice Chancellor and Chief Financial Officer may issue updated and/or new administrative guidance as may be necessary or useful to implement the changes in the Procurement Policy.

Trustee Sandra Wilkin stated that this has been a landmark legislation for minority and women businesses, and the procurement policy at CUNY will make a vast difference for the businesses that are in New York as 95 percent of the businesses are small businesses. The University should encourage and provide opportunities for those businesses to do business with CUNY.

Chairperson Thompson, Jr. made a few comments about the MWBE program, which began in the State of New York in 2011 by noting that Governor Cuomo's initiative that began then has continued to grow. One of the sources of frustration is that CUNY has not moved in that direction as quickly as possible. It is heartening to see that the new administration has taken it seriously and is moving in the direction of being able to get it done quickly and efficiently. He further congratulated the new administration for their hard work, as well as both the Governor and the State legislature for the new legislation, which will now allow even bigger things to be done in the State of New York.

Chairperson Thompson, Jr. asked for a vote. Cal. No. 8.H. was unanimously adopted.

Statement of Trustee Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez: “So we have had an incredibly difficult last two meetings. I want to thank Chancellor Matos Rodriguez because the Board of Trustees Budget Request hearing and Public hearing was a challenging hearing because we could not respond to the concerns raised. But after all of the challenges, I want to reinforce what a new day this is and why it is important to support the direction that we are moving in. Then after all the challenges and bearing a lot of uncomfortable public attacks Chancellor Matos Rodriguez went and sat with students and faculty after the meeting—sitting down the way only Felo can do, which is go right into the crowd. And, totally and genuinely, as authentic as I have ever seen Chancellor Matos Rodriguez, engage with some of the same people who lobbed some difficult statements towards him and about him. I want to say from this trustee to you, muchas gracias. To me that is CUNY!”

Chairperson Thompson, Jr. moved to go into Executive Session at 6:34 p.m. The motion was seconded by Trustee Clarke.

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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 leading to the appointment or employment, of a particular person or corporation. The Board met in Executive Session from 6:37 p.m. to 7:06 p.m.

Moved by Chairperson Thompson, Jr. and seconded by Vice Chairperson Barry Schwartz, the public session was reconvened at 7:07 p.m.

Trustee Henry Berger left the meeting.

Senior Advisor to the Chancellor (SAC) and Secretary of the Board Gayle M. Horwitz presented item Nos. 9 and 10 for the Board’s approval:

Moved by Vice Chairperson Schwartz and seconded by Trustee Cortés-Vázquez, the following resolution was presented and opened for discussion:

9. The City University of New York – Appointment of Derek Davis as the General Counsel and Senior Vice Chancellor for Legal Affairs:

WHEREAS, Derek Davis has a Juris Doctorate from Boston University, School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts from Boston University; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Davis is currently serving as the Executive Director of the Harvard Law School Center on the Legal Profession and prior to joining Harvard Law School served as a shareholder in the Boston office of Greenberg Traurig, LLO, and has thirty years of experience practicing law as a corporate and transactional attorney; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Davis has counseled institutions of higher education on a broad spectrum of legal matters including contract law, corporate governance, college and university law, municipal bond financing, technology licensing, and community issues; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Davis has served as a member of the Board of Overseers of Boston University for eleven years and served as a member of the Board of Trustees of Cambridge College for twelve years, six as the Chairman of the Board; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Davis has a strong record of past service on a number of boards, including the Board of Trustees of the USS Constitution Museum, the Corporation of the Perkins School for the Blind, the Corporation of Milton Hospital and the Board of Directors of Greater Boston Legal Services; now therefore be it

RESOLVED, That the Board of Trustees of the City University of New York approve the appointment of Derek Davis as the General Counsel and Senior Vice Chancellor for Legal

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Affairs, effective February 3, 2020 at a salary of $300,000.

EXPLANATION: After conducting a national search, the Chancellor and Chairperson are recommending the appointment of Mr. Davis as the General Counsel and Senior Vice Chancellor for Legal Affairs, providing strategic legal counsel to the Chancellor and the Board of Trustees. Mr. Davis has significant experience as an executive administrator in academia and Legal Affairs.

Vice Chairperson Schwartz asked for a vote. Cal. No. 9 was unanimously adopted.

Vice Chairperson Schwartz welcomed Mr. Derek Davis to the City University of New York and thanked Senior Vice Chancellor Pamela Silverblatt for ably representing the University as the Interim General Counsel since she agreed to take the position.

Chairperson William Thompson, Jr. left the meeting.

Moved by Vice Chairperson Schwartz and seconded by Trustee Obergfell, the following resolution was presented and opened for discussion:

10. CUNY School of Professional Studies – Authorization of Contract with InStride to Provide Strategic Partnerships with Industry to Enroll Corporate Employees in Online Programs and Courses:

WHEREAS, The CUNY School of Professional Studies (SPS) is a leader within the University for online learning, with 19 online programs, including both baccalaureate and master’s degrees; and

WHEREAS, Helping adult learners complete their baccalaureate and master’s degrees online is at the core of SPS’ mission; and

WHEREAS, It is an opportune time to foster relationships with a network of national and multinational employers interested in incorporating support for degree completion into their employment benefits packages; and

WHEREAS, CUNY SPS recognizes that these corporate strategic alliances can be more easily scaled by engaging an experienced strategic partner in the process; and

WHEREAS, The University issued a Solicitation of Interest in August 2019, seeking to identify a nonprofit strategic partner to cultivate, sustain, and expand relationships between SPS and private sector employers that choose to offer their employees the opportunity to obtain baccalaureate and master’s degrees as part of their employee benefits package; and

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WHEREAS, InStride submitted the sole response to the Solicitation and, after an evaluation period, were chosen to partner with SPS for these services; and

WHEREAS, InStride is a public benefit company that has a proven track record of leveraging its existing relationships with national and multinational employers and connecting these employers – and their employees – with colleges and universities that can support and provide educational programs for working learners; now therefore be it

RESOLVED, That the Board of Trustees of The City University of New York authorize the General Counsel to execute a contract with InStride for services to assist SPS in helping corporations recruit, retain, and upskill their employees through online learning; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the contract term shall be three (3) years, with two, one-year options to renew and a 60-day option to terminate the contract with no penalties; and be it further

RESOLVED, That payments to InStride will be determined on a performance-based scale, based on the number of students the vendor directs to and are enrolled in SPS online programs; and be it further

RESOLVED, That under this model, SPS will pay a fee equivalent to 25% of the tuition revenue generated for the first 300 students enrolled; 30% for 301 to 700 students enrolled; and 35% for over 700 students enrolled, for each online program, both undergraduate and graduate, degree and non-degree.

EXPLANATION: SPS is designed to give those who cannot attend college an opportunity to obtain college credits, credentials and/or a college degree by offering them online degree programs. SPS’ online bachelor’s degree programs are ranked 15th in the nation by US News & World Report in its 2019 list of Best Online Bachelor’s Degree Programs. InStride is structured to help employers provide their employees with affordable, accessible, and quality education; and has built social impact and student outcomes into its operating principles. Not only would entering into a partnership with InStride allow SPS to work with an entity whose values are aligned with SPS and CUNY, it could also provide additional students to SPS as well as strategies to support and retain those students. Moreover, the education for these students would be financially supported by their employers.

Statement of Executive Vice Chancellor and University Provost José Luis Cruz: “Thank you Mr. Chairman. In our Fiscal Year 2021 Budget Request, we identified online as one of our main strategies to ensure that we expand access to enhanced learning. One of the major ways we are seeking to do that is through the expansion of online programs, particularly those that are well connected to employer demands that will bring to CUNY new constituencies. Hence it is with great pleasure that we present this resolution as it will allow what is perhaps our most experienced school in the area of online, CUNY School of Professional Studies (SPS), a school that we are looking to help us

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accelerate efforts across the University, an opportunity to partner in a very low risk, high reward way with a partner who has a proven track record of connecting large numbers of students from corporations to employer driven curriculum. Through this process, I am happy to say that SPS would have an opportunity to accelerate its learning and increase its capacity to better serve the entire University system. SPS right now is one of our most solid institutions from the standpoint of its financial situation, in terms of its reserves, and its ability to manage this entrepreneurial activities. So with that I would ask the support of the Board for this resolution.”

Vice Chairperson Schwartz asked for a vote. Cal. No. 10 was unanimously adopted.

Moved by Vice Chairperson Schwartz and seconded by Trustee Ferrer, the reconvened public session was adjourned at 7:17 p.m.

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