Ian James

The board meeting focused on several key items, including a report on the public hearing held at Bronx Community College, remarks on the conclusion of the academic year, and updates on commencement ceremonies and student accomplishments. The board approved bylaw revisions to establish the title of senior lecturer, reviewed the fiscal year 2026 external audit plan, authorized the fiscal year 2027 university operating and capital budget allocations, and approved an academic excellence fee for the Master of Science and Clinical Trial Management Program at York College.

The public hearing focused on various concerns, including indoor air quality and mold contamination at the Charles E. Clark Memorial Library at Morehouse College, declining faculty and staff morale at City Tech regarding shared governance and executive search bylaws, and the need for continued funding for student resources such as library hours, food pantries, snack carts, and student leadership programs.

The committee held an executive session to discuss personnel, investigations, litigation, and collective negotiations. Action items approved for submission to the Board included the fiscal year 2027 university operating and capital budget allocations, an academic excellence fee at York College, and modified pricing structures for executive graduate programs at Baruch College. Additionally, contracts were authorized for hazardous waste management, computer equipment purchasing, materials delivery, software licensing, plagiarism detection services, and a website redesign. A significant number of personnel appointments across various CUNY colleges were also approved. The meeting concluded with information updates regarding the state and city budget, quarterly financial reports, and status reports on one-time state funding.

The committee meeting addressed several academic action items, including the approval of new degree programs such as a Master of Science in Innovation Strategy at Baruch College, a program in Career and Technical Education at Borough of Manhattan Community College, an Associate of Science in Cybersecurity at Hostos Community College, an Associate of Science in Health Studies at LaGuardia Community College, and certificate programs in Aging Studies and Healthcare Compliance and Research at CUNY School of Professional Studies. Additionally, a new Master of Science program in Public Health Data Science was approved for the CUNY Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy. The committee reviewed a progress report on the deregistration of zero-enrollment programs and discussed a resolution to maintain a test-optional policy for undergraduate admissions.

The committee meeting addressed several financial and administrative action items, including the approval of the fiscal 2027 university operating and capital budget allocations. Other agenda items included the authorization of an academic excellence fee for the Master of Science in Clinical Trial Management program at York College, revisions to the pricing structure for Baruch College's executive graduate programs, and the approval of contracts for hazardous waste management, computer equipment, library material delivery, business intelligence software licenses, assessment systems, and student enrollment management systems.