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CUNY Clipboard

Pataki approves Workfare legislation

New York State Governor George Pataki has finally signed a bill that will exempt college students in internships and work-study programs from workfare assignments. CUNY's teachers union the Professional Staff Congress (PSC) formed a lobbying campaign to pressure the Governor to sign the legislation. PSC President Barbara Bowen said: "The PSC fought hard for the bill because our members were appalled that 20,000 students-many struggling against enormous odds to stay in college-were forced to drop out of CUNY."

According to The New York Times: "Five years ago, before the workfare program was introduced in New York City, more than 10 percent of CUNY's student body-some 28,000 students-received public assistance. The number of welfare recipients at CUNY has shrunk to about 7,500 since workfare was instituted." Mayor Rudolph Giuliani is probably hunched in his bunker stewing... Giuliani claimed the law would hamper his efforts to ensure that all welfare recipients met the city's work experience requirements. Apparently slave labor is one of those requirements.

CUNY's Iron Fist

The Professional Staff Congress (PSC) reports that CUNY Chancellor Matthew Goldstein recently issued a memorandum requiring college presidents to formally evaluate department chairs. A standardized evaluation form accompanied the instruction.

This move violates the collective bargaining agreement between CUNY and staff. According to PSC VP Steve London, CUNY attempted to impose the new procedure without discussing it with the union.

CUNY had tried and failed in the past to exclude department chairs, who are currently elected by their respective departments from union protection. London feels that the move is an attempt by CUNY to intimidate staff, who are currently in contract negotiations. It also appears to be another move by CUNY central to further consolidate power and decision making authority.

CUNY's increasing micromanagement of even minor details in policy threatens to further erode the ability of colleges, staff, and students to determine the best policy for themselves and control the quality of both working conditions and education.

Act now, supplies are limited!

The New York Daily News' Fall Education Supplement featured an advertisement for the new CUNY Honors College, which, you may recall, is one of the key elements in CUNY's plans for creating a "flagship environment" (first person who can tell us what that is wins a prize).

The ad copy proclaims: "one hundred outstanding students, designated University Scholars, will be selected for the first Honors College class. The City will be their campus [so where will the student lounge be, Times Square?]..."
Also promised are full tuition scholarships and stipends, laptop computers, and academic expense accounts to be used for "culturally enriching experiences," such as study abroad.

You're Invited! (Bring your wallet)

Messenger intelligence agents recently spotted a flyer in NAC announcing a retirement party for "Dancing Dean Frederick J. Kogut" (their words, not ours). The soiree took place in The Great Hall on Nov. 9th. We were thinking of attending, as getting a glimpse of the Great Hall is almost as difficult as spotting the college president until we noticed the catch: the organizers wanted $20 "for party and gift." Missed the event? No problem: you can contribute (any amount) to the cause in the Student Affairs Office. No word on whether or not they accept Pell money for payment...

Sending a shout-out to the CUNY faculty

CUNY Chancellor Matthew Goldstein is the star of CUNY's newest radio advertisement: a 30 second spot on HOT-97 FM. Fortunately he has a well paying day job, as his delivery of the script is... well... less than stellar. As bad as it is to have our university hawked like a ChiaPet or a cheap set of Ginsu Knives, Chancellor Goldstein does gush about CUNY's faculty, whom he calls "world class" and "second to none." We agree completely, but hopefully he remembers this long enough to give those world-class Profs a decent contract

Survey big-ups BCC

The September 26th Daily News took time out from their incessant CUNY-bashing to report that Bronx Community College ranks among the nation's top 100 two-year associate's degree institutions, according to a survey in Community College Week. The highest rated BCC programs were: science technologies at 25th, business management at 29th, communications technologies at 41st, and computer information services at 42nd.

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