Monday, June 8, 2026, 10 a.m. (New York City time), Council Chambers - City Hall
Committee: Committee on Finance
This was a joint executive budget hearing of the Committee on Finance with the Committees on Higher Education and Education, held on June 8, 2026. The first portion focused on the City University of New York (CUNY) fiscal 2027 executive budget, with Chancellor Félix Matos Rodríguez testifying on enrollment growth, retention programs (ASAP, ACE, Reconnect), capital needs, and requests for additional funding. Council members pressed on baselining one-time funded programs, vacancy rates, and campus facility conditions. The second portion focused on the NYC Department of Education's $44.9 billion budget, with Chancellor Kumar Samuels and senior leadership testifying. Major topics included procurement and contract transparency (with Speaker Menin pressing for contract documents that had been requested since March), special education investments and due process case reduction, early childhood education expansion (3K/preK), restorative justice funding, mental health services, and class size compliance. No votes were taken; public testimony was scheduled separately for June 10.
0:04 We okay? Yeah, quiet down,
0:04 quiet down, please. Good
0:14 morning and welcome to today
0:15 is New York City Council
0:17 hearing executive budget
0:18 hearing from the committee's
0:20 on finance jointly with the
0:21 committees on higher education
0:23 and the committee on education
0:24 at this point, I'd like to
0:26 remind everyone to polic
0:27 eofficer electronic devices and
0:28 at no point is anyone to
0:30 approach the dais chairs
0:31 .we're ready to begin. Okay.
0:38 Good morning, everyone and
0:40 welcome to the ninth day of
0:42 the 27 executive budget
0:44 hearings and Council Member
0:45 Linda Lee today's hearing will
0:46 begin with the City university
0:47 of New York, followed by
0:49 department of education and
0:50 I'm very pleased to be joined
0:52 by my colleague and chair of
0:54 the committee on higher
0:55 education Council Member rit
0:58 ajoseph, we have been joined by
0:59 council members Wong Louis
1:01 murano and marty and welcome
1:06 chancellor felix metros
1:07 rodriguez and team. Thank you
1:10 all for joining us today t
1:11 oanswer our questions on on May
1:15 12 2026, the admin released
1:16 the executive financial plan
1:18 for 26 is 20 30 with a
1:20 proposed 27 budget of the City
1:24 university of New york's
1:25 proposed 27 budget of
1:29 represents 1.3% of the
1:32 administration's proposed
1:32 budget in the executive plan
1:34 and this is an increase of
1:37 $21.1 million or 1.4% from the
1:41 originally budgeted in the 27
1:45 preliminary plan, and this
1:45 increase is mainly the results
1:46 of $15 million in City funding
1:48 for operating support that was
1:50 restored and baseline starting
1:52 in f 27 as of April 202
1:56 6pedagogical head was the same
1:57 as their fiscal 26 budget
1:59 account and they're non
2:01 pedagogical headcount count
2:02 four positions fewer than
2:04 there y 26 budgeted head count
2:07 in the counsel's preliminary
2:08 budget response we called on
2:09 the Mayor to add and baseline.
2:11 A total of 22.5 million t
2:14 ocuny's budget to invest in
2:16 essential programs that ensure
2:17 student retention such as
2:19 cooney, cooney, sf and cooney
2:22 reconnect are that they remain
2:24 in place while we so often
2:25 look at recruitment of cuny
2:27 colleges programs that
2:28 encourage to return and to
2:30 stay at a higher education,
2:32 returning to stay in higher
2:33 education must be fun, fully
2:34 funded and baseline. We were
2:37 disappointed to see that these
2:37 programs were not included in
2:38 the plan. And while we.
2:39 Are happy to see the
2:41 administration baseline
2:42 operating support for cooney.
2:44 We urge the administration t
2:47 ogo further. Cuny is New york's
2:48 gateway to affordable, higher
2:50 education, but this
2:51 opportunity is only as strong
2:52 as the supports that allow
2:54 students to reach the finish
2:55 line.
2:56 The evidence based programs
2:57 at stake have demonstrated
2:59 clear, measurable impact on
3:01 retention and graduation rates
3:03 and students are counting on
3:04 them. I.
3:04 Look forward to hearing more
3:06 from the chancellor today
3:06 about where that funding
3:08 stands and what is needed to
3:11 protect it, and at this time I
3:12 want to now turn it over to my
3:13 co chair for this hearing
3:16 counsel member for her opening
3:20 statement. Thank you, charlie.
3:21 Good morning, everyone. I'm
3:22 Council Member chair of the
3:24 committee on higher education
3:25 .welcome to today's hearing on
3:27 city's fiscal 20 27 executive
3:30 budget for the City universit
3:31 yof New York, cuny fiscal 20 27
3:35 executive budget totals
3:38 including and personal service
3:41 to support 4289 pedregon
3:45 pedagogical position and 003
3:48 5non pedagogical compositions.
3:52 The university's budget
3:52 includes 455 million and other
3:55 personnel service spending in
3:56 this executive plan one time
3:58 ,so spent saving of was added
4:01 in the fiscal 20 27 from
4:04 spending reductions on
4:05 supplies and other materials
4:07 at community colleges, of
4:08 which cooney is still
4:09 determining exactly how t
4:10 oallocate these sets savings
4:13 across community colleges,
4:14 although the executive plan
4:16 also include baseline funding
4:17 15 million to support academic
4:20 advisement, mental health and
4:23 wellness, career readiness and
4:23 workforce preparation program.
4:25 It is disappointing that the
4:26 plan did not restore any of
4:28 the essential programs like
4:30 cuny reconnect base and sap.
4:33 There is no doubt that these
4:34 programs have proven to be
4:35 effective and bring an
4:36 individual's back to perso
4:37 degree as well as providing
4:39 financial and academic support
4:40 to unlock higher education. It
4:43 is unacceptable that we have
4:45 to fight every year for the
4:47 administration to restore
4:47 funding for these programs. We
4:48 are eager to hear why cooney
4:52 reconnect and app are not
4:53 funded beyond fiscal 20 26 and
4:56 whether cuny has included them
4:57 in their fiscal 20 27 budge
4:59 tpriorities to om as we're
5:02 moving closer to adopting the
5:04 fiscal 20 27 budget. We must
5:06 remember that many student
5:07 continue to face barriers such
5:09 as food and housing
5:11 insecurities, child care and
5:12 the cost of transportation. I
5:15 said it at our preliminary
5:16 budget hearing, and I will
5:17 emphasize it again. We must
5:19 invest in programs that clear
5:22 pathways to increase
5:23 graduation rates. We must also
5:25 find disparities that exist in
5:27 programs between campuses and
5:27 work to address them the
5:31 executive capital commitment
5:31 plan include an additional 5
5:33 0million in fiscal 20 27 t
5:35 ohelp bring cuny community
5:37 colleges back in the state of
5:38 good repair. We are interested
5:41 to learn about the
5:42 university's plan to address
5:44 critical capital repairs at
5:45 community colleges. It is well
5:47 recorded that many cuny
5:48 buildings are in desperate
5:49 need of maintenance and repair
5:52 for leaking roofs, non working
5:53 elevators. It is my hope that
5:56 cuny prioritize capital
5:57 projects to ensure equity as
5:59 there are so many needed
6:00 repairs across the puny syste
6:03 m
6:04 . Lastly, it was brought to my
6:04 attention that community needs
6:05 to improve its internal
6:07 process to respond in a timely
6:08 matter. So the committee's
6:10 budget related follow up
6:11 questions I should say that is
6:14 it unacceptable. That staff
6:14 has to wait over three weeks
6:17 to receive answers on budget
6:20 inquiries.
6:20 Information is key I
6:21 nkeeping this committee
6:22 informed in this timeline to
6:23 respond to follow up questions
6:26 must improve as we do want t
6:27 oremain good partners before
6:30 .before I begin. I'd like t
6:31 othank the finance staff ali
6:34 stouffer, florentine cabaret
6:35 and caitlyn. Oh, for preparing
6:36 this hearing as well as
6:38 community staff julia
6:39 goldsmith, pinkham and regina
6:40 paul for their support.
6:43 Finally, I'd like to thank my
6:43 staff, including giovanni's
6:44 chief of staff giovanni
6:46 piquant and my latest state of
6:48 and budget director benjamin
6:49 atkinson's I will now turn it
6:50 back over to charlie. Than
6:54 kyou. Church, Joseph, just
6:55 before we begin another
6:57 reminder I have been saying
6:58 this that all the hearings
7:00 that we are going to have all
7:01 of our public testimonies on
7:05 . So if you know, folks that
7:09 would like to testify for the
7:10 public hearing portion, please
7:13 make sure that they sign up
7:15 and we look forward to hearing
7:16 from the public on their
7:18 feedback. So again June 10
7:19 Wednesday, 9 30 a. M.
7:22 And with that, I will turn
7:23 it over to brian scarfo, our
7:25 committee counsels to swear in
7:31 the witnesses
7:31 . Good morning. Do you affirm
7:32 to tell the truth, the whole
7:32 truth and nothing about the
7:33 truth before this committee
7:34 and to respond on sweets at
7:36 Council Member of questions
7:39 chancellor motto rodriez iguce
7:43 chancellor alvin vice
7:46 chancellor battista I do and
7:47 vice chancellor god, over you,
7:48 do, you be getting ok. Thank
8:01 you. Good morning, charlie
8:02 entered Joseph and the members
8:05 of the on finance and higher
8:07 education. I am fed ex model
8:09 chancellor of the City
8:10 university of New York, and
8:11 I'm joined by the cuny dream
8:14 team of university pros on
8:15 varos ceo about and fear full
8:18 garner. I want to thank the
8:20 City Council for your step
8:22 first commitment to cuny your
8:24 investment sustained was long
8:26 defined this university broad
8:28 access to affordable, high
8:30 quality education for one o
8:31 fthe most diverse student
8:32 bodies in the nation and a
8:34 pathway to social and economic
8:36 mobility for generations of
8:39 New yorkers, your support has
8:40 been essential to the river
8:42 and strong returns for the
8:43 more than 400000 deg. And
8:47 continuing education students
8:48 we serve allowing 72% of cuny
8:51 students to attend tuition
8:54 free and 77% to graduate
8:58 without debt. I just want to
8:59 give you a warning that I'm
9:00 going to be reading a shorter
9:01 version of the submitted
9:02 testimony that you have a copy
9:04 of Ana assume that you'll be
9:06 happy about that are
9:07 affordable tuition and diverse
9:09 offerings and support systems
9:10 have helped fuel and
9:13 enrollment gains this fall,
9:14 and roman grew nearly 4% over
9:17 last full third consecutive
9:19 year of growth since the fall
9:20 of 20 22 and roman has jumped
9:25 9%, nearly 21000 additiona
9:29 lstudents. This increase is the
9:30 most. It's most evident in our
9:32 community colleges enrollment
9:34 at cuny's seven community
9:35 colleges have rebounded from
9:37 the pandemic with an
9:39 additional 9500 students
9:41 welcome over over the last
9:44 three years and 18% increase,
9:46 notably during the same period
9:48 part time in romans search 37%
9:52 at our community ecologists
9:53 this growth is driven by the
9:56 expansion of the state's top
9:57 and by the reconnect
9:59 initiative launched to bring
10:01 adult learners back to college
10:04 community colleges have also
10:05 seen the highest retention
10:08 rate increase 7% since we have
10:10 since we have began tracking
10:11 this in 19 90. This growth has
10:15 also been fueled by our
10:17 ongoing efforts to actively
10:18 recruit the next generation of
10:20 juni students from the New
10:21 York City public schools for
10:25 the past three years. We have
10:27 sent personalized letters to
10:29 all graduating seniors and
10:30 more recently to the
10:33 caregivers offering admission
10:34 and waving application fees.
10:38 One student's earned her
10:39 degree, we are committed to
10:40 making sure it opens doors t
10:43 oa career last. David we
10:44 launched cuny beyond an
10:47 ambitious plan that invents
10:48 career readiness into every
10:50 aspect of the under greater
10:52 experience and smooth the
10:54 transition from classroom to
10:57 the workplace. The program
10:58 ends to triple the number of
10:59 students in paid internships
11:02 and increased employer
11:02 recruitment by 20% driving a
11:06 projected in future wave grows
11:10 , that translates into
11:11 increased tax revenue and
11:13 greater economic mobility, we
11:17 started queuing beyond would
11:18 David campuses with in states
11:21 support in next year's budget.
11:23 We arexpan eding it to fiv
11:24 emore this summer. We are
11:27 looking to the council for
11:27 support for two more community
11:30 colleges in the next face this
11:33 efforts built on one of cuny's
11:35 redefining rolls, serving as
11:37 New york's primary talent
11:38 engine for many of the
11:40 essential sectors that keep
11:43 the running would be paired.
11:44 More than one third of all New
11:45 New York City public school
11:47 teachers each year and more
11:49 than 40% of the students of
11:51 color in New York state. I am
11:54 proud that City teachers from
11:55 puny have a7% h 1igher fiv
11:58 eyear retention rate than those
12:00 from other institutions, this
12:03 community to pipeline is
12:04 essential to addressing the
12:06 statewide teacher shortage and
12:08 this year, for example, we
12:09 triple the number of cuny
12:11 students in the teaching
12:14 fellows program more than
12:15 15000 students have
12:16 participated in the program
12:18 since its inception, including
12:21 the current schools chancellor
12:25 kamar samuels a critical
12:26 priority for governor, Mayor
12:28 mamdani speaker men in and
12:29 this council is a shared goals
12:32 of universal child care. Cuny
12:34 is uniquely positioned to meet
12:37 the moment the university
12:38 already enrolls more than 360
12:41 0early childhood education
12:42 students have crossed 50
12:45 academic programs making us
12:46 the primary engine for
12:47 training the educators needed
12:50 to take this effort to mak
12:51 ethis. As for successful, we
12:53 expanded that pipeline through
12:55 the statewide New York early
12:57 childhood professional
12:58 development institute and
12:59 we're are also launching New
13:01 programs in early childhood
13:03 leadership and administration
13:05 addressing a critical shortage
13:05 in the field turn into another
13:11 vital area enterprise does not
13:13 simply advanced knowledge he
13:14 has a real impact on the
13:16 quality of life for millions
13:18 of New yorkers, for example
13:21 ,faculty research is a City
13:23 college working with memorial
13:25 sloan kettering have developed
13:26 a groundbreaking a m model
13:28 that can detect breast cancer
13:29 earlier and more accuratel
13:33 yand products like the New York
13:33 City urban heat portal at
13:35 hunter college and are
13:37 partnership with the City and
13:39 on the flood net real time
13:42 throught monitoring program
13:43 are helping address climate
13:48 emergencies at a time of
13:49 increasing polarization and
13:50 division queuing is helping
13:51 members of our community to
13:52 develop the skills to engage
13:55 across differences with
13:57 empathy and respect throughout
13:59 trailblazing collaboration
14:00 with the constructive dialogue
14:03 institute largely funded by
14:04 this City Council. We are
14:05 represents the largest
14:11 deployment of the City model
14:13 and the first initiative of
14:15 its kind at a university
14:19 system. Complimenting this
14:19 work is our center for
14:21 inclusivity and equal
14:21 opportunity, which is that
14:24 reports of discrimination and
14:25 harassment are addressed
14:27 promptly and fairly and that