Happy New Academic Year!
I am happy to see the campus come back to life with students, faculty and staff. It is my pleasure to provide the following update to the campus.
Facilities
Many of you have shared with me how happy you are to see the results of the campus refresh activities that occurred over the summer. After a long hiatus, the cafeteria was reopened with a soft launch on August 29th. What a sight and a smell to experience! Plans are in the works for a grander opening in a few weeks.
You may have also noticed the extensive power washing of campus walkways, and branded welcome mats that greeted you at each of the Academic Core’s active entrances. Mats are also on order for the Classroom and Science buildings. In continuing the work that started last summer, we extended painting projects to the Academic Core Building, the Classroom Building and the HPE Complex, where new gym floors were installed and lighting upgraded, locker rooms were upgraded and bathroom renovations are near completion. A few of the ancient directional signs have been removed in the Academic Core Building (ACB), and in their place flat screen monitors were installed. In addition, funds from the NYC Football Club’s first installment of their $7.5 million gift to the college, were used to upgrade the weight room with all new equipment and the purchase of two new passenger vans for college and athletic use. The vans will be wrapped with graphics to promote both athletics and academic programs.
To prepare for the upgrades as part of our ADA bathroom project, a few offices in the ACB had to be relocated as well. As fate would have it, the relocation of the Financial Aid Office to the first floor H-wing which is adjacent to the Bursar and Registrar offices, makes for an improved experience for students. Inspired by this, plans are underway for the Advisement Center, and the Office of Admission to swap locations. This will place Admissions closer to the main entrance and the Welcome Center, and the Advisement Center closer to the Financial Aid, Bursar and Registrar’s Offices, thereby creating a Student Business Corridor.
There are more upgrades on the horizon. In addition to our continued painting refresh of the campus buildings, over the next year you can expect to see a stand-alone Food Pantry (currently housed in the Women’s Center), a game room, a faculty lounge and an outdoor plaza area with seating at the 160th entrance.
Special thank you to all our laborers, custodians, trades, IT staff, and the Business Office for their efforts these past few weeks. VP Rios held a special luncheon last week as a small token of our big appreciation.
Planning and Assessment
As excited as I am to also see the physical transformation of the campus, I am equally excited to turn the pages from the One York Strategic Plan (2020-24) and eagerly anticipate diving into our next chapter: the robust development of York’s 2025-2030 Strategic Plan. Last year, our collective efforts in solidifying our Mission, Vision and Values resulted in a strong foundation upon which we can build our goals, objectives and activities for the next 5 years. Strategic Planning is a collective effort which will require the engagement and participation of students, faculty, staff and community partners. As a fuel (or an electronic charging station) is to a car, so is the Strategic Plan is to York College, we simply cannot operate without it. Throughout the semester there will be many big, medium, and small ways you can participate.
- BIG: Serve on Strategic Planning Committee (6 leaders; 10 committee members); attend meetings throughout the year; review data to inform planning; review drafts; provide feedback
- MEDIUM: Attend forums and provide feedback (each stakeholder group will have one Forum)
- SMALL: Complete the Strategic Planning Survey; Provide feedback on final draft that will be posted on the intranet
We need participation of all sizes. Consider how you can participate and please be on the lookout for an official call for participation.
Alongside the College’s Strategic Plan is the development of an Academic Master Plan (AMP). Developed by faculty and centered on academic priorities and the student experience, the AMP will amplify the College’s commitment to retention and completion through the review and refinement of current and development of new programs and related pathways. The AMP will also include a framework for creating robust partnerships to enhance transfer pathways to York, pre-career experiences and career opportunities. The Plan, as developed by faculty, will guide and inform the development of subsequent facility, technology, and enrollment plans.
As a follow up to the campus wide announcement, I am pleased to “second the emotion” of joy to have Tim Paglione join the Division of Academic Affairs as the Interim Associate Provost and alongside VP Hoeffner provide executive leadership and management of both our Strategic Planning (with Heather Robinson, Lidia Gonzalez, and James Salnave—Thank You! ) and Academic Master Planning efforts. Tim will also assume oversight of the Career Resources Center to create a stronger bridge between academics and career development. On the topic of Career Fellows, congratulations to Prof. Abu Kamruzzan who was selected as one of CUNY’s 2025-26 Career Fellows. I also had the pleasure of attending the Stars of New York Match at the US Open along with a number of CUNY Presidents and students, and Kiersten Barnet of the NY CEO Job Council, and York College’s own Kyame Israel who serves as one of two York students who are Job Council Ambassadors. You can read more about Kyame and our other outstanding Ambassador Amanosi here: https://www.york.cuny.edu/news/2025/2-york-students-become-ambassadors-connecting-peers-to-career-opportunities.
As we draw closer to our Middle States reaccreditation visit in 2027, and in an effort to drive both institutional and student success it is essential that we continue to make an IMPACT with our assessment activities. You will notice IMPACT signage in administrative offices that highlight the unit’s mission and goals which make clear the role of the office in advancing the college’s mission. This semester, our work continues in the development of our self-study, department and unit level assessment, and sharing and discussion of data at our Let’s Talk Data series.
An important note about Surveys
Colleagues, as we prepare for Middle States, engage in Strategic Planning, embark upon Academic Master Planning and focus on improving overall institutional effectiveness it is critical that we improve our response rate to surveys issued by the Office of Institutional Effectiveness and Strategic Planning. VP Hoeffner and her team with input from senior leadership and others, work tirelessly to ensure surveys that are administered are necessary and that they are developed in such a way that they can be completed in the shortest time possible. It is difficult to gain insight into a particular issue, identify strengths and weaknesses, gather insights, or make decisions, based on input received from the feedback of a few. Let’s work together to ensure improvements in our response rates. We have made significant strides since our last self-study, but there is more to be done. Governance is not the only aspect of the college that is shared, assessment efforts, enrollment/retention and many other efforts require the involvement of the entire campus community—students, faculty and staff.
Budget Update
The year-end processes for FY 2025 are progressing in alignment with the CUNY schedule. This includes year-end audits for the York College Foundation, Auxiliary Services Corporation, the Student Association and Childcare Center. The revised budget for FY 2026 has been submitted to CUNY. Key highlights of the submission include:
- Tuition & Collections – A 2% tuition collections increase has been incorporated, along with a projected 1% year-over-year increase in collections.
- Non-Tax Levy Support – Continued support is reflected in our budget submission
- Adjunct Budget – Maintained at the FY 2025 budget level
- Temporary Staff – A budgeted 10% reduction in temporary staffing allocations.
- Hiring Mandate – Adherence to the 2:1 hiring requirement as directed by CUNY.
- The College is projected the FY 26 Fiscal Year in at deficit position
- Upon receipt of our FY25 year-end close-out and our approved FY26 Financial Plan from the University, similar to last year, we will schedule a Town Hall Budget Meeting to review both prior and current year budgets.
A meeting has been scheduled with the Resource Budget Committee to review the FY 2026 Revised Financial Plan, as well as to discuss the proposed new initiatives for FY 2026.
Enrollment
As of September 8, and based on the Registration Activity Update VP Hoeffner sent to the college community, total enrollment is 4% higher that at this point last year. While we did not meet our Continuing Student target, we are 2.6% higher than this time last year. We also surpassed our High school (non-degree) and New Graduate Student enrollment targets. However, we did not meet our targets for Freshmen, Transfers, Readmits, or Continuing Graduate student enrollment. Note these numbers may continue to fluctuate until September 15th, when they will be considered preliminary. Fall enrollment data will be considered “official” in the Spring.
As you know, Dr. Johana Rivera joined us as the Interim VP for Enrollment and Retention Management. This Division will consist of the following areas/offices:
Financial Aid, Admissions, Welcome Center, Freshman Experience, Advisement, Registrar, and CUNY Explorers. You can expect her to work collaboratively with VP Williams and Provost Brazill to ensure an effective transition of leadership as well as on new initiatives and ongoing efforts.
Governmental Relations
Last month, we were pleased to welcome Councilmember Dr. Nantasha Williams to the campus for a special tour. Like returning students, CM Williams was impressed with our recent upgrades and hear about our work underway. She, like many others, is looking forward to the re-opening of our Performing Arts Center, which has a completion date of 2027. CM Williams also encouraged us to go big and be bold with our asks, citing that York needs to amplify it’s voice and needs. Having gained a solid understanding of our most pressing needs during my tenure as interim president, and now with my official appointment as President of York solidified, the time has come for unrelenting advocacy to make the Academic Village and Conference center a priority and a reality.
Our three academic buildings can no longer house our academic, research and programmatic aspirations. As we approach our 60th anniversary as a College, the 45th anniversary of approval of construction of this campus in Jamaica, Queens, and the 39th anniversary of the first classes being held in the Academic Core Building, and with the revitalization of Jamaica, Queens underway, I cannot think of a better time to ramp up our advocacy for a state-of -the-art building to meet academic and student needs.
On the first day of classes, we were also honored to welcome New York City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams to campus. She was on campus to participate in an interview about the Reconnect Program and upon completion was able to take a quick tour of our new cafeteria. She, like all of , was excited to see the transformation of the campus.
I was honored to be invited to join Governor Kathy Hochul at the 2025 West Indian Day Parade. As you know wherever I am, York is and I was proud to represent York on the Parkway where I was not surprised to see some of our York alum and current students. I also got the opportunity to stop by the Medgar Evers College float and join Borough of Manhattan Community College on their float. It was great to see CUNY schools with such great representation on Labor Day at the Parade.
I extend a BIG THANK YOU to all members of the campus community, friends, family and external partners for attending Convocation, my investiture and my post-investiture reception at Resorts World. I am not much for celebrations where I am the center of attention, but I agreed to the reception with one request: it would be a fundraiser for our One York Student Emergency Fund; I am pleased that we were able to raise $11,900. I don’t need to tell you that emergencies can occur at any time, so if you would like to give please go to https://www.york.cuny.edu/ia/annual-fund/one-york-emergency-relief-fund to make a donation.
At Convocation it was a pleasure to hear from our alum and current Foundation Board Member Ray Warren. That day marked his classmates first return to Jamaica, Queens since graduating in the mid 1970s. There was no Academic Core Building at that time, and Cardinals, were not yet “a thing,” instead, they called themselves the Nomads as they wandered from building to building in Queens to attend classes and participated in athletic pursuits. It wasn’t until 1980 that approval to build the Academic Core Building would come and the first classes would be held in the new building six years later. Next year, however, we will celebrate the 60th anniversary of when approval was given to establish a new senior college--Alpha College, later to be renamed York College.
A call for volunteers to serve on the 60th Anniversary Committee was issued in the Spring and I am pleased to share with you the membership of the committee which also includes two community members:
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Aleesa Baboolal
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Allen Hopeton
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Scott Sheidlower
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Althea Roberts
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Sheila Beverly- Skinner
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Emily Verla Bovino, PhD
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Stephannia Cleaton
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Lydia Peal
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Thomas Zlabinger
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Lydie Kengne
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Veronica Mariani
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Mehrunnisa Wani
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Jean Phelps
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Patricia M.Burke ,PhD
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*Hilda Rodgers
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Savitrie Rampersaud
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*Erica Ford
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The first Committee meeting will be led by Nyisha Howell in October 2025. She will share additional details in the coming weeks.
Upcoming Events
As we approach the 24th anniversary of one of the darkest days in not only New York’s but the nation’s history, on Thursday, September 11th we will pause to for a moment of Remembrance at the flag pole at the Guy R. Brewer Entrance at 8:30am.
All summer I didn’t tell my knees that we were training for the Jamaica Q 5k Walk/Run, but there were signs and they should have gotten the hint somewhere in the midst of me hitting the gym to lift weights, walking with colleagues on our Track and Field on Walk it Out Wednesdays, the Mario Cuomo Bridge, the hills of the Bronx, and Prospect Park with my weighted vest. Not sure if I’ll be walking or running, but I will definitely be there. I hope you can join me on Saturday, September 27th. Register here: https://events.elitefeats.com/25jamaicaq
Save the date: The 2025 State of College Address will be held on Thursday, October 9th at 12 pm.
Wishing you all a happy and successful academic year!
Claudia Schrader, EdD
President
York College
The City University of New York
94-20 Guy R. Brewer Blvd
Jamaica, NY 11451
(718) 262 2350
cschrader@PROTECTED
IG: Yorkcunyprez