New York City Council Committee on Higher Education Oversight Hearing on Racial Equity at CUNY - June 17, 2026
New York City Council Committee on Higher Education Oversight Hearing on Racial Equity at CUNY - June 17, 2026
On June 17, 2026, the New York City Council Committee on Higher Education, chaired by Councilmember Rita C. Joseph, held an oversight hearing on racial equity at the City University of New York (CUNY). The hearing examined racial and ethnic disparities among students, faculty, staff, and administrators across CUNY's 26 campuses, and assessed the university's efforts to fulfill its legal and moral commitment to diversity and inclusion. Key topics included faculty hiring and retention, graduate enrollment disparities, the SEEK program, support for Black studies and centers, the impact of federal attacks on DEI, and barriers such as transportation costs and mental health access. Chair Joseph opened by defending CUNY's Black Male Initiative (BMI) against a DOJ investigation, asserting the program is open to all and critical to the university's mission.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Akeem Polak (Chair, University Student Senate & CUNY Trustee): Emphasized that transportation is an equity issue and proposed a $1.4 million pilot omnicard program to assist low-income students, students with disabilities, and others. Called for holistic support beyond representation.
- Dr. Brenda Green (CUNY Association of Black Faculty and Staff): Asserted that Black faculty, staff, and students are essential to CUNY's legal obligations under state law, and urged preservation and promotion of Black studies programs against national efforts to dismantle DEI.
- Dr. Anthony Brown (Professor of Africana Studies, Hunter College): Documented how post-2000 admission policy changes (e.g., increased SAT requirements) reduced Black and Latino enrollment at selective senior colleges, with Black student percentages falling below 14% at several campuses. Highlighted severe underrepresentation at Macaulay Honors College (7% Black).
- Dion Bennett (Faculty, City Tech): Criticized the concentration of Black faculty at 12% full-time versus 26-27% of students, and noted racial segregation in adjunct roles. Recommended a comprehensive strategy including cluster hires, targeted faculty initiatives (like the Latino Faculty Initiative), and expanded Black studies departments.
- Donna Hill (Executive Director, Center for Black Literature): Argued that CUNY centers and institutes are under-resourced despite being essential infrastructure. Called for equitable funding and recognition of their role in community engagement and student success.
- Ralisa Galloway Perry (John Jay College): Stressed the importance of Black staff for student mentorship and navigational support. Said Black staff are concentrated in lower tiers, and post-pandemic attrition has left gaps. Called for investing in staff to fill vacancies and provide professional development.
- Dr. Randall Clark (SEEK Director Council): Expressed concern over stagnation in the SEEK program, which has not updated its guidelines in 30 years. Called for strategic growth, public awareness campaigns, and staffing parity with programs like ASAP.
- Felicia Wharton (PSC Treasurer): Presented data showing Black faculty representation increased only 0.1% from 2022 to 2024 (15.0% to 15.1%), calling it unacceptable. Cited excessive workload and low pay as barriers to retention, and urged full-time hiring and reduction of executive bloat.
- Robert Echevaria (Brooklyn College Student Government): Requested $700,000 in city budget for free OmniCards for CUNY students and $1 million to support AAPI-serving programs (Anapeezy projects) after federal MSI grants were terminated.
- Tia Poquet (Young Invincibles): Shared personal experience of transportation costs forcing a shift to online learning. Supported the omnicard pilot as a racial equity measure.
- Lisa (Young Invincibles): Cited low graduation rates (27.5% for Black/Hispanic, 17.8% for Black men) and noted that programs like ASAP and ACE eliminate equity gaps. Called for protecting and expanding wraparound resources.
- Jerved Ward (Chair, Black Studies, CCNY): Urged CUNY to match its strategic plan goals with resources for Black studies, faculty hiring, and support for marginalized students.
- Jillian Abbott (Adjunct, York College): Criticized exploitation of adjuncts and administration waste. Alleged that vulnerable students are misled into enrolling in courses they cannot pass. Called for restructuring CUNY to convert experienced adjuncts into full-time faculty.
- Additional testimony from NYC CORE (Commission on Racial Equity) noted that CUNY did not submit a required racial equity plan under Local Law 2022, and raised concerns about the hiring process for CUNY TV's executive director.
Discussion Items
- Faculty Diversity: Councilmembers Dinowitz and Epstein questioned why white full-time faculty are overrepresented compared to Black, Hispanic, and Asian students. EVP Albero stated CUNY has no numeric goals or quotas for diversity, but focuses on broad recruitment, cluster hires (e.g., Black Race and Ethnic Studies Initiative), and feedback from surveys and affinity groups. Councilmember Dinowitz pressed for specific retention and promotion benchmarks, especially for underrepresented faculty in STEM.
- Graduate Enrollment: Councilmembers noted that CUNY graduate students are 42% white, more than twice any other racial group. Albero reported that CUNY achieved its 2030 goal early by eliminating the gap in graduate enrollment for minority students who earned CUNY baccalaureates.
- SEEK Program Updates: Chair Joseph asked about outdated SEEK guidelines (30 years old). Albero confirmed that a dean is finalizing revisions, which will go through board approval. Directors expressed skepticism about the timeline.
- Hiring Practices: Detailed discussion on search processes, diversity officer training, and use of search firms. CUNY tracks applicant pools (currently 54% people of color for faculty). Councilmembers requested reports on retention data and anonymous exit surveys.
- Support for Students: The committee discussed mental health counselor shortages (ratios as high as 7,000:1 at some campuses), transportation costs, and the need for sustained funding for ASAP, CUNY CARES, and other equity programs.
Key Outcomes
- The hearing was informational; no formal votes were taken.
- Chair Joseph directed CUNY to provide follow-up data on faculty retention by race/ethnicity, gender composition of senior leadership, and results from the COACHE faculty survey.
- CUNY committed to providing the committee with a copy of the COACHE survey and links to public reports on leadership hiring and retention.
- The committee urged CUNY to finalize and share updated SEEK guidelines and a five-year enrollment plan.
- Councilmembers emphasized the need for CUNY to participate in the city's racial equity plan process under Local Law 2022.
- The chair requested that CUNY report back on AI cluster hire demographics and on efforts to recruit Black faculty in STEM disciplines.
Meeting Transcript
Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to the New York City Council hearing for the committee on higher education. At this time, I'd like to remind everyone to please silence all devices, and at no point during the hearing may you approach the dais. If you wish to testify at today's hearing, please see a sergeant at the back of the room to fill out a testimony slip, even if you have registered previously online. Good afternoon. I'm Councilmember Rita Joseph, Chair of the Committee on Higher Education. Welcome to today's Oversight Hearing on Racial Equity at CUNY. Before turning to our hearing topic, let me start by noting that Friday is Juneteenth, a federal holiday since 2021. Juneteenth was first commemorated in 1866 when Black Freedom organized the first Jubilee Day as a day of celebration, prayer, and solidarity, exactly one year after Union troops began enforcing the emancipation of enslaved people in Texas. Last Thursday, the City Council passed a resolution recognizing the history of Juneteenth and affirming the City of New York's commitment to upholding the legacy of Juneteenth as a day of hope and celebration. Today's hearing is part of the committee's oversight role is to ensure that racial equity is at the center of our work when it comes to advancing and progressing higher education in our city. I'd like to comment on the Justice Department's announcement, its civil rights division has initiated an investigation of possible racial discrimination at CUNY in its release. The DOJ claims to have received report alleging that CUNY BMI provides educational benefit to minority, particularly black males on the base of race. CUNY's website states clearly that all programs and activities of CUNY BMI initiative programs are open to all academically eligible students, faculty, and staff without regard to race, gender, and national origin or characteristics. These claims are baseless, and to be clear, I stand with CUNY BMI Initiative. CUNY mandates embeds in New York state law is to maintain, expand CUNY's commitment to academic excellence and the provision of equal access to an opportunity for students, faculty, and staff from all ethnic and racial groups and from both sex. New York state law also states that activities on CUME CUNY campuses must recognize and respond to a positive desire to have city university personnel reflect the diverse communities which compromise the people of the city and state of New York. The strong statement make it clear that ensuring racial equity for students, faculty, and staff is explicitly at the heart of CUNY's mission. Our committee applause that mission. Today we'll be hearing specifically about the racial ethnic breakdown of CUNY student, faculty, and administration across the university, and also by campus. We want to discuss where those figures reflect a reasonable definition of racial equity and where they do not. Our job is to ensure CUNY keep their promise to every student, faculty, and administrator, regardless of race. We are here to follow the data, ask hard questions, and demand real answers. Equity isn't a box for CUNY to check each year. It's a promise renewed each day. As the chair of this committee and as a heart educator at heart, I intend on holding all us to all account. Now I'd like to acknowledge my colleagues on the city council. I have Joan Ariola on Zoom. I have Virginia Minoli, Councilmember Maloney's here, and Councilmember Harvey Epstein, who's currently in a hearing, Councilmember Wrestler in a hearing. And I'll also like to thank my staff, Giovanni Picon, Chief of Staff, Julia Goldman, Goldsmith Pickham, Committee's Senior Legislative Council, Regina Paul, the committee's legislative policy analysis, and Ali Stofer, the committee's final financial analysis. I would like to remind everyone who wishes to testify in person today that you must fill out a witness slip, which is located on the desk of the sergeant at arms near the entrance of this room. Please fill out the form even if you have already registered in advance that you'll be testifying today. To allow as many people as possible to testify, testimony will be limited to three minutes per person, whether you're testifying in person or in Zoom. I'm also going to ask my colleagues to limit their questions to and comments to five minutes. Please note that the witnesses who are here in person will testify before those signed into Zoom. Okay, now in accordance with the rules. Hi, I'll ask you to raise your right hand and I'll call on each of you to answer the oath, which is uh do you form to tell the truth and answer your questions from this uh councilmember to the best of your ability? Thank you. Good afternoon, Chair Joseph and members of the committee. I am Alicia Albero, Executive Vice Chancellor, University Provost of CUNY. I am pleased to be joined today by Larry D. Johnson Jr., president of Bronx Community College. Thank you for convening today's hearing on racial equity at CUNY. Few questions are more central to our university's purpose or more consequential for the future of our city. As the first Latina to serve as a university's executive vice chancellor and university provost, I'm intimately aware of why representation matters. I'm a first generation American, a first generation college student, and the daughter of Cuban refugees. I started as a faculty member at Queen's College in 2003 and have dedicated my career to making the university more equitable. The consequential work we are doing together sends an important message to our campus community and city, namely that the principles of access and inclusion are crucial drivers of success for all New Yorkers. Discussions like the one we are having today provide important forums to focus attention on racial equity and other issues that pursue justice for the underserved. CUNY students mirror New York City's rich diversity.
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