City University of New York
Encyclopedia
The City University of New York (CUNY; icon) is the public university system
of New York City
, with its administrative offices in Yorkville
in Manhattan
. It is the largest urban university in the United States
, consisting of 23 institutions: 11 senior colleges, six community colleges, the William E. Macaulay Honors College
at CUNY, the doctorate-granting Graduate School and University Center
, the City University of New York School of Law
, CUNY Graduate School of Journalism
, and the Sophie Davis School of Biomedical Education
. More than 260,000 degree-credit students and 273,000 continuing and professional education students are enrolled at campuses located in all five New York City boroughs.
CUNY students hail from 205 countries. The black, white and Hispanic undergraduate populations each comprise more than a quarter of the student body, and Asian undergraduates make up more than 15 percent. Nearly 60 percent are female, and 29 percent are 25 or older. CUNY graduates include 12 Nobel laureates
, a U.S. Secretary of State, a Supreme Court Justice, several mayors, members of Congress, state legislators, scientists and artists.
CUNY is the third-largest university system in the United States, in terms of enrollment, behind the State University of New York
(SUNY), and the California State University
system. CUNY and SUNY are separate and independent university systems, although both are public institutions that receive funding from New York State. CUNY, however, is additionally funded by the City of New York.
. The school was fashioned as "a Free Academy for the purpose of extending the benefits of education gratuitously to persons who have been pupils in the common schools of the city and county of New York." The Free Academy
later became the City College of New York, the oldest institution among the CUNY colleges. Hunter College
– so-named in 1914, originally Female Normal and High School and later the Normal College – had existed since 1870, and later expanded into the Bronx in the early 20th century with what became Hebert Lehman College
, but CCNY and Hunter resisted merging.
In 1926, in response to the growth in population of the city, the New York State legislature created the Board of Higher Education of the City of New York to integrate, coordinate and expand the institutions of higher education in the city. Through this agency, the state legislature asserted considerable control over the city's higher education. During the period the Board existed, John Jay College (1925), Brooklyn College
(1930) and Queens College (1937) were created, along with a number of 2-year community colleges.
In 1961, Governor Nelson Rockefeller signed the bill that formally created the City University of New York to integrate these institutions, and a new graduate school, together into a coordinate system of higher education for the city, and by 1979, the Board of Higher Education had become the Board of Trustees of the CUNY. Eventually, the system grew to include seven senior colleges, four hybrid schools, six community colleges, as well as graduate schools and professional programs.
CUNY has historically served a diverse student body, especially those excluded from or unable to afford private universities. CUNY offered a high quality, tuition-free education to the poor, the working class and the immigrants of New York City until 1975, when the City's fiscal crisis forced the imposition of tuition. Many Jewish academics and intellectuals studied and taught at CUNY in the post-World War I
era when Ivy League
universities, such as Yale University
, discriminated against Jews. The City College of New York has had a reputation of being "the Harvard of the proletariat."
Over its history, CUNY and its colleges, especially CCNY, have been involved in various political movements. It was known as a hotbed of socialistic support in the earlier 20th century. CUNY also lent some support to various conferences, such as the Socialist Scholars Conference.
CUNY's tradition of diversity continues today, with much of its student body new immigrants to New York City, representing 172 countries.
into the 1970s. The increased demand for limited college slots had the effect in New York City of increasing the competitiveness of the city's system of higher education. By the end of the 1960s, admission to CUNY's flagship City College had become highly competitive.
In 1969, a group of black and Puerto Rican students occupied City College demanding the integration of CUNY, which at the time had an overwhelmingly white student body. The occupation spread to other CUNY campuses, forcing the Board of Trustees to implement a ground-breaking new admissions policy. The doors to CUNY were opened wide to all those demanding entrance, assuring all high school graduates, despite possible inadequacies of preparation, entrance to the University. This policy was known as "open admissions
". Remedial education
, to supplement the training of under-prepared students, became a significant part of CUNY's offerings.
The effect was instantaneous and dramatic. Whereas 20,000 freshmen had matriculated in one CUNY institution or another in 1969, more than 35,000 showed up for registration in the fall of 1970. Forty percent of these newcomers to the senior colleges were open-admissions students. The proportion of black and Hispanic students in the entering class nearly tripled.
Facing a fiscal crisis in 1975, the city imposed tuition on CUNY in that year. Middle-class students who had flocked to CUNY because it offered a cost-free alternative to the state university or a private college no longer had a reason to prefer it. Their enrollment at CUNY dropped precipitously and CUNY faced declines in enrollment through the 1980s and into the 1990s.
, and facing pressure from Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, CUNY ended its open admissions policy to the University's four-year colleges in 1999. Critics had cautioned that the policy change could lead to a drop in enrollment of minority students at CUNY's four-year institutions.
CUNY officials reported that enrollment at its senior colleges increased 10.5% from 1999 to 2002, however. Mean SAT scores of admitted freshmen also rose. CUNY reported that the number of African-American students at its senior colleges had increased in the same time period, while changes in the proportions of other ethnic groups were "minimal." The University reported that two-thirds of its entering class were minority students.
CUNY students who are not directly admitted to the senior colleges because they do not meet academic admissions standards can choose to enroll in an associate degree program at one of CUNY’s community colleges, take part in "immersion" programs offered in the summer and winter months, find public or private tutoring, or participate in the one-semester "Prelude to Success" program taught by community college faculty at senior colleges. The graduates of the community college programs then earn admission to the senior colleges.
"with the advice and consent of the senate," and five by the Mayor of New York City
"with the advice and consent of the senate." The final two trustees are ex-officio members. One is the chair of the university's student senate, and the other is non-voting and is the chair of the university's faculty senate. Both the mayoral and gubernatorial appointments to the CUNY Board are required to include at least one resident of each of New York City's five boroughs. Trustees serve seven-year terms, which are renewable for another seven years. College presidents report directly to the Board. The Chancellor is voted upon by the Board of Trustees, and is the "chief educational and administrative officer" of the City University.
Unlike some state college systems, CUNY in its early years did not operate as a central authority to the colleges. The central administration had limited power over the colleges. This is partly because most of the senior colleges (namely Brooklyn, Hunter, Queens, and City) predate CUNY and were thus established by mandate of the New York State Legislature, which has institutionalized the autonomy of the colleges. Veteran college presidents and faculty had typically viewed CUNY as a loose confederation of individual colleges rather than a unified university system. Nevertheless, in recent years and at the behest of the Governor and the Mayor, the Board of Trustees and the Chancellor have, through the power of the purse, succeeded in weakening the college presidents and faculty and consolidating executive powers to themselves.
The colleges are listed below, with establishment dates in parentheses.
In July 2006 Dr. Ann Kirschner
was appointed Dean of William E. Macaulay Honors College
after a nationwide search. The standards of the Honors College continued to rise as well, with incoming freshmen having an average of 93.8 and SAT scores of 1381. Graduating high school students with Ivy League
caliber academic records have given the Honors College a closer look as a result, and this has had a trickle-down effect in improving the image of CUNY as a whole, which prior to the inception of the HC had been criticized as 'an institution adrift' by the Giuliani administration.
As an incentive to students, University Scholars receive a free tuition, a laptop, a "cultural passport" that offers free or reduced-admission to various cultural institutions and venues in New York City, and a $7500 expense account that may be used for research and/or study abroad. Unlike honors programs at individual CUNY colleges, Macaulay Honors College students must be accepted into and begin the program as freshmen. They currently study at one of the participating senior CUNY colleges (Queens, Hunter, Staten Island, Lehman, Baruch, Brooklyn, and City), as well as taking part in cross-campus activities and programs. Institutional barriers that would allow cross campus enrollment in academic programs have not yet been eliminated.
In September 2006, The City University of New York received a $30,000,000 gift from philanthropist and City College
alumnus, William E. Macaulay, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of First Reserve Corporation
. It is the largest single donation in the history of CUNY and has been used to buy a landmark building on the Upper West Side of Manhattan that is to become the permanent home of the Honors College, and will add support to its endowment. As of May 2010, pending official confirmation of the New York State Board of Education, Macaulay Honors College will cease to be a 'program' and enter the CUNY system as joint-degree granting four-year college.
.
The Public Safety Department came under heavy criticism, from student groups, after several students protesting tuition increases tried to occupy the lobby of the Baurch College. The occupiers were forcibly removed from the area and several were arrested on November 21, 2011.
(channel 75 on Time Warner
) which airs tapes of freshman level survey telecourses, old and foreign films, and panel discussions in various languages.
is CUNY's official film festival
. The festival was founded in 2009 by Hunter College student Daniel Cowen.
University system
A university system is a set of multiple, affiliated universities and colleges that are usually geographically distributed. Typically, all member universities in a university system share a common component among all of their various names...
of New York City
Education in New York City
Education in New York City is provided by a vast number of public and private institutions. The city's public school system, the New York City Department of Education, is the largest in the world, and New York is home to some of the most important libraries, universities, and research centers in...
, with its administrative offices in Yorkville
Yorkville, Manhattan
Yorkville is a neighborhood in the greater Upper East Side, in the Borough of Manhattan in New York City. Yorkville's boundaries include: the East River on the east, 96th Street on the north, Third Avenue on the west and 72nd Street to the south. However, its southern boundary is a subject of...
in Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
. It is the largest urban university in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, consisting of 23 institutions: 11 senior colleges, six community colleges, the William E. Macaulay Honors College
William E. Macaulay Honors College
William E. Macaulay Honors College, commonly referred to as Macaulay Honors College, or simply Macaulay, is a flagship program for 1,400 high achieving students at The City University of New York, U.S.A....
at CUNY, the doctorate-granting Graduate School and University Center
CUNY Graduate Center
The Graduate Center of the City University of New York brings together graduate education, advanced research, and public programming to midtown Manhattan hosting 4,600 students, 33 doctoral programs, 7 master's programs, and 30 research centers and institutes...
, the City University of New York School of Law
City University of New York School of Law
CUNY School of Law is a law school in New York City, founded in 1983.In 1981, CUNY hired Charles Halpern to be its founding Dean. This law school was established as a public interest law school. The curriculum integrates clinical teaching methods with traditional areas of legal study.In Spring of...
, CUNY Graduate School of Journalism
CUNY Graduate School of Journalism
The City University of New York Graduate School of Journalism is a public graduate journalism school located in New York City. One of the 23 institutions comprising the City University of New York, or CUNY, the school opened in 2006...
, and the Sophie Davis School of Biomedical Education
Sophie Davis School of Biomedical Education
The Sophie Davis School of Biomedical Education is now an eight-year medical program that was established at The City College of the City University of New York in New York City...
. More than 260,000 degree-credit students and 273,000 continuing and professional education students are enrolled at campuses located in all five New York City boroughs.
CUNY students hail from 205 countries. The black, white and Hispanic undergraduate populations each comprise more than a quarter of the student body, and Asian undergraduates make up more than 15 percent. Nearly 60 percent are female, and 29 percent are 25 or older. CUNY graduates include 12 Nobel laureates
Nobel Prize
The Nobel Prizes are annual international awards bestowed by Scandinavian committees in recognition of cultural and scientific advances. The will of the Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, established the prizes in 1895...
, a U.S. Secretary of State, a Supreme Court Justice, several mayors, members of Congress, state legislators, scientists and artists.
CUNY is the third-largest university system in the United States, in terms of enrollment, behind the State University of New York
State University of New York
The State University of New York, abbreviated SUNY , is a system of public institutions of higher education in New York, United States. It is the largest comprehensive system of universities, colleges, and community colleges in the United States, with a total enrollment of 465,000 students, plus...
(SUNY), and the California State University
California State University
The California State University is a public university system in the state of California. It is one of three public higher education systems in the state, the other two being the University of California system and the California Community College system. It is incorporated as The Trustees of the...
system. CUNY and SUNY are separate and independent university systems, although both are public institutions that receive funding from New York State. CUNY, however, is additionally funded by the City of New York.
History
CUNY's history dates back to the formation of the Free Academy in 1847 by Townsend HarrisTownsend Harris
Townsend Harris was a successful New York City merchant and minor politician, and the first United States Consul General to Japan...
. The school was fashioned as "a Free Academy for the purpose of extending the benefits of education gratuitously to persons who have been pupils in the common schools of the city and county of New York." The Free Academy
City College of New York
The City College of the City University of New York is a senior college of the City University of New York , in New York City. It is also the oldest of the City University's twenty-three institutions of higher learning...
later became the City College of New York, the oldest institution among the CUNY colleges. Hunter College
Hunter College
Hunter College, established in 1870, is a public university and one of the constituent colleges of the City University of New York, located on Manhattan's Upper East Side. Hunter grants undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate degrees in more than one hundred fields of study, and is recognized...
– so-named in 1914, originally Female Normal and High School and later the Normal College – had existed since 1870, and later expanded into the Bronx in the early 20th century with what became Hebert Lehman College
Lehman College
Lehman College is one of the constituent colleges of the City University of New York, USA. Founded in 1931 as the Bronx campus of Hunter College, the school became an independent college within the City University in 1968. The college is named after Herbert Lehman, a former New York governor,...
, but CCNY and Hunter resisted merging.
In 1926, in response to the growth in population of the city, the New York State legislature created the Board of Higher Education of the City of New York to integrate, coordinate and expand the institutions of higher education in the city. Through this agency, the state legislature asserted considerable control over the city's higher education. During the period the Board existed, John Jay College (1925), Brooklyn College
Brooklyn College
Brooklyn College is a senior college of the City University of New York, located in Brooklyn, New York, United States.Established in 1930 by the New York City Board of Higher Education, the College had its beginnings as the Downtown Brooklyn branches of Hunter College and the City College of New...
(1930) and Queens College (1937) were created, along with a number of 2-year community colleges.
In 1961, Governor Nelson Rockefeller signed the bill that formally created the City University of New York to integrate these institutions, and a new graduate school, together into a coordinate system of higher education for the city, and by 1979, the Board of Higher Education had become the Board of Trustees of the CUNY. Eventually, the system grew to include seven senior colleges, four hybrid schools, six community colleges, as well as graduate schools and professional programs.
CUNY has historically served a diverse student body, especially those excluded from or unable to afford private universities. CUNY offered a high quality, tuition-free education to the poor, the working class and the immigrants of New York City until 1975, when the City's fiscal crisis forced the imposition of tuition. Many Jewish academics and intellectuals studied and taught at CUNY in the post-World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
era when Ivy League
Ivy League
The Ivy League is an athletic conference comprising eight private institutions of higher education in the Northeastern United States. The conference name is also commonly used to refer to those eight schools as a group...
universities, such as Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
, discriminated against Jews. The City College of New York has had a reputation of being "the Harvard of the proletariat."
Over its history, CUNY and its colleges, especially CCNY, have been involved in various political movements. It was known as a hotbed of socialistic support in the earlier 20th century. CUNY also lent some support to various conferences, such as the Socialist Scholars Conference.
CUNY's tradition of diversity continues today, with much of its student body new immigrants to New York City, representing 172 countries.
Open admissions and remedial education
Demand in the United States for higher education rapidly grew each decade after World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
into the 1970s. The increased demand for limited college slots had the effect in New York City of increasing the competitiveness of the city's system of higher education. By the end of the 1960s, admission to CUNY's flagship City College had become highly competitive.
In 1969, a group of black and Puerto Rican students occupied City College demanding the integration of CUNY, which at the time had an overwhelmingly white student body. The occupation spread to other CUNY campuses, forcing the Board of Trustees to implement a ground-breaking new admissions policy. The doors to CUNY were opened wide to all those demanding entrance, assuring all high school graduates, despite possible inadequacies of preparation, entrance to the University. This policy was known as "open admissions
Open admissions
Open admissions is a type of unselective and non-competitive college admissions process in the United States in which the only criterion for entrance is a high school diploma or a General Educational Development certificate.This form of "inclusive" admissions is used by many public junior...
". Remedial education
Remedial education
Postsecondary remedial education is a large and growing segment of higher education in the United States...
, to supplement the training of under-prepared students, became a significant part of CUNY's offerings.
The effect was instantaneous and dramatic. Whereas 20,000 freshmen had matriculated in one CUNY institution or another in 1969, more than 35,000 showed up for registration in the fall of 1970. Forty percent of these newcomers to the senior colleges were open-admissions students. The proportion of black and Hispanic students in the entering class nearly tripled.
Facing a fiscal crisis in 1975, the city imposed tuition on CUNY in that year. Middle-class students who had flocked to CUNY because it offered a cost-free alternative to the state university or a private college no longer had a reason to prefer it. Their enrollment at CUNY dropped precipitously and CUNY faced declines in enrollment through the 1980s and into the 1990s.
The end of open admissions
CUNY's prestige also declined in the 1970s and 1980s. Under a new chancellor, Matthew GoldsteinMatthew Goldstein
Matthew Goldstein is the current Chancellor of The City University of New York . He was appointed Chancellor on September 1, 1999, and is the first City University graduate to head the University, having received his undergraduate degree from City College...
, and facing pressure from Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, CUNY ended its open admissions policy to the University's four-year colleges in 1999. Critics had cautioned that the policy change could lead to a drop in enrollment of minority students at CUNY's four-year institutions.
CUNY officials reported that enrollment at its senior colleges increased 10.5% from 1999 to 2002, however. Mean SAT scores of admitted freshmen also rose. CUNY reported that the number of African-American students at its senior colleges had increased in the same time period, while changes in the proportions of other ethnic groups were "minimal." The University reported that two-thirds of its entering class were minority students.
CUNY students who are not directly admitted to the senior colleges because they do not meet academic admissions standards can choose to enroll in an associate degree program at one of CUNY’s community colleges, take part in "immersion" programs offered in the summer and winter months, find public or private tutoring, or participate in the one-semester "Prelude to Success" program taught by community college faculty at senior colleges. The graduates of the community college programs then earn admission to the senior colleges.
Structure
The City University is governed by the Board of Trustees composed of 17 members, ten of whom are appointed by the Governor of New YorkGovernor of New York
The Governor of the State of New York is the chief executive of the State of New York. The governor is the head of the executive branch of New York's state government and the commander-in-chief of the state's military and naval forces. The officeholder is afforded the courtesy title of His/Her...
"with the advice and consent of the senate," and five by the Mayor of New York City
Mayor of New York City
The Mayor of the City of New York is head of the executive branch of New York City's government. The mayor's office administers all city services, public property, police and fire protection, most public agencies, and enforces all city and state laws within New York City.The budget overseen by the...
"with the advice and consent of the senate." The final two trustees are ex-officio members. One is the chair of the university's student senate, and the other is non-voting and is the chair of the university's faculty senate. Both the mayoral and gubernatorial appointments to the CUNY Board are required to include at least one resident of each of New York City's five boroughs. Trustees serve seven-year terms, which are renewable for another seven years. College presidents report directly to the Board. The Chancellor is voted upon by the Board of Trustees, and is the "chief educational and administrative officer" of the City University.
Unlike some state college systems, CUNY in its early years did not operate as a central authority to the colleges. The central administration had limited power over the colleges. This is partly because most of the senior colleges (namely Brooklyn, Hunter, Queens, and City) predate CUNY and were thus established by mandate of the New York State Legislature, which has institutionalized the autonomy of the colleges. Veteran college presidents and faculty had typically viewed CUNY as a loose confederation of individual colleges rather than a unified university system. Nevertheless, in recent years and at the behest of the Governor and the Mayor, the Board of Trustees and the Chancellor have, through the power of the purse, succeeded in weakening the college presidents and faculty and consolidating executive powers to themselves.
Colleges
CUNY consists of three different types of institutions: senior colleges, which grant bachelor's degrees and occasionally master's and associates degrees; community colleges, which grant associate's degrees; and graduate/professional schools. CUNY's Law School grants Juris Doctor (J.D.) degrees, and Ph.D. degrees are awarded only by the CUNY Graduate Center.The colleges are listed below, with establishment dates in parentheses.
Senior colleges
- (1847) City CollegeCity College of New YorkThe City College of the City University of New York is a senior college of the City University of New York , in New York City. It is also the oldest of the City University's twenty-three institutions of higher learning...
- (1870) Hunter CollegeHunter CollegeHunter College, established in 1870, is a public university and one of the constituent colleges of the City University of New York, located on Manhattan's Upper East Side. Hunter grants undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate degrees in more than one hundred fields of study, and is recognized...
- (1919) Baruch CollegeBaruch CollegeBernard M. Baruch College, more commonly known as Baruch College, is a constituent college of the City University of New York, located in the Flatiron district of Manhattan, New York City. With an acceptance rate of just 23%, Baruch is among the most competitive and diverse colleges in the nation...
(as City College’s School of Business and Civic Administration, renamed in 1953 to honor Bernard M. Baruch) - (1930) Brooklyn CollegeBrooklyn CollegeBrooklyn College is a senior college of the City University of New York, located in Brooklyn, New York, United States.Established in 1930 by the New York City Board of Higher Education, the College had its beginnings as the Downtown Brooklyn branches of Hunter College and the City College of New...
- (1937) Queens College (formed by the merger of Hunter and City Colleges' Queens campuses)
- (1946) New York City College of TechnologyNew York City College of TechnologyNew York City College of Technology , nicknamed City Tech, is the largest four-year public college of technology in the northeastern United States, and a constituent college of the City University of New York...
- (1955) College of Staten IslandCollege of Staten IslandThe College of Staten Island is a four-year, senior college of and is one of the 11 senior colleges in the City University of New York. Programs in the liberal arts and sciences and professional studies lead to bachelor's and associate's degrees. The master's degree is awarded in 13 professional...
- (1964) John Jay College of Criminal JusticeJohn Jay College of Criminal JusticeThe John Jay College of Criminal Justice is a senior college of the City University of New York in Midtown Manhattan, New York City and is the only liberal arts college with a criminal justice and forensic focus in the United States. The college offers programs in Forensic Science and Forensic...
- (1966) York CollegeYork College, City University of New YorkYork College of The City University of New York is one of eleven senior colleges in the City University of New York system. It is located in Jamaica, Queens in New York City...
- (1968) Lehman CollegeLehman CollegeLehman College is one of the constituent colleges of the City University of New York, USA. Founded in 1931 as the Bronx campus of Hunter College, the school became an independent college within the City University in 1968. The college is named after Herbert Lehman, a former New York governor,...
(from (1931) Lehman was the Bronx branch of Hunter College, known as Hunter-in-the-Bronx) - (1970) Medgar Evers CollegeMedgar Evers CollegeMedgar Evers College is a senior college of The City University of New York.Medgar Evers College was officially established in 1970 through cooperation from educators and community leaders in central Brooklyn...
Community colleges
- (1957) Bronx Community CollegeBronx Community CollegeThe Bronx Community College of The City University of New York is a community college in the City University of New York system located in the University Heights neighborhood of The Bronx.- History :...
- (1958) Queensborough Community CollegeQueensborough Community CollegeNot to be confused with Queens College, City University of New YorkQueensborough Community College , is one of six community colleges within the City University of New York system. It is located in the neighborhood of Bayside, Queens County, New York City, New York. The total enrollments are...
- (1963) Borough of Manhattan Community CollegeBorough of Manhattan Community CollegeThe Borough of Manhattan Community College is one of six two-year colleges within the City University of New York system and the only one in Manhattan. Founded in 1963, BMCC originally offered business-oriented and liberal arts degrees for those intending to enter the business world or transfer...
- (1963) Kingsborough Community CollegeKingsborough Community CollegeKingsborough Community College , part of the City University of New York system, is the only community college in Brooklyn, New York. The campus is located at Manhattan Beach, which is at the eastern end of Coney Island. The 71-acre campus overlooks Sheepshead Bay, Jamaica Bay, and the Atlantic...
- (1968) LaGuardia Community CollegeLaGuardia Community CollegeLaGuardia Community College is a two-year community college located in the Hunter's Point section of Long Island City in the New York City borough of Queens, and is a component of the City University of New York. LaGuardia is named after former Congressman and New York mayor Fiorello H. LaGuardia...
- (1970) Hostos Community CollegeHostos Community CollegeEugenio María de Hostos Community College of The City University of New York is a community college in the City University of New York system located in the South Bronx, New York City...
Graduate and professional schools
- (1961) CUNY Graduate CenterCUNY Graduate CenterThe Graduate Center of the City University of New York brings together graduate education, advanced research, and public programming to midtown Manhattan hosting 4,600 students, 33 doctoral programs, 7 master's programs, and 30 research centers and institutes...
- (1973) Sophie Davis School of Biomedical EducationSophie Davis School of Biomedical EducationThe Sophie Davis School of Biomedical Education is now an eight-year medical program that was established at The City College of the City University of New York in New York City...
- (1983) CUNY School of Law
- (2005) William E. Macaulay Honors CollegeWilliam E. Macaulay Honors CollegeWilliam E. Macaulay Honors College, commonly referred to as Macaulay Honors College, or simply Macaulay, is a flagship program for 1,400 high achieving students at The City University of New York, U.S.A....
- (2006) CUNY Graduate School of JournalismCUNY Graduate School of JournalismThe City University of New York Graduate School of Journalism is a public graduate journalism school located in New York City. One of the 23 institutions comprising the City University of New York, or CUNY, the school opened in 2006...
- (2006) CUNY School of Professional StudiesCUNY School of Professional StudiesThe CUNY School of Professional Studies is one of the schools of the City University of New York .Drawing on CUNY’s nationally and internationally renowned faculty and practitioners, as well as industry and education partners, the School’s undergraduate and graduate degree programs, advanced and...
- (2008) CUNY School of Public Health
CUNY Baccalaureate for Unique and Interdisciplinary Studies
The CUNY Baccalaureate for Unique and Interdisciplinary Studies, also commonly known as the CUNY Baccalaureate Program or simply CUNY BA was founded in 1971. It is an individualized, University-wide degree where highly motivated, academically superior students work one-on-one with faculty mentors to design their own fields of study. The Program exists to give students an opportunity to pursue a course of study that may not exist within the current framework of CUNY. Part of the eligibility criteria includes demonstrating a desire and plan to pursue an area of concentration (like a major) that transcends the traditional college offerings. Students have created areas of concentration ranging from "20th Century American Literature" and "Adaptive Physical Education for Vulnerable Populations," to "World Politics and Social Change" and "Zoological Photography." Students must enroll in one of the CUNY colleges in order to participate; they then have access to courses and opportunities throughout the University. Additional admissions criteria include having completed at least 15 college credits with a 2.50 GPA or higher. The average GPA for admission is typically about 3.25, which means that a large portion of students enter with GPAs of 3.8 and higher. Given the rigorous admission process it is not surprising that CUNY BA boasts a 70% graduation rate within an average of 2.2 years and that 60% graduate with academic honors.William E. Macaulay Honors College
The brainchild of CUNY chancellor Matthew Goldstein, CUNY Honors College was to be an independent institution within the university. However, support for existing honors programs at CUNY colleges and institutional opposition resulted in it being downgraded to a program. Now known as The Macaulay Honors College University Scholars Program, it graduated its first class in 2005, attracting students with a mean high school GPA of 3.5 and SAT scores of 1365 for the Class of 2009.In July 2006 Dr. Ann Kirschner
Ann Kirschner
Ann Kirschner is an American academic, entrepreneur, and author, best known as the author of Sala's Gift. She was the former head of Columbia University's interactive knowledge network, Fathom, and is now the University Dean of William E...
was appointed Dean of William E. Macaulay Honors College
William E. Macaulay Honors College
William E. Macaulay Honors College, commonly referred to as Macaulay Honors College, or simply Macaulay, is a flagship program for 1,400 high achieving students at The City University of New York, U.S.A....
after a nationwide search. The standards of the Honors College continued to rise as well, with incoming freshmen having an average of 93.8 and SAT scores of 1381. Graduating high school students with Ivy League
Ivy League
The Ivy League is an athletic conference comprising eight private institutions of higher education in the Northeastern United States. The conference name is also commonly used to refer to those eight schools as a group...
caliber academic records have given the Honors College a closer look as a result, and this has had a trickle-down effect in improving the image of CUNY as a whole, which prior to the inception of the HC had been criticized as 'an institution adrift' by the Giuliani administration.
As an incentive to students, University Scholars receive a free tuition, a laptop, a "cultural passport" that offers free or reduced-admission to various cultural institutions and venues in New York City, and a $7500 expense account that may be used for research and/or study abroad. Unlike honors programs at individual CUNY colleges, Macaulay Honors College students must be accepted into and begin the program as freshmen. They currently study at one of the participating senior CUNY colleges (Queens, Hunter, Staten Island, Lehman, Baruch, Brooklyn, and City), as well as taking part in cross-campus activities and programs. Institutional barriers that would allow cross campus enrollment in academic programs have not yet been eliminated.
In September 2006, The City University of New York received a $30,000,000 gift from philanthropist and City College
City College of New York
The City College of the City University of New York is a senior college of the City University of New York , in New York City. It is also the oldest of the City University's twenty-three institutions of higher learning...
alumnus, William E. Macaulay, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of First Reserve Corporation
First Reserve Corporation
First Reserve Corporation is a private equity firm specializing in leveraged buyouts and growth capital investments in the energy sector. First Reserve was founded in 1984 and is the oldest private equity dedicated to investments in the energy sector.....
. It is the largest single donation in the history of CUNY and has been used to buy a landmark building on the Upper West Side of Manhattan that is to become the permanent home of the Honors College, and will add support to its endowment. As of May 2010, pending official confirmation of the New York State Board of Education, Macaulay Honors College will cease to be a 'program' and enter the CUNY system as joint-degree granting four-year college.
Public safety
CUNY has its own police force whose duties are to protect and serve all students and faculty members, and enforce all state and city laws at all of CUNY's universities. The force has more than 600 officers, making it one of the largest police forces in New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
The Public Safety Department came under heavy criticism, from student groups, after several students protesting tuition increases tried to occupy the lobby of the Baurch College. The occupiers were forcibly removed from the area and several were arrested on November 21, 2011.
City University Television (CUNY TV)
CUNY also has a cable TV service, CUNY TVCUNY TV
CUNY TV is a non-commercial Educational-access television cable station in New York City, part of The City University of New York's university system. It provides tele-course programming varying from mathematics, physics and biology to history, art and social studies. It also provides cultural...
(channel 75 on Time Warner
Time Warner Cable
Time Warner Cable is an American cable television company that operates in 28 states and has 31 operating divisions...
) which airs tapes of freshman level survey telecourses, old and foreign films, and panel discussions in various languages.
City University Film Festival (CUFF)
CUFFCuff
A cuff is an extra layer of fabric at the lower edge of the sleeve of a garment covering the arms. In US usage the word may also refer to the end of the leg of a pair of trousers...
is CUNY's official film festival
Film festival
A film festival is an organised, extended presentation of films in one or more movie theaters or screening venues, usually in a single locality. More and more often film festivals show part of their films to the public by adding outdoor movie screenings...
. The festival was founded in 2009 by Hunter College student Daniel Cowen.
Alumni
The City University of New York boasts some very prominent alumni, whose professions range from politics to medicine.City College
- Herman BadilloHerman BadilloHerman Badillo is a Bronx, New York politician who has been a borough president, United States Representative, and candidate for Mayor of New York City. He was the first Puerto Rican to be elected to these posts and be a mayoral candidate in the continental United States.-Early years:Badillo was...
(1951), Civil rights activist and the first Puerto Rican elected to the U.S. Congress - Michele ForstenMichele ForstenMichele Forsten is a playwright, essayist, college administrator and co-founder of the New York City Lesbian Cancer Support Consortium.-Playwright:Forsten short plays “Winning?” have been performed in New York City, Provincetown, Boston and San Francisco...
(1976), Co-founder, New York City Lesbian Cancer Support Consortium - Abraham FoxmanAbraham FoxmanAbraham H. Foxman is the National Director of the Anti-Defamation League.-Early life:Foxman, an only son, was born in Baranovichi, just months after the USSR took the town from Poland in the Nazi-Soviet Pact and incorporated it into the BSSR. The town is now in Belarus...
, National director, Anti-Defamation League - Felix FrankfurterFelix FrankfurterFelix Frankfurter was an Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court.-Early life:Frankfurter was born into a Jewish family on November 15, 1882, in Vienna, Austria, then part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in Europe. He was the third of six children of Leopold and Emma Frankfurter...
(1902), U.S. Supreme Court Justice - William Hallett Greene (1884)), First black graduate of City College and first black member of the U.S. Army Signal Corps
- Guillermo LinaresGuillermo LinaresGuillermo Linares is a Democratic member of the New York State Assembly, representing the 72nd Assembly District in Manhattan. He is a former New York City councilman and a former New York City Commissioner of Immigrant Affairs.-Life and education:...
(1975), New York City Council member, first Dominican-American City Council member and Commissioner of the Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs - Lisa NakamuraLisa NakamuraLisa Nakamura is Director and Professor of Asian American Studies Program at the Institute of Communication Research at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.-Education:Lisa Nakamura earned a B.A. from Reed College and a Ph.D...
(1993) (1996), Associate Professor of the Institute of Communication Research and Asian Studies School at the University of Illinois, Champaign Urbana - Colin PowellColin PowellColin Luther Powell is an American statesman and a retired four-star general in the United States Army. He was the 65th United States Secretary of State, serving under President George W. Bush from 2001 to 2005. He was the first African American to serve in that position. During his military...
(1958), Former Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff and Secretary of State - Faith RinggoldFaith RinggoldFaith Ringgold is an African American artist, best known for her painted story quilts. She is professor emeritus in the University of California, San Diego visual art department.-Life and artwork:...
(1955), Feminist, writer and artist - A. M. RosenthalA. M. RosenthalAbraham Michael "A.M." Rosenthal , born in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada, was a New York Times executive editor and columnist and New York Daily News columnist . He joined the New York Times in 1943 and worked for the Times for 56 years - from 1943 to 1999...
(1949), former executive editor of The New York Times who championed the publication of the Pentagon Papers; Pulitzer prize winning journalist expelled from Poland in 1959 for his reporting on the nation’s government and society - Jonas SalkJonas SalkJonas Edward Salk was an American medical researcher and virologist, best known for his discovery and development of the first safe and effective polio vaccine. He was born in New York City to parents from Ashkenazi Jewish Russian immigrant families...
(1934), Developed the first polio vaccine - Daniel SchorrDaniel SchorrDaniel Louis Schorr was an American journalist who covered world news for more than 60 years. He was most recently a Senior News Analyst for National Public Radio...
(1939), Emmy award winning broadcast journalist for CBS-TV and National Public Radio
Baruch College
- William Newman ('47) – Founder and chairman of New Plan Excel Realty Trust, Inc
- Lawrence N. Field ('52) – Founder and principal of NSB Associates
- Fernando FerrerFernando FerrerFernando James "Freddy" Ferrer was the Borough President of The Bronx from 1987 to 2001, and was a candidate for Mayor of New York in 2001 and the Democratic Party nominee for Mayor in 2005.- Background :...
– New York City mayoral candidate in 2001 and 2005 - Egemen BağışEgemen BagisEgemen Bağış is a Turkish politician, member of Turkish parliament since November 2002, current minister for EU Affairs and chief negotiator of Turkey in accession talks with the European Union...
, Turkish politician, government minister - Robin ByrdRobin ByrdRobin Byrd is an American former porn actress and the host of The Robin Byrd Show, which has appeared on Leased access cable television in New York City for close to thirty years.-Background:...
, host of public access program The Robin Byrd Show. (dropped out) - Po Sit ('85) – Partner at Davis Polk & WardwellDavis Polk & WardwellDavis Polk & Wardwell LLP is an international law firm. The firm employs more than 800 attorneys worldwide and is headquartered in New York City. The firm represents many of the world's largest companies and leading financial institutions, and is best known for its corporate and litigation...
- Craig A. StanleyCraig A. StanleyCraig A. Stanley is an American Democratic Party politician, who served in the New Jersey General Assembly from 1996-2008, where represented the 28th legislative district. He was succeeded by Ralph R...
– member of New Jersey General AssemblyNew Jersey General AssemblyThe New Jersey General Assembly is the lower house of the New Jersey Legislature.Since the election of 1967 , the Assembly has consisted of 80 members. Two members are elected from each of New Jersey's 40 legislative districts for a term of two years, each representing districts with average...
since 1996. - Marcia A. KarrowMarcia A. KarrowMarcia A. Karrow is an American Republican Party politician who served in the New Jersey State Senate where she represented the 23rd legislative district, having taken office on February 9, 2009. She had won a January 24, 2009 special election convention, defeating Assemblyman Michael J...
– member of New Jersey General AssemblyNew Jersey General AssemblyThe New Jersey General Assembly is the lower house of the New Jersey Legislature.Since the election of 1967 , the Assembly has consisted of 80 members. Two members are elected from each of New Jersey's 40 legislative districts for a term of two years, each representing districts with average... - Dennis LevineDennis LevineDennis B. Levine was a prominent player in merger and acquisition business and the Wall Street insider trading scandals of the mid-1980s...
– a prominent player in the Wall Street insider tradingInsider tradingInsider trading is the trading of a corporation's stock or other securities by individuals with potential access to non-public information about the company...
scandals of the mid-1980s - Ralph LaurenRalph LaurenRalph Lauren is an American fashion designer and business executive; best known for his Polo Ralph Lauren clothing brand.-Early life:...
– Chairman and CEO of Polo Ralph LaurenPolo Ralph LaurenRalph Lauren Corporation is a luxury clothing and goods company of the American fashion designer Ralph Lauren. Ralph Lauren specializes in high-end casual/semi-formal wear for men and women, as well as accessories, fragrances, home and housewares...
(dropped out) - Dolly LenzDolly LenzDolly Lenz is a real estate agent in New York City who since 1997 has sold more business than any other agent in the United States...
– New York City real estate agent - Felipe Andres Coronel "Immortal Technique" – Rapper, Political activist, & GM of Viper Records
- Jennifer LopezJennifer LopezJennifer Lynn Lopez is an American actress, singer, record producer, dancer, television personality, and fashion designer. Lopez began her career as a dancer on the television comedy program In Living Color. Subsequently venturing into acting, she gained recognition in the 1995 action-thriller...
– actress, singer, dancer (dropped out) - Tarkan – Turkish language singer
- Sidney HarmanSidney HarmanSidney Harman was an American businessman active in education, government, industry, and publishing. He was the Chairman Emeritus of Harman International Industries, Inc. Harman served as the U.S. Under Secretary of Commerce in 1977 and 1978. As of August 2010 Harman was also the publisher of...
('39) – Founder and executive chairman of Harman KardonHarman Kardonharman/kardon is a division of Harman International Industries and manufactures home and car audio equipment.Founded in 1953 by Dr. Sidney Harman and Bernard Kardon — two men with a deep interest in music and the arts — the company helped create the high-fidelity audio industry. Their first product... - James LamJames LamJames Lam is a published author and President of James Lam & Associates. His book is Enterprise Risk Management, and he has won many awards pertaining to risk management...
('83) – Author and first CRO (Chief Risk Officer) - Abraham BeameAbraham BeameAbraham David "Abe" Beame was mayor of New York City from 1974 to 1977. As such, he presided over the city during the fiscal crisis of the mid-1970s, during which the city was almost forced to declare bankruptcy....
('28) – Mayor of New York CityNew York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
Hunter College
- Bella AbzugBella AbzugBella Savitsky Abzug was an American lawyer, Congresswoman, social activist and a leader of the Women's Movement. In 1971, Abzug joined other leading feminists such as Gloria Steinem and Betty Friedan to found the National Women's Political Caucus...
(1942), Feminist; political activist; U.S. Representative, 1971–1977 - Carmen Beauchamp CiparickCarmen Beauchamp CiparickCarmen Beauchamp Ciparick is an associate judge on the New York Court of Appeals, the highest court in the state of New York.-Early life and education:...
(1963), First Hispanic woman named to the New York State Court of Appeals - Robert R. DavilaRobert R. DavilaDr. Robert Davila served as the ninth president of Gallaudet University, the world's only university in which all programs and services are specifically designed to accommodate deaf and hard of hearing students...
(1965), President of Gallaudet University and advocate for the rights of the hearing impaired - Ruby DeeRuby DeeRuby Dee is an American actress, poet, playwright, screenwriter, journalist, and activist, perhaps best known for co-starring in the film A Raisin in the Sun and the film American Gangster for which she was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.-Early years:Dee was born Ruby...
(1945), Emmy-nominated actress and civil rights activist - Martin GarbusMartin GarbusMartin Garbus is an American attorney. He has tried cases throughout the country involving constitutional, criminal, copyright, and intellectual property law. He has appeared before the United States Supreme Court as well as trial and appellate courts throughout the United States...
(1955), First amendment attorney - Florence HoweFlorence HoweFlorence Howe, American author, publisher, literary scholar and historian, is understood to be a nationally recognised leader of the contemporary feminist movement....
(1950), founder of women's studies and founder/publisher of the Feminist Press/CUNY - Audre LordeAudre LordeAudre Lorde was a Caribbean-American writer, poet and activist.-Life:...
(1959), African-American lesbian poet, essayist, educator and activist - Soia MentschikoffSoia MentschikoffSoia Mentschikoff was an American lawyer, law professor, and legal scholar, best known for her work in the development and drafting of the Uniform Commercial Code. She was also the first woman to teach at Harvard Law School....
(1934), first woman partner of a major law firm; first woman elected president of the Association of American Law SchoolsAssociation of American Law SchoolsThe Association of American Law Schools is a non-profit organization of 170 law schools in the United States. Another 25 schools are "non-member fee paid" schools, which are not members but choose to pay AALS dues. Its purpose is to improve the legal profession through the improvement of legal... - Thomas J. Murphy, Jr. (1973) – Three-term mayor of Pittsburgh, PA, 1994–2006
- Pauli MurrayPauli MurrayThe Reverend Dr. Anna Pauline Murray was an American civil rights advocate, women's rights activist and feminist, lawyer, writer, poet, teacher, and ordained priest....
(1933), first African-American woman named an Episcopal priest; human rights activist; lawyer and co-founder of N.O.W
John Jay College
- Dr. Henry Lee (BS '72) - forensic scientist
- Kimberly AmatoKimberly AmatoKimberly Amato is an American actress. Has a BA in psychology from Hofstra University and a MA in Forensic Psychology from John Jay College of Criminal Justice in Forensic Psychology....
(MA) - actress and writer - Petri Hawkins-ByrdPetri Hawkins-ByrdPetri Hawkins-Byrd is an American television personality known for his role as the bailiff on the television show Judge Judy...
(BS '89) - Judge JudyJudge JudyJudge Judy is an American court show featuring former family court judge Judith Sheindlin arbitrating over small claims cases in small claims court...
bailiff - Miguel Martinez (BS) - former member of the New York City CouncilNew York City CouncilThe New York City Council is the lawmaking body of the City of New York. It has 51 members from 51 council districts throughout the five boroughs. The Council serves as a check against the mayor in a "strong" mayor-council government model. The council monitors performance of city agencies and...
representing the 10th District in upper ManhattanManhattanManhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
's Washington HeightsWashington Heights, ManhattanWashington Heights is a New York City neighborhood in the northern reaches of the borough of Manhattan. It is named for Fort Washington, a fortification constructed at the highest point on Manhattan island by Continental Army troops during the American Revolutionary War, to defend the area from the...
, InwoodInwood, ManhattanInwood is the northernmost neighborhood on Manhattan Island in the New York City borough of Manhattan.-Geography:Inwood is physically bounded by the Harlem River to the north and east, and the Hudson River to the west. It extends southward to Fort Tryon Park and alternatively Dyckman Street or...
, and Marble HillMarble Hill, ManhattanMarble Hill is the neighborhood which makes up the northernmost part of the Borough of Manhattan in New York City, United States. Although it is politically part of Manhattan and New York County, because of the re-routing of the Harlem River, it is located on the North American mainland contiguous...
areas until his resignation on 14 July 2009. He pled guilty to three conspiracy charges on July 16. - Eva NorvindEva NorvindEva Norvind was a writer, documentary producer, director, sex therapist/ dominatrix, and former actress of the cinema of Mexico...
(MA) - actress and director - Imette St. Guillen - a graduate student, murdered in February 2006, studying criminal justice; a scholarship was created in her name
- Dorothy UhnakDorothy UhnakDorothy Uhnak was an American novelist.-Biography:Uhnak was born in New York City. She attended City College of New York and the John Jay College of Criminal Justice....
(BA) - writer - Jennings Michael BurchJennings Michael BurchJennings Michael Burch spent most of his childhood in foster homes and wrote the 1984 best selling autobiography They Cage The Animals At Night....
- Spent his childhood going through multiple foster homes and wrote the 1984 best selling novel They Cage the Animals at Night which is a memoir of that period of his life. - Salvatore J. Cassano (B.S.) - 32nd Fire Commissioner, City of New York
Brooklyn College
- Bill Baird (1955), reproductive rights activist and co-director of the Pro Choice League
- Barbara Levy Boxer (1962), anti-war activist, environmentalist, U.S. Representative, 1982–1993, and U.S. Senator
- Shirley ChisholmShirley ChisholmShirley Anita St. Hill Chisholm was an American politician, educator, and author. She was a Congresswoman, representing New York's 12th Congressional District for seven terms from 1969 to 1983. In 1968, she became the first black woman elected to Congress...
(1946), first African- American U.S. Congresswoman, 1968–1982. Candidate for president, 1972 - Bruce ChizenBruce ChizenBruce R. Chizen was the chief executive officer of Adobe Systems, based in San Jose, California. Chizen lives in Los Altos, California with his wife and children.- Career :...
(B.S. 1978), President & CEO, Adobe SystemsAdobe SystemsAdobe Systems Incorporated is an American computer software company founded in 1982 and headquartered in San Jose, California, United States... - Stanley Cohen (B.A. 1943), biochemist and Nobel laureate (Physiology or MedicineNobel Prize in Physiology or MedicineThe Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine administered by the Nobel Foundation, is awarded once a year for outstanding discoveries in the field of life science and medicine. It is one of five Nobel Prizes established in 1895 by Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite, in his will...
, 1986) - Alan M. Dershowitz (B.A. 1959), Harvard Law SchoolHarvard Law SchoolHarvard Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, it is the oldest continually-operating law school in the United States and is home to the largest academic law library in the world. The school is routinely ranked by the U.S...
professor and author - Jerry Della FeminaJerry Della FeminaJerry Della Femina is an American advertising executive and restaurateur. Starting from a poor Italian background in Brooklyn, he eventually became chairman of Della Femina Travisano & Partners, an agency which he founded with Ron Travisano in the 1960s...
(A.A. 1957), Chairman & CEO, Della Femina, Jeary and Partners - Benjamin EisenstadtBenjamin EisenstadtBenjamin Eisenstadt designer the modern sugar packets and developed Sweet'N Low. He was the founder of the Cumberland Packing Corporation.-Biography:...
(B.A. 1954), creator of Sweet'N LowSweet'N LowSweet'n Low is a brand of artificial sweetener from granulated saccharin, dextrose and cream of tartar. It was invented and first introduced in 1957 by Benjamin Eisenstadt and his son, Marvin Eisenstadt...
and the founder of Cumberland Packing Corporation - Dan DiDioDan DiDioDan DiDio is an American writer, editor and publisher who has worked in the television and comic book industries. He is currently the Co-Publisher of DC Comics, along with Jim Lee...
(B.A. 1983), American comic book editor and executive for DC ComicsDC ComicsDC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner... - Sandra FeldmanSandra FeldmanSandra Feldman was an American civil rights activist, educator and labor leader who served as president of the American Federation of Teachers from 1997 to 2004.-Early life:...
(B.A 1960), President, American Federation of TeachersAmerican Federation of TeachersThe American Federation of Teachers is an American labor union founded in 1916 that represents teachers, paraprofessionals and school-related personnel; local, state and federal employees; higher education faculty and staff, and nurses and other healthcare professionals... - Gata KamskyGata KamskyGata Kamsky is a Soviet-born American chess grandmaster, and the current World Rapid Chess Champion. He is also the current United States Chess Champion. As of September 2011, he is rated No. 1 in the United States and No...
(B.A 1999), Chess Grandmaster and former US Champion - Don LemonDon LemonDon Lemon is a reporter for CNN and news anchor on the prime-time weekend version of CNN Newsroom, based in Atlanta.-Life and career :Lemon was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana...
(B.A. 1996), reporter, CNNCNNCable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States... - Leonard LopateLeonard LopateLeonard Lopate is host of the public radio talk show The Leonard Lopate Show, broadcast on WNYC. He first broadcast on WKCR, the college radio station of Columbia University—where his brother Phillip was a student—then later at WBAI, before ultimately moving to WNYC. -Biography:Lopate came to...
(B.A. 1967), host of the public radioPublic broadcastingPublic broadcasting includes radio, television and other electronic media outlets whose primary mission is public service. Public broadcasters receive funding from diverse sources including license fees, individual contributions, public financing and commercial financing.Public broadcasting may be...
talk showTalk showA talk show or chat show is a television program or radio program where one person discuss various topics put forth by a talk show host....
The Leonard Lopate Show, broadcast on WNYCWNYCWNYC is a set of call letters shared by a pair of co-owned, non-profit, public radio stations located in New York City.WNYC broadcasts on the AM band at 820 kHz, and WNYC-FM is at 93.9 MHz. Both stations are members of National Public Radio and carry distinct, but similar news/talk programs... - Frank McCourtFrank McCourtFrancis "Frank" McCourt was an Irish-American teacher and Pulitzer Prize–winning writer, best known as the author of Angela’s Ashes, an award-winning, tragicomic memoir of the misery and squalor of his childhood....
(M.A. 1967), Pulitzer PrizePulitzer PrizeThe Pulitzer Prize is a U.S. award for achievements in newspaper and online journalism, literature and musical composition. It was established by American publisher Joseph Pulitzer and is administered by Columbia University in New York City...
-winning author of Angela's AshesAngela's AshesAngela's Ashes is a 1996 memoir by the Irish-American author Frank McCourt. The memoir consists of various anecdotes and stories of Frank McCourt's impoverished childhood and early adulthood in Brooklyn, New York and Limerick, Ireland, as well as McCourt's struggles with poverty, his father's...
and 'Tis'Tis'Tis is a memoir written by Frank McCourt. Published in 1999, it begins where McCourt ended Angela's Ashes, his Pulitzer Prize winning memoir of his impoverished childhood in Ireland and his return to America.-Synopsis:... - Marty MarkowitzMarty MarkowitzMarty Markowitz is the Borough President of Brooklyn, New York City, the most populous borough in New York City with nearly 2.6 million residents. Markowitz was first elected borough president in 2001 after serving 23 years as a New York State Senator...
(B.A. 1970), Former New York State SenatorNew York State SenateThe New York State Senate is one of two houses in the New York State Legislature and has members each elected to two-year terms. There are no limits on the number of terms one may serve...
; BrooklynBrooklynBrooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
Borough PresidentBorough presidentBorough President is an elective office in each of the five boroughs of New York City.-Reasons for establishment:...
(2001– present) - Paul MazurskyPaul MazurskyPaul Mazursky is an American film director, screenwriter and actor.-Personal life:He was born Irwin Mazursky in Brooklyn, New York, the son of Jean , a piano player for dance classes, and David Mazursky, a laborer. Mazursky was born to a Jewish family; his grandfather was an immigrant from...
(B.A. 1951), film director, writer, producer; actor - Jerry MossJerry MossJerome S. "Jerry" Moss is an American recording executive, best known for being the co-founder of A&M Records, along with trumpeter and bandleader Herb Alpert....
(B.A. 1957), co-founder of A&M RecordsA&M RecordsA&M Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group that operates under the mantle of its Interscope-Geffen-A&M division.-Beginnings:... - Gloria NaylorGloria NaylorGloria Naylor is an African American novelist and educator.-Early life:Born in New York, she was the first child to Roosevelt Naylor and Alberta McAlpin. As Naylor grew up, her father was a transit worker and her mother was a telephone operator. When Naylor was young, her mother encouraged her to...
(B.A. 1981), novelist; Winner National Book AwardNational Book AwardThe National Book Awards are a set of American literary awards. Started in 1950, the Awards are presented annually to American authors for literature published in the current year. In 1989 the National Book Foundation, a nonprofit organization which now oversees and manages the National Book... - Harvey PittHarvey PittHarvey Pitt was the 26th chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission , serving from 2001-2003. He led the SEC in restoring the U.S...
(B.A. 1965), former Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission - Steve Riggio (B.A. 1974), CEO of Barnes & Noble, Inc.Barnes & NobleBarnes & Noble, Inc. is the largest book retailer in the United States, operating mainly through its Barnes & Noble Booksellers chain of bookstores headquartered at 122 Fifth Avenue in the Flatiron District in Manhattan in New York City. Barnes & Noble also operated the chain of small B. Dalton...
- Steve SchirripaSteve SchirripaSteven R. "Steve" Schirripa is an American actor, voice artist, producer, and comedian, best known for playing Bobby Baccalieri on The Sopranos....
(B.A. 1980), AmericanUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
actorActorAn actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
known for his role as Bobby BaccalieriBobby BaccalieriRobert "Bobby Bacala" Baccalieri, Jr., played by Steve R. Schirripa, is a fictional character on the HBO TV series The Sopranos. He was a Capo and later the acting underboss of the DiMeo Crime Family, as well as Tony Soprano's brother-in-law...
on the HBO TVTelevisionTelevision is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
series The SopranosThe SopranosThe Sopranos is an American television drama series created by David Chase that revolves around the New Jersey-based Italian-American mobster Tony Soprano and the difficulties he faces as he tries to balance the often conflicting requirements of his home life and the criminal organization he heads... - Timothy ShortellTimothy ShortellTimothy Shortell is an associate professor of sociology at the City University of New York, known for his vehement criticism of religion, especially Christianity, and of the administration of President George W. Bush....
(1992), anti-Christian activist - Jimmy SmitsJimmy SmitsJimmy Smits is an American actor. Smits is perhaps best known for his roles as attorney Victor Sifuentes on the 1980s legal drama L.A. Law, as NYPD Detective Bobby Simone on the 1990s police drama NYPD Blue, and as Congressman Matt Santos on The West Wing...
(B.A. 1980), Emmy AwardEmmy AwardAn Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
-winning actor; NYPD BlueNYPD BlueNYPD Blue is an American television police drama set in New York City, exploring the internal and external struggles of the fictional 15th precinct of Manhattan...
and L.A. LawL.A. LawL.A. Law is a US television legal drama that ran on NBC from September 15, 1986 to May 19, 1994. L.A. Law reflected the social and cultural ideologies of the 1980s and early 1990s and many of the cases featured on the show dealt with hot topic issues such as abortion, racism, gay rights,... - Benjamin WardBenjamin WardBenjamin Ward was the first African American New York City Police Commissioner. Ward was one of 11 children and was born in the Weeksville section of Brooklyn, New York.-Military and Police experience:...
(B.A. 1960), first blackAfrican AmericanAfrican Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
New York City Police CommissionerNew York City Police CommissionerThe New York City Police Commissioner is the head of the New York City Police Department, appointed by the Mayor of New York City. Governor Theodore Roosevelt, in one of his final acts before becoming Vice President of the United States in March 1901, signed legislation replacing the Police Board...
, 1983–1989 - Iris WeinshallIris WeinshallIris Weinshall is a vice chancellor at the City University of New York and a former commissioner of the New York City Department of Transportation...
(B.A. 1975), vice chancellorChancellor (education)A chancellor or vice-chancellor is the chief executive of a university. Other titles are sometimes used, such as president or rector....
at the City University of New York and a former commissioner of the New York City Department of TransportationNew York City Department of TransportationThe New York City Department of Transportation is responsible for the management of much of New York City's transportation infrastructure... - Jack WeinsteinJack B. WeinsteinJack Bertrand Weinstein is a United States federal judge in the Eastern District of New York. Judge Weinstein was appointed in 1967 by President Lyndon Johnson. From 1980 to 1988, he served as chief judge of the district. On March 1, 1993, he took senior status; however, unlike some senior...
(B.A. 1943), Senior Judge, United States District Court for the Eastern District of New YorkUnited States District Court for the Eastern District of New YorkThe United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York is the federal district court whose jurisdiction comprises the entirety of Long Island and Staten Island...
Queens College
- Joy BeharJoy BeharJosephina Victoria "Joy" Behar is an American comedian, writer, actress, and a co-host of the talk show The View. Behar has a commentary program, entitled The Joy Behar Show, on CNN's sister network, HLN...
– comedienne and co-host of The View - Robert Bertoldi – Class of '76. CFO of Amphion Innovations PLC and co-founder of VennWorks LLC.
- Frank M. Boccio- Executive Vice President and CAO, New York Life Insurance Company
- Lawrence Cohen – Consultant and Entrepreneur. Former President and CEO of The Merv Griffin Group of Companies
- Jerry ColonnaJerry Colonna (financier)Jerry Colonna was among the best-known venture capitalists in New York City and played a prominent part in the early development of Silicon Alley. He is currently a life and business coach and serves on the Board of Trustees at Naropa University.-Early life:...
– Well-known venture capitalist and entrepreneur coach - Joseph CrowleyJoseph CrowleyJoseph Crowley is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1999. He is the Chairman of the New Democrat Coalition and the Queens County Democratic Party. He is a member of the Democratic Party....
– Member of the U.S. House of Representatives - Linda EagleLinda EagleLinda Eagle is a middle child with two brothers. Eagle grew up in Long Island, NY.-Education:Eagle received her Ph.D. in psychology and communication at Temple University, in Philadelphia, PA. She earned her Masters and Bachelor of Arts degree at Queens College, The City University of New...
– Founder and President, The Edcomm Group Banker's Academy (1989–2009). - Daniel Goodman – CEO of Goodman Strategies
- Alan HevesiAlan HevesiAlan G. Hevesi is a Democratic politician whoserved as a New York State Assemblyman from 1971 to 1993, as Comptroller of the City of New York from 1994 to 2001, and as State Comptroller for the State of New York from 2003 to 2006...
– former New York State Comptroller, former New York State Assemblyman, former Queens College professor - Nathan Leventhal – Former President of Lincoln Center
- Allan Loren – Former Chairman & CEO, Dun & BradstreetDun & BradstreetDun & Bradstreet is a Fortune 500 public company headquartered in Short Hills, New Jersey, USA that provides information on businesses and corporations for use in credit decisions, B2B marketing and supply chain management...
Corporation - Ruth MadoffRuth MadoffRuth Madoff is an American businesswoman and the wife of Bernard Madoff.-Early life:Madoff was born in Queens, New York City, New York. She has a sister, Joan. Madoff graduated from Far Rockaway High School in 1958...
– Wife of Bernard L. Madoff - Helen MarshallHelen MarshallHelen M. Marshall is the 18th Borough President of Queens, first elected in November 2001, to succeed the term-limited Claire Shulman...
– QueensQueensQueens is the easternmost of the five boroughs of New York City. The largest borough in area and the second-largest in population, it is coextensive with Queens County, an administrative division of New York state, in the United States....
Borough PresidentBorough presidentBorough President is an elective office in each of the five boroughs of New York City.-Reasons for establishment:... - Donna OrenderDonna OrenderDonna Orender is a sports executive and a former collegiate and professional basketball player. She was recently president of the WNBA. She grew up on Long Island, New York and was a five-sport athlete in high school, lettering in basketball, field hockey, volleyball, softball, and tennis. She is...
– WNBA president - Leonard Schutzman – Chief Financial Officer, PepsiCo
- Jerry SeinfeldJerry SeinfeldJerome Allen "Jerry" Seinfeld is an American stand-up comedian, actor, writer, and television and film producer, known for playing a semi-fictional version of himself in the situation comedy Seinfeld , which he co-created and co-wrote with Larry David, and, in the show's final two seasons,...
– Actor and comedian - Charles WangCharles WangCharles B. Wang is the co-founder of Computer Associates International, Inc. and owner of the New York Islanders ice hockey team and their AHL affiliates, the Bridgeport Sound Tigers....
– founder of Computer Associates, owner of the New York IslandersNew York IslandersThe New York Islanders are a professional ice hockey team based in Uniondale, New York. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
See also
- City University of New York Athletic ConferenceCity University of New York Athletic ConferenceThe City University of New York Athletic Conference is an intercollegiate athletic conference affiliated with the NCAA's Division III. Its member institutions are all located in New York City and are campuses of the City University of New York...
- CUNY Academic CommonsCUNY Academic Commons- Introduction :The is an online, academic social network for faculty, staff, and graduate students of the City University of New York system...
- Education in New York CityEducation in New York CityEducation in New York City is provided by a vast number of public and private institutions. The city's public school system, the New York City Department of Education, is the largest in the world, and New York is home to some of the most important libraries, universities, and research centers in...
- The William E. Macaualay Honors College