Editorial/Opinion ................Pages 12,13 Education

City Council passes resolution in support of CUNY’s ‘New Deal,’ Congresspeople back ‘em up

NYC Council Members and Justin Brannan, Hunter College senior Jodi Lewis and CUNY Rising Alliance Campaign Director Rémysell Salas stand with CUNY after council passes resolution supporting CUNY’s “New Deal.” (Photo Courtesy of PSC-CUNY)

By STEPHON JOHNSON

Amsterdam News Staff

The New York City Council has joined the CUNY union calling for a “New Deal.”

Last week, the City Council passed a resolution calling for state legislation and New York State Gov. Kathy Hochul. to acknowledge and pass the Professional Staff Congress – City University of New York (PSCCUNY). The last group represents all CUNY staff and faculty members.

“For decades, CUNY has not only made higher education possible for New Yorkers of all backgrounds, but it has been a proven stepping stone to economic prosperity. Now is the time for us to double down on this success story!” said Councilman Justin Brannan during a news conference. “Albany must pass the New Deal for CUNY. Together we can prevent further cuts to CUNY, reverse decades of cavalier underfunding, restore a tuition-free university and increase the fulltime faculty-to-students ratio. It’s time for something big and bold. New York needs a world-class public higher education system. New York needs the New Deal for CUNY.

“Let’s get it done!”

The news conference consisted of Brannan, Council Higher Education Chair Eric Dinowitz, New York State Sen. Andrew Goundardes along with CUNY faculty and staff.

According to the union, when adjusted for inflation, per-student state funding for CUNY senior colleges has fallen 38% since 1990 and 18% since 2008—years of disinvestment in CUNY.

Senior colleges of CUNY are funded largely by the state. The community colleges are funded by the state and the city, with the city providing 42% of the funding in addition to the state’s 30% share.

The council and the union have friends in Washington, D.C. Congresspeople Carolyn Maloney, Ritchie Torres, Adriano Espaillat and others threw their support behind the new deal.

“As a former teacher in New York City’s Welfare Education Program, I know firsthand how free education can change the trajectory of students’ lives for the better,” stated Maloney. “It is also why I, along with so many of my Democratic colleagues, have been fighting on local, state, and federal levels to restore funding levels for higher education across the country.”

“To help every student succeed in our state’s higher education system, CUNY urgently needs funding to hire more faculty members, invest in mental health resources, and address deteriorating infrastructure,” added Torres.

In January, Hochul announced a $1.5 billion increase in operation support for CUNY and State University of New York (SUNY) over the next five years. This includes more than $170 million for CUNY senior colleges next year. The union is calling for more. Union officials have pointed out that the university relies too heavily on undergrads, lacks mental health counselors, and holds classes in facilities that they feel are crumbling amid tuition hikes.

This is why so many people are ready to pick up the gloves and fight on behalf of the union.

“We’re proud to join the City Council, and a growing coalition of lawmakers, labor unions, community groups, students and alumni in calling on the Senate and the Assembly to make New Deal for CUNY investments their priority in the budget negotiations,” said Professional Staff Congress President James Davis, Ph.D, at the news conference. “This wealthy state can afford to end the shortages of full-time faculty and staff, the dependence on low-paid adjuncts and the degradation of our CUNY buildings and facilities. The time has come for a well-funded, tuition-free CUNY education.”

“Thank you to Councilmember Brannan, Council Higher Education Chair Eric Dinowitz and all the Council members for putting the people of New York first! CUNY was well-funded and tuition-free for New York residents for more than a century,” added Rémysell Salas, campaign director of the CUNY Rising Alliance. “New York would not be the city and state it is today had CUNY not provided a way for waves of immigrants to receive a free, rigorous college education. If a free, fully-funded CUNY was good enough for the majority white population in its first century, surely it is good enough for the majority students of color population today.”

Faith-based leaders, VNSNY address hospice access in Harlem, Bronx

By CHANDRA WILSON

Since its founding more than 130 years ago, the Visiting Nurse Service of New York (VNSNY) has made equal access to health care central to its non-profit mission. Today, the organization leads the charge in improving access to health care for all New Yorkers, including compassionate, culturally sensitive end-of-life care.

According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, a mere 8% of African American Medicare beneficiaries enroll in hospice, compared with 48% of white enrollees. VNSNY founded the HOPE (Hospice Outreach Patient and Provider Education) Program in 2015 to address this stark health care disparity and improve access to hospice information and care for residents of Harlem. The program was so successful, it was expanded in 2020 to the Bronx.

Through the HOPE Program, VNSNY works with neighborhood doctors’ offices, hospitals, community-based health care providers and other health care leaders so they can talk to patients about hospice and palliative care as illness progresses or reaches the terminal stage. Local faith-based leaders also play an important role because they can help people understand how this kind of care fits in with faith and beliefs. Additionally, the HOPE Program works with community groups to help people plan for their future, talk to their families, and to learn that hospice can actually give them more time with the people they love.

As part of its community outreach programing, a VNSNY Hospice team, spearheaded by Michelle Drayton, RN, MPH, director for Hospice and Palliative Care Outreach and the HOPE and Connect2Well programs hosted the first in its 2022 event series for faith and community leaders. The historic Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture in Harlem was the setting for this sold-out event, which took place on Friday, February 18. HOPE HEALS: FAITH EMPOWERS was designed to educate faith leaders about the HOPE and CONNECT2WELL programs and their mission to address the underutilization and lack of access to home care and health services among chronically ill and at-risk Black and Latinx adults.

By working with key stakeholders, community-based organizations and faith leaders, the goal of the HOPE program is to bridge the gap in information and access to resources within Harlem and the Bronx.

Chaired by Pastor Corey Kennard, pastor of Amplify Christian Church; Jacques DeGraff, associate pastor at Canaan Baptist Church of Christ; and Michelle Drayton, the event provided an opportunity for community leaders to meet and dialogue with members of VNSNY’s leadership. This special gathering was designed to cultivate relationships with faith and community leaders and raise awareness about VNSNY’s services and how to access them.

“It was truly remarkable to gather leaders from the community and introduce them to all VNSNY has to offer,” said Drayton, who organized the event. “It’s such important work––spreading the word in these communities about the powerful benefits that come from providing physical and spiritual healing where people live—in their homes and neighborhoods. It was a fantastic opportunity to share our perspective on the many types of care that VNSNY provides in home and community settings.”

Members of VNSNY leadership spoke at the event, including VNSNY CEO Dan Savitt, who offered his insight as to why this type of collaboration is so important.

“One of the most essential aspects of effective health care is communication, so we looked at this event as one step in a conversation that we hope will continue for months and years to come,” said Savitt. “I’m thankful for the opportunity to connect with these groups, and to open the door for more people to receive the kind of physical, emotional and spiritual care that can make the end of life a truly uplifting experience.”

“Whatever the challenges our communities face, we will be here, working together to create a world where health and access to care are a collective good, shared by all,” Savitt emphasized.

The event continued with presentations by members of Behavioral Health, CHOICE, CHHA and Hospice. Representatives from community-based organizations and several elected officials were also in attendance.

To learn more about HOPE or other VNSNY Hospice and Palliative Care programs, please visit www.VNSNY.org, or call 1-800-675-0391.

Do You Know NYC’s COVID-19 Alert Level?

The COVID Alert Levels show the current level of COVID-19 risk and what to do to protect yourself.

Alert Level What This Means Very High • Avoid nonessential activities and crowded places. • Keep physical distance in all public settings.

High

Medium

Low

• Stay home if sick or were exposed to COVID-19. • Wear a mask in all public indoor settings.

• Get tested for COVID-19. • Avoid crowded indoor and outdoor settings.

• Get vaccinated and boosted. • Consider wearing a mask in public indoor settings.