State of the Students Address 20 February 2012 City Hall Steps Delivered by Students United for a Free CUNY

Good Afternoon and thank you for coming. My name is Kenneth Cruz, student at the John Jay College. I am here with Students United for a Free CUNY, a coalition of students that fights for a free, equal and just CUNY. We are dedicated to education, action, effective dialogue, and social justice. Before we begin, we'd like to acknowledge the individuals here today that run the wheels of our city: the parents, the teachers, the community organizers, the workers and most importantly, the students- from primary and secondary school, to college and graduate school. Our students- our youth- is where our strength lies and from whom our future draws breath. We would like to thank the support of the representative standing here today in solidarity with Students United for a Free CUNY in our fight for education: New York City Council Member Charles Barron. Additionally, we would like to thank the Professional Staff Congress and all the professors, adjuncts, lecturers, program directors, and people behind the scenes at CUNY and throughout our educational system that work for students and leave a lasting imprint on young minds forever. And of course, thank you to all the middle school, high school, college and graduate students who are here today on behalf of themselves and their rights. With such a rich history and plethora of great minds that graduated from CUNY, it is no wonder that students strive to excel in the world. It is a great travesty of justice when we are inhibited from such potential. To understand the present, you have to know the history. CUNY was set up as the Free Academy, now known as City College in 1847, for the working class in NYC through a popular referendum. It remained free even through the Great Depression, plenty of recessions, two World Wars, and much of the Cold War. The student body was predominantly white. For European immigrants, CUNY was an extraordinary opportunity to break free from poverty and rise above the working class. In 1969, working class students of color (mostly African-American and Puerto Rican) ORGANIZED, fought for, and won Open Admissions at CUNY, opening the doors for thousands of students of color to access free quality public higher education. They wanted the same chance as their student predecessors. In

1976, CUNY implemented tuition when the student body became predominantly people of color. Although CUNY was once tuition-free, it was never truly representative of NYC, as it barred students of color and continues to do so today. Issues of racism must be dealt with, front and center of the struggle, for a free and democratic CUNY. That is: you cannot discuss social justice without discussing race. The State of the Students reflects the state of the poor, disadvantaged, middleclass, and working people of color in New York City and State whom no longer have access to quality education. The voices never heard will now be amplified. This is the State of the Students.

Opening Amir Khafajee, student at LaGuardia Community College. Jamie Yancovitz, student at the Grad Center Morning after morning, night after night, students are waking up with tremendous weights on their chests and going to bed with worries and instabilities awaiting them in the day ahead. Students of this generation face the daunting task of carrying the future of this nation. Time and again, the current politicians have failed to properly act to rebuild the educational system in this nation. The time to act- to save education- is now, not tomorrow. We demand that the nation see that an education of ALL its people is an act of national security, an insurance policy in the survival of its future. After all, it is our tax money paying for government and education- we should have a say in both. That's what makes it public- because we, the public, pay for it. Lately we have been seeing pointless speeches, from the State of the Union, State of the State and State of the City that do nothing but sugarcoat the poisons being fed to the public. But today you are going to hear about what each and everyone one of you should already know, The State of the Students. What is the State of the Students? Students are in a drastic state. There are more students enrolled in public higher education than there have ever been. That means students WANT to learn. We yearn to learn. So then why is funding getting lower and lower? Furthermore, as funding for education falls, tuition goes up. Since 1990, state aid for full-time students has DECREASED by 39.2% while tuition has INCREASED by 91.8%. (PSC Testimony 2012) As City and State aid to CUNY fell, tuition and fees paid by students has risen dramatically. As the Professional Staff Congress reports, 74% of funding for

CUNY was provided by the state in 1990. Now in 2012, the state provides merely 51% of CUNY funding, while the share from student tuition, fees, and other sources of revenue has more than doubled from 21% to 47%. That means that the burden of public higher education lies more heavily on the backs of students than it does on both the state and city. How fair is this, when the student population of CUNY is comprised of 74% of students of color? How fair is this, when 47% of CUNY students juggle work and school, when 14% raise children, and when 44% of CUNY students are immigrants? (Source: PSC Report, February 1, 2012) When we look at the state of community colleges are bleak. The lack of state funding is even more depressing. As of right now, 42% of the cost to attend community college is funded by students themselves in the form of tuition, fees, and other avenues like private fundraising, while New York State barely covers a quarter of the total community college funding. For most students, this is not affordable by any means. The typical community college student differs dramatically from the typical student who starts at a four-year college. Most community college students need to work. Nearly all community college students need remedial college courses because public K-12 education had failed them. And, almost no one in community college ever finishes in two years, or even three. A January 2012 study by the Center for an Urban Future reports that for every 10 students who entered CUNY community colleges, six years later, 6 of those students dropped out, 1 was still enrolled, 2 had earned an Associate's degree and only 1 had made it through a Bachelor's degree. According to CUNY data, 72% of the community college cohort that enrolled in 2004 failed to graduate in 6 years. That means that out of 10,185 students, 7,323 failed to graduate. These figures are appalling, In 2011, the New York Times reported that of last year's incoming freshmen, three-quarters of the 17,500 students needed remedial instruction. For those who may not know, remedial courses are developmental ones that provide no credit towards completing a degree and cost just as much as a college course. And guess what? Half those students never complete them. It's no wonder so many students end up dropping out. "Why are so many students who enter college so under prepared?" you may ask. Well, State education officials report that half of all New York State students who graduated from high school in 2009 were prepared for college OR careers, as measured by State Regents exams in Math and English. In New York City alone, that proportion was 23%. Many of those graduates ended up going to CUNY - the largest urban university system in the nation. (Source: NYT March 5, 2011)

Since many CUNY students are so underprepared, college professors end up spending most of their time being high school teachers instead. That means two things: one, the state is paying more money to fund remedial courses that should have already been covered in high school. And two, the problem did not start at CUNY; it started in primary school and continued throughout secondary school. Students who arrive to CUNY campuses unprepared for college shed light on the inadequate education they received in high school and prior. Even now, our K through 12th grade students struggle more than ever to receive an educational environment that nurtures their physical and emotional development, as well as their mental development. Surely, gambling away our childrens education in raffles and lotteries to decide who gets a better chance cannot give a child a positive sense of self-worth. Department Of Education reports show that the schools that were closed last year were the ones struggling to meet basic requirements for student success. Student proficiency levels were far below the city average in English and math, and instead of investing more time, money and teachers to help those students, Mayor Bloomberg decided to close the schools instead. Many other reports show that if schools receive appropriate support, they can thrive. Providing support improves results. (Source: NYS Education Department report, July 28, 2010) However, support continues to decrease! Our K through 12 educators are experiencing a revolving door job market. As students and educators lose quality support, those in charge gain from the spoils of treating education as a form of business. Those mismanaging the funds and their policies stay in office, and even praised, while students and educators are neglected, blamed and criminalized. Considering the schooling and qualifications of those who hold these positions of power, we cannot assume that they are oblivious to this. Surely, they are conscious of their decisions and the consequences of them. These are the decisions that affect the state of the students. We cannot assume that these injustices are purely coincidental. The State of the Students is an example of the unjust world we live in today. However, none our leading representatives have mentioned any of this. Rather, they lead us to believe we are being helped, while clandestinely making decisions that hurt us and the future of New York City. In Mayor Bloomberg's State of the City Address (January 12) this year, he spoke about the "innovative new schools" he plans on opening, including three computer science focused schools in the Bronx, a Software Engineering Academy, and "a dozen new career and technical schools" in the next two years - but what he fails to mention are the 26 schools he closed in the year 2011

alone! And the 117 total closed since he took mayoral control over the public education system in NYC! He also failed to mention all the studies that show that although new small schools may increase graduation rates, they do not serve the communities most in need. In your speech, you told us that you will not let us down. You even said that the student voice, is the voice we listen to and I thought all of us should hear it today. Well this is our voice. And were telling you that closing schools is not going to get us where we need to go. On the State level, in Governor Cuomos State of the State Address (January 4) last month, he stated that, "we spend more money on education than any other state yet we are the 38th state in graduation rates." How is this allowed to continue? How is this sustainable for us to be competitive in the world and the future of the generations to come? Bloomberg and Cuomo should know by know that quality and accessible education is not just an investment in a small population; it is an investment in all of New York. Study after study has found that college graduates are more financially* beneficial to society than non-graduates, and therefore, more highly compensated by employers. The average annual earnings of New York City adults aged 25-29 with a high school diploma or GED is $17,000. While the average annual earnings of those with a Bachelor's Degree is $42,000. It is clear that if we get more education, we're more likely to make more money. Additionally, In 2010, the unemployment rate of those with less than a high school diploma was 14.9% but with a Bachelor's Degree, it was 5.4%. More education means we're less likely to be unemployed. The more employed with better jobs, the more tax money there would be sustain higher education and other public institutions for the health of society. Taxpayers receive a return on their investment with every student who walks across a stage to receive a diploma. Therefore, it is in the public interest to ensure that as many students as possible will walk across that stage. For every student who dropped out of a CUNY community college, New York City, New York State and the federal government combined spent $18,000 - thats $18,000 per student! The benefits of improving community college graduation rates and increasing the funding for community college is clear. If the graduation rate for the entering class of 2004 had been just 10 percentage points higher, the public would have saved $18.1 million. Education does not just help individuals; it helps families and communities too. Women who graduate from college while on welfare are less likely to return to public assistance and have far less lower rates of family poverty. The higher the education of parents, the more likely they are to read to their children daily. If it

isn't clear by now, all of this is to showcase that the city, state and federal governments pay for a wide range of social services so it only makes sense that we all - the government and the people - invest in public education, for all. Public education plays an important role in instilling moral values, providing health and nutrition, fighting delinquency and crime, and protecting children from physical and psychological abuse, which would save millions in other public programs. (Source: American Community Survey, 2007-2009 - Mobility Makers report p. 17) From Kindergarten through Grade 12, our schools are being neglected. They lack basic resources and needs for adequate education and development for our youth. As if the challenges to graduate high school weren't enough, those of us who even make it to high school are faced with a whole new world of challenges when we attempt to make a career of educating ourselves. Were tired of being neglected. Were tired of un-kept promises and futile rhetoric. Our politicians say that the student voice is the most important one. Well, here it is. And heres what we need right now. Governor Cuomo said he will be the lobbyist of the students, and Mayor Bloomberg claims to be the "Education Mayor". Well Mr. Cuomo and Mr. Bloomberg, here's what we need lobbying for.

We demand: - A free, quality, democratic public education that is accessible to all students. - The end of school closings - The removal of NYPD and all violent security forces that act with brutality against students - Community control & a truly democratic process of appointing administrators on the Board of Trustees and the Department of Education - Healthcare benefits for our adjunct professors - Student debt forgiveness - Most importantly, we demand a tuition-free education at CUNY as it was originally intended. We're not just looking for a monetarily free CUNY, but a mentally and socially free CUNY that includes the input of the student voice and is free of racist and elite bias, especially in the teaching of history. We're not looking for any handouts. In fact, we're looking for a hand UP - so that we can rise to the challenge of moving this nation forward. If the next generation is not educated, there is no way we can compete with the rest of the world. The State of the Students is a dire one, with minimal support in education and thereby facilitating a generation of underachievers lacking the preparation and imagination to create a better tomorrow. Now is when we need a hands-on education plan and strategy that engages students the most, and teaches us all

how to take the steps toward that better tomorrow that we can all see but have yet to experience. If our politicians are as committed to education as they claim in their speeches, then education needs to be THE Top priority, in all city and statewide budgets. We say NO MORE cuts to education, no more privatization of public education, no more school closings. We will no longer accept the excuse that there is no money. Through a progressive tax reform, the end of the Stock Transfer Tax Rebate, and other sources of revenue that end up in the private pockets instead of public hands, New York State could have a surplus to invest in its people. It is called prioritization- it is called justice. We brought ourselves here today to defend our right to education. To defend it for the generations of students to come. We take this opportunity to speak for those who have not been heard, and for those who have yet to know the power of their voices and their actions. Our demands are universal principles that all free people demand. The demand for a free, equal and quality education of the highest standards is only a dream when it is a denied reality. We know that these demands are possible and that it only makes sense to make them. There should be absolutely no excuse for a poor quality education when we live in one of the wealthiest nations in the world. It is not too late. We can and we must make these changes now. For we are the youth that will create the future. In order to redeem the nations mistakes of the past, we must first undergo a profound transformation. This transformation must begin in the classrooms for it is the students that are destined to reshape its future. We must be educated, and our children must be educated, to the fullest extent and quality. Quality education means an unrestricted education. Unrestricted and unbound by the limitations placed on education, free from the perils that mislead students from the eager search for knowledge and truth. Knowledge is power and the truth shall set you free.