CUNY Chancellor Felix Matos Rodriguez has recently unveiled the CUNY Lifting New York 2023-2030 Roadmap in which he conducted The Strategic Roadmap Steering Committee to seek out ways to improve the 25 campuses within the CUNY system.
Baruch College President Wu is dedicated to fulfilling all the goals and initiatives of Baruch’s strategic plan. Baruch’s comment on CUNY Lifting New York is the following:
“The Strategic Roadmap Steering Committee, representing a cross-section of diverse perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences from the entire University community, led more than 140 leaders from around CUNY in developing strategic roadmaps… More than 2,000 members of the University community engaged with the committees and provided meaningful input during themed town halls, listening sessions, and engagement opportunities.”
“Since the launch of our mission in 1847, CUNY has continuously represented opportunity for New Yorkers of all backgrounds, providing an affordable, high-quality and life-changing education for 175 years,” Rodriguez said.
However COVID-19 has had massive impacts on students’ lives, and has dampened CUNY’s opportunity to assist students with their needs. A survey published by the Journal of Urban Health stated that 54% of students experienced depression and/or anxiety in April 2020, a quarter of students anticipated graduating later than usual due to COVID-19 and 50% worried about running out of food before being able to afford more, among other things.
The pandemic’s effects urged the Chancellor to ensure CUNY is well-prepared for global emergencies in the future and pay attention to unsolved or undermined issues in the CUNY system.
The issues the Committee wanted to improve upon include catalyzing upward mobility and prosperity, nurturing and renewing the academic core, designing a convergent and innovative ecosystem, reimagining university finance and infrastructure, promoting college integration and university differentiation and creating a student-centered, equity-driven university.
Baruch’s five-year strategic roadmap has two main goals: measuring engagement and improving differentiation. Engagement consists of providing more funding for research labs, scholarships and creative works.
It also means establishing CUNY as the go-to partner for student recruitment by industry partners, and creating stronger bonds with CUNY alumni and associates.
Differentiation means giving as many people access to Baruch’s educational opportunities as possible and making Baruch’s scheduling as flexible and convenient as can be.
Additionally, it means expanding upon the diversity of Baruch’s students and enrolling students of all different ages, backgrounds, religions, races, ethnicities, etc.
This also implies providing minority populations with more resources and opportunities to graduate on time and find careers after graduation.
