At the end of February, the Professional Staff Congress CUNY President Dr. James Davis gave a testimony at the joint Higher Education Executive Budget Hearing in Albany. During the testimony, PSC voiced its appreciation for Gov. Kathy Hochul’s cooperation in helping to fund CUNY in the wake of previous budget cuts but stressed that the proposed state funding for FY 2026 is not nearly enough to adequately support the growing institution.
Davis stated, “too many of our campuses are vastly understaffed, dependent on a patchwork of adjunct faculty and overworked professional staff. Students need more academic advisors and mental health counselors to help keep them on track to graduation.”
The testimony highlighted the ever-present need for increased staffing of full-time faculty, academic advisors and mental health counselors throughout the institution. As CUNY continues to increase enrollment, proportional funding is vital in order to maintain an already understaffed CUNY.
During the beginning of the testimony, PSC CUNY expressed support for Hochul’s New York State Opportunity Promise Scholarship. If enacted as is, the proposal would cover tuition, fees and books at any SUNY or CUNY community college for residents 22 to 55 years old who are pursuing their first degree in fields such as nursing, engineering, teaching and tech.
This proposal is expected to increase the number of students enrolled within the CUNY system; however, current understaffing issues call into question CUNY’s ability to support this influx.
For the FY 2026 budget, PSC CUNY cites the immediate need for an additional 1,000 full-time faculty members, 55 academic advisors and 40 mental health counselors.
Despite CUNY colleges consistently being ranked highly for “best value” and upward social mobility, their graduation rates within six years for a bachelor’s degree and three years for an associate’s degree are below the national average.
Each registration period comes with a frenzy of students struggling to schedule brief meetings with advisors who are often stretched too thin to adequately meet or plan with their students.
Both academic advising and mental health resources have proven to be crucial elements for student retention, graduation and achievement. Furthermore, full-time faculty will help improve student-teacher classroom ratios and ensure required classes for graduation are offered more frequently.
Professionals at CUNY have continuously felt overworked. According to a PSC CUNY survey published last summer of professional staff and library faculty, 52% of respondents reported their workload increasing significantly over the past four years, with another 33% reporting a somewhat increase. Of those who reported an increase, 71% listed understaffing as a reason why.
CUNY boasts a highly skilled, accomplished and motivated full-time faculty, but without proper funding, it becomes incredibly difficult for these educators and vital staff members to deliver quality instruction, guidance and support that they are proud of.
