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FEBRUARY 2005

Matthew Goldstein

Chancellor Matthew Goldstein
Brings Change to CUNY

By Sybil Maimin

The City University of New York (CUNY) is on a roll! With its largest enrollment since 1975 and a revitalized reputation,
its 20 colleges and professional schools continue to attract some of the brightest New Yorkers, particularly immigrants, first generation Americans, and the less affluent. Some of
the school’s success can be attributed to Matthew Goldstein, dynamic chancellor since 1999 and the first one to be a graduate of CUNY (City College, 1963). Recently, an overflow crowd of the city’s power elite in education and business came to hear Goldstein speak at the Harvard Club, perhaps because, as Seymour Fliegel, president of the Center for Educational Innovation-Public Education Association, host of the event, explained, “He always announces something, and the amazing thing is, it always happens. He is always
prodding the system.”

In his talk, the chancellor outlined four major areas of reform that will help the university meet its mission as mandated by New York State law to “…maintain and expand its commitment to academic excellence and to the provision of equal access and opportunity for students, faculty and staff from all ethnic and racial groups and from both sexes.” First, academic excellence is being achieved through increased rigor and innovation in the curriculum (900 additional faculty have been hired bringing the total to 6300), special attention to writing skills, higher admission requirements, an Honors College, and new programs with public schools to help prepare students for college. The four-year old Honors College has been a huge success, attracting exceptional students (2100 applicants for 300 places last year) and offering a unique, world-class education. Second, CUNY is investing in teacher education at its Teachers Academy where it works with the city’s Department of Education. CUNY produces about one-third of new teachers in the public schools. Goldstein is determined to find out “if we are attracting the most able students and, if not, why,” and “why teachers start with the best of intentions and leave.” He is “convinced if we start fresh we can do better” and cites basic changes needed such as improved compensation and better conditions. “Schools need to understand you are competing in a market-based economy.” Third, this will be the decade of serious investment in science at CUNY. One of the nation’s top research institutions with over 100 research centers, institutes, and consortia, the university must upgrade science facilities to attract and hold top faculty and students. Goldstein worries that college students are moving away from science. Fourth, the chancellor “acknowledged with grave concern” that CUNY has not recruited, retained, and educated minorities, especially blacks and Hispanics, adequately and cited a 60-70 percent drop-out rate in some areas. “Our society is unforgiving of no skills,” he warned. “It is the obligation of a public, urban university to look at the problem and see what can be done.” He has appointed a task force to examine the best research and come up with proposals.

A basic theme in CUNY’s history, explained Goldstein, has been to “provide an education so the children of the poor and of immigrants have an opportunity to achieve their dreams.” It was with special pride that he introduced Eugene Shenderov of Brooklyn College and Lev Sviridov of City College, who have been named Rhodes Scholars and will study at Oxford University next year. Both are immigrants from the former Soviet Union and are “the embodiment of the CUNY experience.” Shenderov said he was pleased to put to rest the idea that public institutions are not as good as private ones. “We still can compete on the highest levels,” he noted. CUNY is in the midst of a major fund-raising campaign. Its reforms and achievements have earned it new respect and, the chancellor hopes, will contribute to the success of the campaign.#

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