It is with mixed emotions that we write to announce that Dean Andy Rich will be leaving City College after the Spring semester to become President of Franklin and Marshall College in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. We could not be happier for Dean Rich as he makes this exciting career move, but he will be missed on our campus.

Dean Rich started his academic career as an Assistant Professor of Political Science at Wake Forest University in 1999 before moving to the Political Science Department at City College in 2003. After holding a number of leadership positions in the Colin Powell School, Dean Rich left City College to become President and CEO of the Roosevelt Institute in 2009 before moving on in 2011 to become CEO and Executive Secretary of the Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation where, still today, he serves as Chairman of the Board of Directors of Friends of the Truman Foundation. Six years ago, in early 2019 we were fortunate to lure Andy back to City College to serve as the Dean of the Colin Powell School of Civic and Global Leadership.

During his six years of leadership the Colin Powell School has seen growth in every measure, most obviously in the number of undergraduate students as the Powell School became the largest undergraduate division at the College, as measured by numbers of majors, and he has overseen a fundraising campaign for the division that has secured more than $85 million in pledges and gifts since 2020. Among other things, the funds raised have supported several new faculty hires and a number of new leadership programs including Leadership for Democracy and Social Justice and the Moynihan Center at City College. Most recently Dean Rich has overseen the creation of the Social Mobility Lab at CCNY dedicated to understanding how social mobility is created.

During his time with us, Dean Rich has built a strong and resilient division of social sciences, one that supports our students and carries out the mission of City College every day. The school has an extraordinary staff and faculty, and it benefits enormously from the guidance and support of a 28-person Board of Visitors, chaired by Linda Powell. It is a division we are confident is well positioned to attract its next dynamic leader. We will be announcing interim leadership for the division very soon, so that the interim dean will have the advantage of working side-by-side with Dean Rich between now and June 2025, and we will be beginning a nationwide search for the next permanent dean in the coming weeks. Meanwhile, please join us in congratulating Dean Rich on this exciting career move.

Sincerely,

Vince Boudreau
President

Tony Liss
Provost

I am sorry to share the news that Brendan Costello, who taught in the English Department for 17 years, has passed away after several months of health challenges. An alumnus of our MFA in Creative Writing and a winner of the English Department’s Irwin and Alice Stark Award for short fiction and Goodman Award for graduate essay, Brendan was a much loved part of the City College writing community. Beyond City College he was an active member of the James Joyce Society, organizing annual Bloomsday reading events, and of the Irish American Writers and Artists Association. Brendan was also host and producer of “The Largest Minority,” a disability affairs radio show on WBAI.

Brendan dedicated himself to fostering a welcoming, thoughtful learning environment for his students. He lived a life of service and meaning.

A memorial will be held this Saturday, February 8 (https://www.mchoulfuneralhome.com/book-of-memories/5544689/Costello-Brendan/index.php).

On behalf of the college, I wish to extend our deepest sympathy to everyone who loved and worked with Brendan, on this campus and beyond.

Sincerely,

Vincent Boudreau
President

Welcome to City College of the City University of New York! As we usher in the Spring 2025 semester, I am thrilled to extend a warm welcome to both our new and returning students. You are part of a community rich in diversity, tradition, and academic excellence. As your AVP of Student Affairs, I am committed to ensuring that your journey here is not only educational but also enriching and transformative.

At City College, we take pride in fostering an environment that is inclusive, supportive, and conducive to your academic and personal growth. Our mission in Student Affairs is to enhance your student experience by empowering you to pursue your educational goals. We aim to stimulate social interaction and foster self-discovery, community building, and leadership development.

Our campus is a mosaic of cultures, ideas, and aspirations, and this diversity makes City College a dynamic and vibrant place to learn and grow. Every student’s voice adds a unique tone to our collective narrative. We are dedicated to nurturing those voices while respecting diverse perspectives and seeking to understand different opinions, all guided by the CUNY Rules and Regulations for the Maintenance of Public Order.

I am excited to share some news for the Spring 2025 semester:

• Tasmia Hussain ( thussain@ccny.cuny.edu ) has joined us as our new full-time nurse and will lead the Student Health Services Office.
• Angelo Cabrera will join the team as the Director of the Immigrant Student Center for Resources and Research on February 10th.

Additionally, please remember that our Emergency Grants Program is here to support students in good academic standing who face unforeseen challenges and financial emergencies that may impact their ability to thrive at City College. As you navigate your journey, we also encourage you to take full advantage of the myriad opportunities available to enrich your experience. Get involved in our student organizations, attend diverse Student Life programming, participate in community service initiatives, and engage in the following activities:

• Sustained Dialogues (bi-weekly sessions)
• Urban Mentoring and Achievement Network (weekly conversations)
• Interfaith Council (semester meetings)
• Spring Counseling Groups or Workshops
• New Student Focus Groups for new students who attended the Spring New Student Orientation
• Fitness Classes and Intramural Games (weekly sessions)

Remember, your time at City College is a journey of self-discovery, learning, and growth. Embrace the challenges, cherish the friendships, and seize the opportunities. Our efforts in Student Affairs are dedicated to preparing you for a lifetime of learning and positive societal impact.

Once again, wishing you a successful Spring 2025! I am excited to see the remarkable things you will accomplish and the indelible mark you will leave on our institution.

See you around campus!

Regards,

Ramón De Los Santos, Ed.D.
Assistant Vice President of Student Affairs
The City College of New York/CUNY
160 Convent Avenue
New York, NY 10031
Tel. (212) 650-5426
www.ccny.cuny.edu

I write today, on our first class day of the Spring Semester, to welcome you to campus. If this is your first semester, we are honored that you have chosen City College for your studies and work. If you are a member of our community of longer standing, thank you for your commitment to continuing the CCNY legacy.

Part of that legacy, a part in which we take great pride, emphasizes the role CCNY has played in providing opportunity to generations of students for whom college and a life of prosperity and security may have been a distant dream. Our role in American society has been to convert those aspirants, generation after generation, into graduates and alumni with pivotal roles to play in American society. We have been a gateway through which uncounted students–some of them only precariously established in American society– have passed en route to a better life. We shall remain so.

That legacy requires that we remind ourselves that our most important responsibilities include that we exercise care and concern for one another, particularly when members of our community have reason to feel anxiety or come under some undue pressure or strain. As we return to campus, let’s dedicate ourselves to the construction of a community in which we can take pride today. Let us make sure that we will someday be able to reflect with satisfaction on the actions we now take in care of our colleagues and neighbors.

I have asked the college’s leadership team (specifically the President’s Cabinet) to take action to support all members of our community, and to communicate those actions clearly and effectively in their divisions and offices. AVP Ramon De Los Santos will soon issue a memo that outlines a number of important services that exist on campus to provide support ranging from financial, mental health and mentoring support. Academic divisions and departments are in the process of naming local liaison officers who will serve to disseminate information about services and support to those who need it. I’m here asking faculty and staff in particular to learn who those liaison officers are, so that you are in position to refer students (or others) in need to appropriate resources.

I end, however, with a note of hope. City College stands firm in our convictions and resolute in our mission. I know that we will work together to make sure that our community remains intact and our contributions to a just and more prosperous American society persist into the years and decades to come.

Welcome back!

Vince Boudreau

I wanted to take a moment before the winter break to wish each of you a very happy holiday season and a much-deserved respite from the regular work we do together.

When we come back together in January, it will be with the same commitments and values that have animated our community for generations: a faith in the potential of each member of our student body, a commitment to the safety and well-being of our entire population, and an understanding that our contribution to society is never more important than when concerns about equity and justice—however defined—are under threat.

I know full well that these values have been challenged over the past months and that the current environment is anything but settled. None of us know exactly what lies ahead in the months to come, but one thing is certain: fulfilling our mission to one another and to the world will require a heightened sense of collaboration, greater degrees of mutual support and understanding, and the creativity and resilience of every person on campus. Nevertheless, my decades of CCNY experience assure me that this community has vast reserves of decency, deep wells of compassion and strong instincts for justice. Backed by these resources, I fully expect that the City College of the next few years will be preserved, our community will thrive, and we will have cause be proud of how we met the challenges of this hour.

I wish you all a peaceful and restorative break and look forward to welcoming you back to campus in January.

Sincerely,

Vince Boudreau
President

I write to call your attention to a memo that has been circulated by CUNY Citizenship Now! regarding student travel over the coming winter break. As they acknowledge in their message, nobody knows precisely what will change in our immigration and border security policies when the administration changes, but it makes sense to circulate our very best thinking about what may happen, and to advise students to exercise caution and prudence in their travel plans. The bottom line is that students who do not hold a US Passport may anticipate additional anxiety or obstacles and the best way to avoid them is to assure your return by January 19.

CCNY is committed to preserving and protecting every member of our college community and to safeguard our ability to replicate that community in the years to come. Please help us achieve those goals by exercising caution in your travel plans this winter break.

Sincerely,

Vince Boudreau
President

The CUNY Citizenship Now! post reads as follows:

One of the first acts of the Trump Presidency in 2017 was to enforce travel restrictions on who could enter the United States. In anticipation of a potential new travel ban enacted on January 20, 2025, plus other possible immigration restrictions, CUNY Citizenship Now! is providing recommendations to individuals in the CUNY community who are looking to travel abroad during the winter recess and December/January holiday season.

Individuals with Deferred Action For Childhood Arrivals (DACA)

Students with DACA should be safe traveling abroad with Advance Parole, even if they expect returning after January 20, 2025. Advance Parole – USCIS permission to return to the U.S. after travel abroad – allows reentry in the same status the student had before leaving, provided that the student has not engaged in illegal activity in the U.S. or abroad, such as a criminal activity that would make them inadmissible when they try to re-enter. That said, to avoid the anxiety about pending immigration law changes, many DACA recipients may feel more comfortable returning earlier. We recommend returning to the U.S. on or before January 19, 2025.

Additionally, we recommend students return to the United States via JFK Airport. Inspectors there have more experience with DACA entrants, and we can sometimes intervene to assist the student and inquire when a person is detained for an extensive period.

Individuals with Temporary Protected Status (TPS)

Students and staff with TPS traveling abroad with Advance Parole should make every effort to return before January 19, 2025. This advice differs from that given to DACA students because the Trump administration may try to immediately end TPS, at which point the individual would not have the possibility to return as a TPS holder. The administration does not have a similar option for DACA.

Returning to the U.S. with Advance Parole

Individuals returning with Advance Parole should expect to undergo secondary inspection, which is when you are interviewed by a Customs and Border Inspection (CBP) officer in a room. You need not fear these interviews but should be prepared for the extra scrutiny. CBP officers have the right to check your phones for calls and messages and your social media pages.

International Students

F-1 and J-1 students should face no problems reentering the United States on January 20 and after, provided they have a valid unexpired visa and have not violated their status. They should prepare for increased scrutiny at reentry and may be denied entry if CBP finds evidence that they have violated their status such as by working without authorization. CBP officers have the right to check your phones for calls and messages and your social media pages. Again, to avoid the anxiety we recommend returning to the U.S. on or before January 19, 2025.

Students SHOULD NOT travel abroad if they must obtain a new visa at a U.S. Consulate on January 20 or after. We will reconsider this advice after January 20, 2025. It is impossible to know what restrictions the new administration might place on the issuance of new visas.

We are prioritizing consultations if you are traveling abroad on Advance Parole, so please email citizenshipnowinfo@cuny.edu for a consultation with an attorney.

For more travel guidance, you can contact CUNY Citizenship Now!

As we begin the accelerated slide into Thanksgiving, finals, grading, and the holidays that follow, I am reminded that our (now) traditional holiday karaoke party is close at hand. We'll meet, as we have over the past 7 years, on December 5, at 4 pm in Shepard 350 for food, drink, companionship, and (with any luck) a vibrant assortment of beautiful or earnest vocal presentations.

But I’m also reminded, this year, of why we went with a karaoke-themed party all these years ago. In late 2016, we found ourselves in circumstances very similar to today’s with significant potential shifts in our professional and social landscape. It seemed to me then, as it does now, that one of the things people do at such moments is gather, draw strength and encouragement from one another, and celebrate in song.

Let’s do that, and see if we can weave an evening of keeping each others’ company into the start of a more resilient community fabric.

Add your song selections to this link ahead of the party: https://forms.gle/wjgrCGkvzgtgf3bz8.

I hope to see as many of you as possible at the party.

With my best wishes,

Vince

I know many of us return to campuses and classes today focused on the outcome of our nation’s election with a wide range of emotions regardless of how we voted. I commend all who cast a vote, in person or by mail, and upheld an obligation I feel we have to be civically engaged and invested in the trajectory of our local, state and national governance.  

Higher education is a place where our faculty, staff and students work to find context and meaning in current events, including elections, a role that will become increasingly important in the days and weeks ahead. We must strive to find constructive ways to channel our feelings and express our views.  

It is important that we come together to process these events, support one another regardless of our political opinions and resolve to maintain an atmosphere of respectful dialogue across our campuses. Some of these conversations will be difficult, as we know, but we must strive to sustain a climate of constructive expression, engagement and respect. I also urge you to remain focused on your coursework and other academic and professional pursuits. 

As always, we are committed to your safety and growth. We have support systems in place for students and employees concerned about what the election might mean for them and we encourage you to stay connected with family and friends.

Students who need help coping may seek support by visiting the CUNY Mental Health Services webpage. Faculty and staff may reach out to CCA@YourService or call CUNY’s confidential employee assistance program provider at 800-833-8707. Reach out to faculty, advisers and our mental health counselors to get the help needed during this time of change and stay connected to family and friends. 

I continue to draw positive motivation and pride from CUNY’s historical mission, which remains as vital today as ever.  

Sincerely,

Félix V. Matos Rodríguez
Chancellor

In 2016 I wrote the message below with a hopefulness that we could rely on the vision set forth at our founding in 1847: to be a beacon for all who choose to make City College their home, whether as students or in their professions.

Since 2016, we have been repeatedly challenged as a community, and that vision has both been put to the test and proven itself to be a continuing source of resiliency. I believe that these tests, on balance, have made us stronger and expanded our capacity to defend our values.

This defense, however, is not an episodic thing, but a continuing responsibility and calling. And so we come to this moment, when so much of the rhetoric that marked our recently concluded campaign season seems overtly to threaten friends and colleagues on this campus. As I have cast around for words to frame our response, I consulted the note I composed eight years ago, and find it as fitting today as it may have been then. It reads as follows:

To many of you, the world today must feel a colder and more lonely place. Over the past months, we have watched the parameters of what is acceptable in our political and social life, and in the speech acts associated with that life, shift radically away from established norms of racial justice, gender fairness and basic equality before the law.

I write these lines not as a partisan in our political process, but as someone who has been asked to steward, for the time being, an institution that is not neutral on these questions, and that cannot remain neutral.

Our values demand, whatever the rhetoric outside our campus, that we embrace the possibility that there is a place for all of us, on this campus and in this society: wherever you were born, and however you came here. They demand that we embrace our differences as virtues rather than threats, and recognize and nurture the promise represented by each person moving across this earth. At the most fundamental level, they demand that we commit our private and public selves to the responsibility of taking care of one another: of recognizing pain, and want, and isolation when we see it in those around us, and offering such comfort as we can.

We are a campus of immigrants, and the advocacy for justice in the field of immigration will continue to be central to our educational efforts. We are a campus community that proclaims its diversity, and so we must be a refuge and a source of wisdom on questions of racial, religious and gender fairness. We are, as an institution, built on foundational beliefs about the necessary place of accessible education—and by implication the need for robust social and economic mobility—in any stable and democratic society.  And all of this means that whenever and for whatever reason the climate shifts against these values outside our campus, we are obliged to reaffirm them within it.

I have always thought that CCNY has been, throughout its history, a step ahead of the country—that it has been our privilege and obligation to model, for the rest of the world, what a better and more perfect union should look like, to educate young people in a belief in that world, and send them out to help make it. That is our legacy, and I fervently hope that you feel its weight and honor, now more than ever.

Let’s be that place.  Let’s look one another in the eye today. Let’s stick together, and in that basic act of community, continue the work we came to this campus to do.

We will, in the coming days, reissue a series of reminders of the many college-based opportunities we have to engage in constructive dialogue, to support the health and wellness needs of our community and to enhance the security of everyone in our orbit. And I’ll add the gentle reminder that however one identifies politically, City College represents more than 177 years of ensuring a place in society for all and we will do what is necessary to meet the demands of the moment in defense of that legacy.

Sincerely,

Vince Boudreau

We are aware of a recent social media post concerning the cancellation of an inter-MSA Jummah event planned for Friday, October 11th, on the South Lawn. We want to clarify that this narrative misrepresents City College’s policies and values: we are committed to maintaining an environment where all voices can be heard, respected, and celebrated.

First and foremost, City College has not banned Muslim students—or any students—from praying on campus. The allegation of Islamophobia is categorically false and contrary to our mission. The event in question was not approved because it did not go through the proper channels, which is a standard procedure required for all student events to ensure safety and compliance with city regulations (see our communications with club leaders). This policy is uniformly applied to all student groups to ensure fairness and safety, not as a measure to suppress any particular group. The recent social media post incorrectly suggests that this student club is being singled out, when in reality, the same rules are applied to all student clubs.

City College is proud of its diverse and inclusive community. Our commitment to fostering an environment where different perspectives strengthen us is unwavering. In alignment with this commitment, we have launched initiatives like our Sustained Dialogue series, partnered with the Human Rights Commission to host a series on dehumanization that discusses the lived experiences of our Muslim (Nov 7), Jewish (Nov 14), and people of color communities (Jan 30) and held two Interfaith Council meetings with 16 faith-based student clubs this semester.

For those interested in organizing events, we encourage you to familiarize yourselves with our Events Policies and CUNY Rules and Regulations for the Maintenance of Public Order known as the Henderson Rules, including our Student Demonstration Policy available on the college website and the student handbook. These guidelines help ensure that while you exercise your freedom of expression, you also support the uninterrupted operations of the College and the educational experience of all students.

Creating misleading narratives can also foster a hostile environment that goes against everything we stand for at CCNY. We urge everyone to approach such issues with a spirit of understanding and cooperation.

For any further information or to discuss how to properly organize events and demonstrations on campus, please contact the Office of Student Life. We are here to assist you in navigating these processes and to support your right to express and assemble peacefully and respectfully.

Thank you for your attention to this important matter.

Regards,
Ramón De Los Santos, Ed.D.
Assistant Vice President of Student Affairs