FERNANDO FERRER
Candidate's Website

1. COMMUNITY COLLEGE FUNDING:
State Education Law mandates that the City fund one-third of CUNY community college's overall budget, but that level of funding has not been met for nearly a decade.
(a) Do you plan to increase City funding for CUNY?
(b) By how much?
(c) Over what period of time?

New York State has abdicated its responsibility to CUNY. We are last of 50 states in state and local appropriations to higher education. We have seen this manifest in CUNY's lack of full-time professors, in its crumbling infrastructure, and in its outrageous tuition bills. Instead of attacking CUNY, as Mayor I will do all that I can to support it, including a commitment to conversions that will enable 70% of CUNY's community college faculty to be full-time instead of part-time and lobbying heavily in favor of increases from Albany.

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2. TUITION:
In the 1970's, tuition at CUNY was free. Today, CUNY tuition costs $3,200 at the four-year colleges and $2,500 at the two-year colleges.
(a) Do you support a decrease in CUNY tuition?
(b) If yes, for what academic year do you plan to implement such a reduction?
(c) Would this be a reduction for all CUNY students? Please explain.
(d) Would you return CUNY to the free tuition days of the 1970's?

In an address before Queens College students on April 18, 2001, I announced my proposal to assist full-time CUNY community college students who are attending school and working by paying half of their tuition. I believe that it is unacceptable that our community colleges are among the most expensive in the nation.

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3. CHILDCARE:
Over 60% of CUNY students are parents, and the majority of this number attend community colleges.
(a) What plans might you have to assist students who are parents?
(b) How would these ideas be reflected in both the City and State budgets?

As Mayor, I will commit to assisting students who are parents. Since there is a shortage of child care overall in the city, we need to increase the number of available slots to provide access. Some of those slots must be on or near CUNY campuses. In fact, in Fiscal Year 2001, I allocated $292,000 from my budget to Lehman College to build an on-site childcare center. We must also work to build capacity, as I stated in my testimony before the State Assembly last month, and we need to expand the availability of regulated, licensed childcare services. We must also look at the quality of childcare in terms of the training provided to staff, wages and benefits.

4. WELFARE:
Last fall, the Work-Study/Internship Bill, which allows students on public assistance to count their campus work-study and internships, was written into State law.
(a) Would you continue to support that legislation?
(b) In addition, would you support legislation that would allow college education (i.e. class attendance) to count as work activity?
(c) Would you initiate such legislation?
(d) What else might you do to assist college students on public assistance?

I support the Work-Study/Internship Bill that allows students on public assistance to count their campus work-study and internships towards their work requirements. I further believe that higher education credits should count towards their work requirements. We should be doing all that we can to encourage welfare recipients to focus on their studies in order to move their lives forward. It is shortsighted to act punitively toward welfare students instead of fostering their advancement.

5. FINANCIAL AID:
According to a National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education's report (Measuring Up 2000: The State-by-State Report Card for Higher Education), New Yorkers who send dependents to college spend more than 1/3 of their family income on higher education-even after financial aid is deducted. This seems to indicate that financial aid, specifically the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP), must be expanded.
(a) Do you agree with this statement?
(b) Would you promote and/or support legislation that will enhance TAP and financial aid?
(c) What are some ways you might do so?

We in New York City are desperate for increases in the Tuition Assistance Program. I will lobby actively for increases from Washington, D.C. and Albany. The Mayor can play a role in securing additional assistance for CUNY by supporting it, as opposed to scapegoating it, and by proving his dedication through appointing a strong, well-intentioned Board of Trustees who are also advocates for the university.

  Merit scholarships, such as the New York City Council Merit Award, provide incentives for academically talented students to attend CUNY. This year, Mayor Guiliani proposed to cut this program in his budget.
(a) If elected, would you support the next Mayor to do the same?
(b) Would you consider establishing additional merit incentives for NYC students?
(c) If yes, please give some examples (e.g. areas of study, merit criteria, etc.).

I believe in a renewed partnership between CUNY and the City. For that reason, I support any effort to give talented New Yorkers access to the education that could enable them to further contribute to our city. I am committed to the New York City Council Merit Award for academically talented students to attend CUNY. And I am committed to exploring incentives for New Yorkers who want to go into areas of shortage, such as teaching and nursing.

8. COLLEGE NOW:
College NOW is a CUNY initiative that helps New York City high school students prepare for college through extra academic assistance and training courses at their school and on various community college campuses.
(a) Do you support the College NOW program?
(b) Would you increase funding to enable expanding College NOW?
(c) If yes, by how much and over what period of time?

I support the College NOW program and have lobbied actively against the Mayor's attempts to cut it. I have been alone in calling on the Mayor to drop his wash of a budget, which "recommends" that CUNY allocate funds to College NOW but allocates no additional funding. We need College NOW. But I also support an active and thorough evaluation process to ensure that College NOW is leading to higher graduation rates and higher college entrance rates.

9. REMEDIATION:
Last year, the CUNY Master Plan removed remediation from its four-year colleges. Now, extra academic assistance and tutoring are only available to students studying at CUNY's community colleges.
(a) Do you agree with this action?
(b) Why or why not?
(c) Would you restore remediation to the four-year campuses?

I have been and continue to be one of the most outspoken defenders of an open and accessible CUNY. I was vehement in my opposition to the end of remediation at CUNY. I believe that CUNY should be measured not by where students are when they enter, but where they are when they leave. While I cannot restore remediation, I am committed to appointing trustees who believe in holding CUNY to high standards - and the ultimate standard is the degree to which CUNY serves New York.

10. CAPITAL PROJECTS:
With the institution of the CUNY Master Plan and the shift of remediation to the community colleges, some would claim that the community colleges need more basic infrastructure resources such as buildings and technology.
(a) Do you agree with this argument?
(b) If so, are you prepared to propose and to fight for money for capital projects so that the community colleges can successfully absorb CUNY's Master Plan?
(c) What are some ways you might do this?

As Borough President, I have invested significant dollars into the infrastructure of the colleges in my borough. I took responsibility for them when the city and state would not. This is particularly unfortunate since the state is willing to match our investments in infrastructure. If we don't invest soon, we will miss out on a great opportunity. As Mayor, I will continue to do what I have as Borough President: working with CUNY's community colleges to fund a sound infrastructure plan.

My top three higher education priorities are:

1. Improving the quality of education offered at CUNY. As Mayor, I will partner with CUNY to provide a world-class teaching force, to seize the opportunity that the technology industry presents, to train and re-train New Yorkers for economic advancement. And I will see to it that 70% of CUNY's community college faculty teach full-time.
   
2. Improving access to CUNY. I believe that we must make our community colleges affordable. I will do so by paying half of the tuition of any CUNY community college student who is working and attending school full-time. And I will lobby the State and federal government for additional assistance to compensate for the abandonment of the last decade.
   
3. Improving leadership over CUNY. CUNY should be about higher education, about providing a better life for any New Yorker who seeks it. It shouldn't be about politics and patronage. I will never appoint anyone who receives a paycheck from New York City or New York State to the Board of Trustees.

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