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BETSY
GOTBAUM
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?
CUNY has an enormous amount of resources and students,
yet has not had any positive public sector attention in thirty years.
The prolonged disinterest in CUNY by both the State and City concerns
me tremendously. I would absolutely support reversing the budget cuts
to CUNY as well as increasing the City funding by $20 million dollars
for the coming fiscal year.
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?
CUNY is already the fifth most expensive public school
system in the United States. I strongly support a decrease in CUNY tuition.
I plan on implementing such a decrease by the 2002 academic year. My
support for this decrease will apply to all students, in order that
CUNY remain accessible for all.
In this day and age of information society, the importance of access
to a quality higher education has become more pronounced than ever.
It is imperative that CUNY remain affordable so that it is accessible
to all New Yorkers. While respecting the need for CUNY to maintain its
financial stability, I will work to ensure that lack of funding is not
a barrier to attending CUNY and that its affordability parallels that
of the 1970's.
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?
The availability
of quality childcare for students who are parents is imperative. As
Public Advocate, I will work with all City agencies to establish a management
infrastructure to work together and administer childcare programs that
will be universally accessible.
I will also strongly advocate for a greater share of funding for on
campus daycare programs.
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?
Students on public assistance must be given an opportunity
to gain higher education. Not only would I continue to support the bill,
I will work to ensure that all students on public assistance, as well
as case workers, are aware of new laws and mandates that effect them.
I will work with CUNY to expand programs like COPE to all seventeen
institutions.
I will also support legislative efforts to allow class attendance to
count as work activity.
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?
I support plans to expand financial aid and will staunchly
advocate for the expansion of TAP. As the principal ombudsman for the
City of New York, I will lead the fight to ensure that the 95% cap on
TAP is in fact, eliminated as promised by Governor Pataki.
6. FACULTY LINES:
At CUNY's community colleges,
full-time faculty represent 44% of the total faculty, while part-time
faculty or adjuncts represent 56% of instruction. At the senior college
level, CUNY is at a 51% to 49% full-time to part-time ratio. Overall,
since 1974, CUNY has lost nearly one-half of their entire full-time
faculty.
(a) Do you support the need for more full-time faculty lines?
(b) If so, what ratio between full-time and part-time do you deem as
reasonable for a high-quality education, and over what period of time
would you plan to implement this ratio?
I recognize and support the need for more full-time
faculty lines and believe that working towards a 70 to 30 full time
to part time ratio over three two to three years is a reasonable pace
to ensure a high quality education.
7. MERIT SCHOLARHIPS:
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.).
If elected, I will urge the next Mayor to create many
more merit scholarships for academically talented students to attend
CUNY.
Throughout my career, I have been successful at forging public private
partnerships; when there was a lack of political will to fund such critical
endeavors. As Public Advocate, I will build public /private partnerships
in order to establish merit scholarships. I would like to focus, in
particular, on funding merit scholarships for students going into fields
such as education, which directly effect New York's future.
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 steadfastly
support the College NOW program and will certainly work with all responsible
to determine the necessary amount and pace for the increase.
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?
CUNY has done a remarkable job of educating New Yorkers
through its open admissions policy. I believe that remediation classes
should be kept on CUNY campuses, not contracted out to private educational
organizations. I will support restoring remediation to the four-year
campuses so that CUNY can remain accessible for all.
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?
I believe
that CUNY's community colleges should receive greater funding. Capital
improvements need to be made in order for the CUNY Master Plan to succeed.
As Public Advocate, I will use the ombudsman function of the office
to strongly push for this to become a reality.
11. BOARD OF TRUSTEES:
Please give examples of the kind of person you might support to be
appointed as a Trustee to CUNY's Board.
Trustees to CUNY's board should be quality
independent people who are not politically beholden, and who have an
understanding of the education process. They should reflect the multi-cultural
student body; and understand the needs of all of the CUNY community.
12. PRIORITIES:
While many individuals may be committed to a certain issue, they
often also have a prioritized list.
(a) What are your top three higher education priorities?
(b) Please list and explain.
My top three higher education priorities are
1. Increasing
funding for CUNY.
2. Working to foster relationships between CUNY Colleges and local businesses
to create the necessary job tracks.
3. Utilizing CUNY's Community Colleges as an economic development tool
by providing job training in the area of information technology to attract
and retain new media businesses.
For more information contact: Miriam
Kramer.
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