The union Professional Staff Congress (PSC), along with faculty and staff from the City University of New York, picketed outside the Wall Street investment bank that employs William Thompson, chair of the CUNY Board of Trustees, on Monday, July 27.

The protest came in response to Queens College President Frank Wu — who will be retiring at the month’s end — imposing the latest round of departmental budget cuts and layoffs affecting part-time faculty and staff at Queens College, one of the largest institutions in the City University of New York (CUNY) system.

“Our enrollment projections are finally looking up,” said Erica Doran, a lecturer in psychology at Queens College. “Firing part-time faculty and staff and cutting classes and student support leads to loss of students. That’s a recipe for ongoing declines.”

The ramifications of the cutbacks, according to PSC, include Queens College’s chemistry department losing 40% of its lab sections, art students being shut out of campus studios, pre-law students losing summer advising, and the school struggling to care for lab animals while reducing access to numerous library services.

When asked about the budget cuts, Queens College’s media relations team told QNS in an email that the school is trying to determine where budgetary reductions would have the least consequential impact on the student experience.

“Queens College is preparing for the coming academic year while continuing to ensure that our students meet their educational goals,” their statement said. “Adjunct faculty appointments are subject to both student demand and available resources. Queens College is working collaboratively across the campus to identify where reductions can be made with the least impact on vital student services.”

Demonstrators either brought their own picket signs or were provided “No Cuts to CUNY” or “Stop the War on Universities” banners from organizers.

To begin the demonstration, almost 100 faculty and staff from CUNY, accompanied by a handful of students from across the system, gathered around the entrance of the Wall Street investment bank. All the protesters held posters in solidarity with phrases reading: “No Cuts to CUNY” or “Stop the War on Universities.”

Organizers also passed out chant sheets, as protesters voiced their frustration into phrases such as “They say cutbacks, we say fight back. Cutbacks? Fight back!” and “Students, faculty, staff unite. Same struggle, same fight!”

Members of CUNY’s music department also participated in the protest, playing music alongside the calls for action.
Queens Assemblymembers Claire Valdez and Catalina Cruz attended the protest, showing solidarity for the demonstrators.Photo courtesy of Paul Frangipane for PSC/CUNY

Queens Assemblymembers Claire Valdez and Catalina Cruz also stood with the demonstrators, expressing their support for the faculty, staff, and students affected by the budget cuts.

“I know that there’s always austerity for the workers and the adjuncts, the part-time workers, and there’s never austerity for anyone else,” Assemblymember Valdez said. “I want you to know that I’m going to have your back in this fight! Part-time adjuncts and part-time staff are essential to Queens College.”

Protesters believe Queens College’s repeated budget cuts are caused by mismanagement by board members, undermining enrollment growth as the school continues to recover from the pandemic. One such practice includes the excessive hiring and promoting of top administrators, which PSC union members have objected to.

“There’s been a lot of fiscal mismanagement by our administration, and they’re solving it by laying off part-time workers,” said Annie Tummino, a librarian at Queens College who has seen several of her co-workers at the library get laid off or have their hours cut. “We are a primary engine of social mobility in the city, so we need the support of our state legislature, our governor, and our city council as well.”

Students from CUNY Hunter College also joined the protest, creating their own signs expressing support for union members.Photo by Joshua Lee

Faculty and staff members at other CUNY institutions, standing in solidarity with protesters from Queens College, fear that the school’s multi-year cuts could set a precedent for other campuses.

“Queens [College] is one of our top schools, so if you’re trying to kind of improve Queens by cutting it, like managing it through austerity, that looks like a terrible future for the entire system,” said Penny Lewis, a professor at CUNY School of Labor and Urban Studies. “I know students who haven’t been able to major in the majors that they want to major in.”

Queens College serves more than 20,000 students, mentored by an award-winning faculty, according to its website and enjoys a national reputation for its liberal arts and sciences and pre-professional programs. It offers and extensive range of graduate and undergraduate degrees, honors programs, research opportunities, and internship placements.