What Louisiana Can Learn from the Rebirth
of the City University of New York
Sandra E. Diaz
The City University of New York is the largest urban public university system in the United States. With an enrollment of over 200,000, CUNY serves a diverse student population through its four-year colleges, comprehensive institutions, and two-year community colleges. The system has had a decidedly mixed history. A golden period from the Second World War through the 1960s produced a number of prominent alumni, including former Secretary of State Colin Powell and former Yale dean Donald Kagan, and a deserved reputation for academic excellence at low cost.
But things changed in the 1970s, when CUNY began a policy of open admissions, allowing nearly anyone with a high school diploma to enroll at any of the two and four-year institutions. The result? Costly remedial education for students unprepared for the rigors of college-level academics, high attrition rates, and significant decline in the value and prestige of the CUNY degree. By the 1990s, it became clear that serious reform was in order. And thanks to concerted efforts on the part of CUNY trustees, administrators, alumni, and friends, the city university is now experiencing a renaissance: Admissions standards have risen, remediation has been brought under control, both enrollment and students’ academic achievement are up, and the system has a flourishing Honors College.
The reforms at CUNY serve as a reminder that with the right combination of smart policymaking and action on the part of the governing board, it is possible to turn a challenging situation into one with a promising future.
