CUNY SPS - Foundation Board Report, 2020 - 2021

CUNY SPS

Letter from the Foundation Board Chair

Reflecting on the last year, I am proud of what the CUNY SPS community of students, faculty, staff, alumni, and SPS Foundation Board members have done to come together. From July 2020 to June 2021, we had many peaks and valleys. Even as we continued to fight COVID-19, we faced how we could do better in aspects of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; implemented alternative, virtual ways to connect and celebrate; and prepared for the departure of Dean Mogulescu as he neared retirement.

In this period, our Foundation Board continued to raise funds for scholarships and COVID-19 Emergency Grants and celebrated Dean Mogulescu. We also recommitted to the CUNY SPS Foundation’s mission and welcomed the School’s new leader, Jorge Silva-Puras. Three of our Foundation Board members, Pamela Brier, Michelle Pinedo, and myself, participated in

SPS faculty and staff meetings to develop a new strategic plan for the School. We look forward to seeing this plan rolled out in 2022 to reflect the School’s

We raised nearly $565,000 in FY21, in what is our best year on record with three years of continuous growth.

new priorities in this pivotal time emerging from COVID-19 under the helm of Interim Dean Silva-Puras.

We raised nearly $565,000 in FY21, in what is our best year on record with three years of continuous growth. This includes nearly $170,000 for the COVID-19 Emergency Fund. The Foundation Board also established a new Innovation Prize in honor of Dean Mogulescu to celebrate his impact on CUNY SPS as founding dean and trailblazer. This Prize will be awarded annually to a student, faculty, or

staff member in recognition of their innovative idea, program, or research at CUNY SPS. We have all been inspired by Dean Mogulescu, and we recognize his influence on the School’s culture and success through this Prize, which will carry on after his departure.

Our Foundation Board is continuously impressed by the CUNY SPS students and scholarship recipients we encounter. We are grateful to our ever-increasing donor base which supports these remarkable students and our hard-working faculty. We know you’ll enjoy learning more about them in this report.

CUNY School of Professional Studies Foundation

2021 Board of Directors

(Alphabetical order by last name)

Asterisk* = Denotes an alum

Caret^ = Denotes an honorary Board member

Donatus Anusionwu

Director, Structured Finance White Oak ABL, LLC

Horace M. Barker

First Vice President Wealth Management, Financial Advisor Morgan Stanley Wealth Management

Stephanie Benjamin Associate Dean for Academic Affairs (Ret.) The City University of New York

Pamela Brier President/CEO (Ret.) Maimonides Medical Center

Joel I. Cohen Managing Director (Ret.) JPMorgan Chase

Steven Dupré* Alumnus

Blake Foote

Workforce Development Consultant

Lea Kilraine

Global Manager of Strategic Projects

Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, LLP

Robert Kissane*^ Chairman

CCS Fundraising, Inc.

Jason Kubica

Senior Vice President, Wealth Management UBS Financial Services Inc.

Patti Lieberman Trustee

A.L. Mailman Family Foundation, Inc.

Nadine Martin Associate Director, Oncology Global Marketing Merck

Brennon Marcano Chief Executive Officer The National GEM Consortium

Michelle C. Pinedo* Chief Financial Officer AFS-USA

Jorge Silva-Puras

Interim Dean CUNY School of Professional Studies

The CUNY SPS Foundation Board works closely with the School and outside partners to support our students on their path to success. With the COVID crisis, our mission has taken on an even greater urgency.

The following articles offer a look at two COVID relief initiatives that the Foundation Board and the School, with the help of The Bronx Community Foundation and the Carroll and Milton Petrie Foundation, were able to provide to CUNY SPS students in need during this especially challenging time.

Bronx Non-profit Offers Cash Grants to CUNY SPS Students Impacted by COVID-19

This grant, which offers emergency cash assistance in the form of $250 cash cards, has been awarded and distributed to 60 students throughout the Fall 2020 Semester.

The Bronx Community Foundation (Bx.C.F.) provided a generous grant of $15,000 to help CUNY SPS students who reside in The Bronx and have been impacted by COVID-19. This grant, which offers emergency cash assistance in the form of $250 cash cards, has been awarded and distributed to 60 students throughout the Fall 2020 Semester.

"The Bronx Community Foundation shares a vision with CUNY SPS of the power and impact of vibrant, empowered, and educated communities in New York City,” said Brennon Marcano, chief executive officer of the National GEM Consortium and member of the CUNY SPS Foundation Board of Directors, who spearheaded the collaboration. “Through their

generosity, CUNY SPS will be able to continue to support those most in need during a time of great uncertainty and for that we are very grateful."

Under the terms of the grant, current students in any undergraduate, graduate, or certificate program at CUNY SPS who reside in Bronx County, NY, and demonstrate genuine financial need due to COVID-19 were eligible for the award. Following an extensive outreach campaign by the Office of Scholarships, students living in the borough who have been experiencing financial emergencies as a result of the pandemic were encouraged to apply.

Out of the pool of applicants, 60 students were selected based on need. Of those awardees, 40 were continuing students and 20 were new

students that had started their first semester at CUNY SPS in Fall 2020. Overall, the recipients hailed from 18 undergraduate, graduate, and certificate programs across the School, including the business, psychology, and nursing programs.

The Bronx Community Foundation, the first and only community foundation in The Bronx, is a non-profit solely dedicated to delivering resources to the entirety of the borough. This grant was offered to CUNY SPS students as part of a larger COVID-19 relief initiative, The Bronx Community Relief Effort, launched by the foundation at the outset of the pandemic to help communities in crisis across the borough.

CUNY SPS Offers Grocery Micro-Grants to Combat Food Insecurity

In an effort to help students experiencing food insecurity, CUNY SPS launched a virtual food access initiative in Spring 2021. This program, developed with donations from the Carroll and Milton Petrie Foundation and the CUNY SPS Student Association, provides all eligible students with $50 micro-grants that they may use to purchase groceries.

“With the pandemic, we know that many students are struggling even more with food insecurity, and CUNY SPS eagerly wants to help,” said Jennifer Grace Lee, associate dean for enrollment management and student services. “We are extremely grateful to the Carroll and Milton Petrie Foundation and the Student Association for their generous donations, which have enabled us to set up this food assistance program. We encourage all students who may be in need to reach out and apply for these micro-grants.”

As the skyrocketing number of CUNY SPS emergency grant applications over the last year reveals, the COVID-19 crisis and the resulting economic depression are having a devastating effect on students. Funded with generous grants of $15,000 from the Petrie Foundation and $56,000 from the Student Association, the virtual food access initiative seeks to lessen some of the burden students may be experiencing by offering them grocery vouchers that can be spent online on their own time and convenience.

“Food insecurity is an issue that has always plagued us, and the pandemic has only exacerbated the issue. The Student Association is proud to be able to be a part of easing the pain of food insecurity for our CUNY SPS family,” said Shakima Williams-Jones, co-chair of the Student Association during the 2020-21 academic year. “We were heartbroken to hear that so many of our students were facing food insecurity and we hope that this virtual food pantry will be a positive part of the solution.”

The CUNY SPS virtual food access initiative is being managed by the School’s Office of Scholarships, which runs all the scholarship, debt forgiveness, and emergency grant programs. To participate, students are encouraged to register for the service through the School’s online scholarship management system. All degree and certificate students enrolled in the current semester will be eligible for the $50 micro-grants.

Initial grants to students will be distributed as an e-grocery card. Students may request additional micro-grants every 30 days as long as they are enrolled in the current semester and provide proof of grocery purchase from a previous disbursement. Subsequent food assistance grants will be disbursed through CUNYfirst.

“We are extremely grateful to the Carroll and Milton Petrie Foundation and the Student Association for their generous donations...”

Jennifer Grace Lee Associate Dean for Enrollment Management and Student Services

Scholarships and Recipients

Through the generous donations offered by our supporters, the CUNY SPS Foundation has awarded named scholarships of more than $1,026,000 to over 300 students since 2012.

In FY21, the CUNY SPS Foundation distributed scholarships to 83 students, representing 21 different academic programs. These funds go to support hardworking and deserving working adults—many of whom are balancing full-time jobs, families, and childcare, among other life responsibilities—who chose CUNY SPS to help them achieve their educational and professional goals.

ACE Scholarship

In 2015, philanthropist Alan Fishman established the CUNY SPS ACE (Achieve College Education) Scholarship program. To date, 73 scholarships have been awarded, and Mr. Fishman and other donors have generously donated a gift of half a million and counting to sustain the program. ACE Scholarships provide full tuition support through graduation to high-achieving undergraduate students who demonstrate financial need and are within 6-30 credits of completing their degrees. As part of their award requirements, ACE Scholars mentor newly admitted undergraduate students.

Fernando Arias Kenneth Bentley Carson Borbon

Evelyn Capellan Jennifer Chicheportiche

Nadia Chilcoat

Azizi Cleveland

Constance Cronin

Jessica Dempsey

Yesbelt Fernandez

Daniella Fowler

Shannon Hall

Jamala Hunte

Stephanie Kerr

Benjamin Krasinski Lucy Lao

Guillaume (Reginald) Louis-Jacques

Nylda Mark Rachel Marshall

Edith Mejia Daniel Melendez Jessica Montalvo Eugen Morarescu Mary Mulvihill

Maybelline Muniz April Outen

Eduardo Quevedo Marilyn Ridley Erin Taylor Kimberly Welborn Elizabeth White

Bob Martin Memorial Scholarship

Endowed by Dr. Zeita-Marion Lobley, director of student services, in memory of her late husband, the Bob Martin Memorial Scholarship is open to any student with a 2.5 GPA or higher who is enrolled in a CUNY SPS online bachelor’s degree program on a part- or full-time basis, and who is within 30 credits of completing their degree. Tuition scholarships of $2,000 are awarded on the basis of financial need and academic merit.

2020/21 Recipients:

Eugene Walters Memorial Scholarship

Endowed through the generosity of the Eugene Walters Family Foundation, the Eugene Walters Memorial Scholarship is open to any undergraduate student who is enrolled in a CUNY SPS online degree program on a part- or full-time basis. The tuition scholarship is awarded on the basis of financial need and academic merit.

2020/21 Recipient: Claudia Buffa

Founding Dean’s Scholarship

The Founding Dean’s Scholarship, endowed in perpetuity by the generous support of Founding Dean John Mogulescu, is open to all applicants enrolled in a CUNY SPS degree program on a part- or full-time basis. Tuition scholarships of $500 for part-time students and $1,500 for full-time students are awarded on the basis of financial need and academic merit.

Museum Studies Scholarship

Initiated in Fall 2019 through the generosity of the New-York Historical Society, one of New York City’s leading cultural institutions, the School’s Museum Studies Scholarship is open to students admitted as part of the first cohort in its MA in Museum Studies degree program and enrolled for a minimum of 6 credits. The scholarship provides support to students who are from under-represented groups or can demonstrate a commitment to diversity.

2020/21 Recipients:

Jahaira Arias

Anne Bae

Ariana Bachechi

Kristin Cuomo

Nancy Klinger Memorial Scholarship

Established in memory of Nancy Klinger, who was instrumental in creating and launching the Children’s Program Administrator Credential (CPAC) at CUNY SPS, the Nancy Klinger Memorial Scholarship provides tuition assistance for students pursuing their CPAC who demonstrate academic promise and/or financial need.

2020/21 Recipient: Hector Rivera

Patti Lieberman Scholarship for Early Childhood Education

Endowed by the generous support of Patti Lieberman, CUNY SPS Foundation Board member, the Patti Lieberman Scholarship for Early Childhood Education provides tuition support to students enrolled in one of two certificate programs offered by CUNY SPS – the Children’s Program Administrator Credential or the Child Development Associate Certificate.

2020/21 Recipient: Amy Lin

Petrie Nurse Scholarship

Established with a generous $150,000 grant from the Carroll and Milton Petrie Foundation, the scholarship underwrites 100% of a student’s tuition and follows recipients through degree completion. The Petrie Nurse Scholars program provides tuition assistance to students enrolled in the CUNY SPS online bachelor’s degree in nursing (RN to BSN) who previously earned an applied science (AAS) degree with a major in nursing from a CUNY community college.

2020/21 Recipients:

Michelle Brooks

Teodora Buzan

Tania Carchipulla

Michaella Gene Duapa

Phara Souffrant Forrest

Nicholas Fosmire

Alexandra Giambalvo

Michelle Giordano

Mei Liao

Idalmy Merced

Sherifat Musa

Naomi Nunez-Vargas

Gemma Rapsing

Danyelis Santos

Victoria Topoleski

Maria (Virginia) Villadiego-Punto

Rachel Wilson

Russ Peterson Technology Scholarship

Created in memory of Russell Peterson and endowed in perpetuity by his family, the Russ Peterson Technology Scholars program is open to students pursuing the BS in Information Systems, the BS in Health Information Management, or the MS in Data Science. Eligible students must maintain at least a 3.0 GPA, undergraduate students must be within 30 credits of graduation, and graduate students must be within 12 credits of graduation. Tuition-based awards are made on the basis of financial need and academic merit.

2020/21 Recipient: Eugen Morarescu

Shulman, Bomboy, & Gray Scholarship

The Schulman, Bomboy, and Gray Scholarship recognizes the work of Daralee Schulman, Dr. Marylee Bomboy, and Dr. Lois Gray, whose careers have focused on adult students. Undergraduate students who are enrolled either part-time or full-time in the CUNY SPS Human Relations program, have completed at least six credits at CUNY SPS, and are employed full-time are eligible. Tuition-based awards are made on the basis of financial need and academic merit.

2020/21 Recipient: Sheniqua Larkin

Stephen M. Rossen Memorial

Scholarship

Established by the generosity of the Rossen family, the Stephen M. Rossen Memorial Scholarship is open to any student enrolled in a CUNY SPS online degree program on a part- or full-time basis, and who is within 30 credits of degree completion. Tuition scholarships of $1,500 are awarded on the basis of need and academic merit.

2020/21 Recipient: Monique Vickerie

Timothy Meade Memorial Scholarship

Endowed in perpetuity by the generosity of founding donor Tracy L. Meade, senior associate dean for strategy and innovation, in memory of her late brother, the Timothy Meade Memorial Scholarship is open to undergraduate students enrolled in the CUNY SPS Disability Studies degree program with a 2.0 GPA or higher. Applicants can be enrolled on a part- or full-time basis. The tuition scholarship is awarded on the basis of financial need and priority is given to eligible applicants with a disabled family member.

2020/21 Recipients:

William J. Kissane III, Scholarship

Endowed in perpetuity by alumnus Robert Kissane (BS in Communication and Culture ‘09), former board chair of the CUNY SPS Foundation and current board member, in memory of his late brother, the William J. Kissane III Scholarship is open to students who are enrolled in a Disability Studies degree program (BA, MA, or MS) at CUNY SPS, have a minimum 3.0 GPA, remain enrolled in a minimum of six credits per semester, remain in academic good standing, and demonstrate financial need. Tuition scholarships of $1,000 will be awarded on the basis of eligibility and merit.

2020/21 Recipients:

FY21 Donors

Individuals

Friends $1-$999

Anonymous (21)

Joan Akpan

Kimberley Alexandre*

Horace M. Barker

Matthew Barratt

Paul & Cecelia Barratt

Jerome Basma*

Suzanne A. Bohning

Harvey S. Brown

Trudy Brown

Tyerence E. Brown*

Joseph Caffrey*

Claudine Campanelli

Lia Kudless Campbell

Inah Castro*

Rebecca Brown Cesarani

Mark Chalfin

Daniel K. Chan*

Patricia Charles*

Stephen K. Cheng*

Carrie Ciulla

Judith Clark

Celeste Clarke

Sherry Cleary

Michelle Coke*

Nina Collins

Cass Conrad

Nidia E. Cordova

Erin Croke

Kelly Cunningham

Savannah Curry

Jo David

Machele Daye*

Charles G. Delaney

Lorretta Demasi

Jessica A. Dempsey*

Jennifer DePalma

Dominika Desvallons

Elizabeth DiCarlo*

Deborah A. Douglass

Phyllis A. Duke*

Kimberly A. Enoch

Elaine Ewing*

Andrea Fagon

Michael C. Fahey

Lori F. Fischler

Kerry A. Fitzgerald

Lizanne Fluxmon*

Susan Fountain

George L. Fox*

Angela Francis

Milan J. Fredricks*

Shannon Gallo

Bharat M. Gami*

Dilip Ganesan*

Roxanne R. Garoutte

Laurie Gelles

Linda S. Gerstein

Glenda Grace

Amy S. Green-Gorelick

Clarke Griffith

Heather K. Guerrero*

Sahana Gupta

Anne Hamburger

James P. Hamski*

Mary K. Hannigan

Marilyn Harren*

Rhonda E. Harrison*

Mariano Hernandez* Washington Hernandez

Christine Hines*

Lisa Hirsch*

Elaine Z. Hopkins

Jill M. Hyland

Michael J. Iadarola

Stephen Ippolito* Ann E. Irons*

Erin Jeanette

Thomas J. Jennings

Melba M. John-Riley*

Edward Joyce Angie D. Kamath

Jan Kaminsky

Eileen Kaufman

Kerstin Robinson Knecht*

Edwin L. Knox

Debra Bergen Koster

Benjamin Krasinski

Kenneth E. Krosin

Sarah A. Krusemark*

Jason Kubica

Dhananjay Kumar*

Donald J. LaHuffman*

Joanne T. Lavin

Rachel Levine

Antonia M. Levy*

Christopher Leydon

Evelyn Leyva

Patricia S. & Bruce A. Lieberman

Donna Linderman

Joanne Ludvigson

Raphaele D. Luxama*

Cavel Malcolm*

Elizabeth Marmol

Evelyn R. Marrero*

K. Maynard

Denese N. McFarlane

Amy McIntosh

Courtney McKane*

David McLellan*

Tracy Meade

Louise Mirrer

Amy Mogulescu

Laura Mogulescu

William Mogulescu

Jeanine W. Molock

Shanee Morris*

Abigail Morrison

Kathryn N. Moss

Mark D. Naison

Glenn T. OBrien*

Aida I. Ortiz*

Francisca E. Owheruo*

Joel Park*

Regina S. Peruggi

Dawn K. Picken

Brian Pindell

Bethany Poulin*

Virginia Villadiego Punto*

Gary L. Quan*

Vita Rabinowitz

Marc Ramirez*

Victor M. Ramos*

Alphonse D. Ramsey* Cheryl A. Reich

Joan P. Reid*

Barbara Ritchin

Carol E. Rossen

Amy Rowland

Elizabeth Rubel* Ruru Rusmin

Marie Sandauer* Tara D. Santos*

Indu Saqi Frederick P. Schaffer

Grace K. Schiraldi*

Julia Schonberg* Gilbert I. Schrank

Ann M. Schwartz

Lianna Scull

Danny C. Shaw*

Elizabeth Shaw Marilyn Shea

Lisa A. Sheridan*

Ashley Sierra

Anne Marie Simmons

Isabel H. Sloane

Katherine A. Smith*

Eneas Soares Jennifer R. Sparrow Nina Sporn Michael Stalonas

Calvin Stalvig* Susan Stamler Neil Stein

Ekaterina Sukhanova Anthony Sweeney Harris Tilevitz Aysel Toprakli*

Lena L. Tuck*

Lisa Turner* Duubar E. Villalobos* Christopher C. Vine Michael Visovsky

Janet E. Wall Barbara R. Walters

RoseAnn Webb

Rona Wexler

Alan C. Winick

Gina Wong

Patrick Yanez

Linda Yau*

Arthur Zebofsky* Sarah Zeller-Berkman

Supporters ($1,000-$4,999)

Anonymous (1) Nicholas Y. Barratt* Valerie Brown Joel I. Cohen Elizabeth B. Dater Edith Everett Patricia D. Klingstein Susan S. Ko Matthew Lawlor George Otte Mark Pecker Susan G. Rosenthal Marilyn Skony Stamm Yong Jae Sung*

Sustainers

($5,000 - $24,999)

Anonymous (1) Omri Amit* Donatus Anusionwu & Arpita Mazumdar Stephanie T. Benjamin Pamela S. Brier Krystyna Doerfler

Steven Dupré* Blake W. Foote Robert Kissane* Zeita-Marion Lobley Brennon Marcano Nadine Martin John Mogulescu Pam & Scott Schafler

Leadership Circle

($50,000 - $99,000)

Mariette J. Bates Alan H. Fishman

Legacy Society: Mariette J. Bates Zeita-Marion Lobley Tracy Meade

Dean’s Circle: John E. Arthur Nina Sporn

Around CUNY SPS

The Office of Professional Education & Workplace Learning (PEWL) at CUNY SPS

PEWL was created about the same time when CUNY SPS began admitting undergraduate degree students. Our founding dean, John Mogulescu, believed that a great urban university should also pay attention to the needs of the city.

PEWL is a team of 200+ learning and development professionals who partner with city and state agencies, nonprofit organizations, and the private sector to develop engaging learning programs. Since its inception in 2006, PEWL has served more than 250,000 adult learners.

PEWL begins its work with a needs assessment to understand the challenges, initiatives, and

changes so that we can help develop learning solutions that work for the organization and reflect their values and vision for the future.

A few examples of PEWL's areas of expertise include designing learning solutions, learning management systems and technology, program evaluation, project management, and asynchronous, instructor-led virtual-led training platforms.

PEWL's portfolio of partnerships includes New York City and New York State government agencies and non-profits. PEWL’s niche is organizations that serve the needs of New Yorkers.

2022-2027 CUNY SPS Strategic Plan

On May 23, 2022, the 20222027 CUNY SPS Strategic Plan was released to the CUNY SPS community. The 5-year plan is ambitious, and at its core are Six Areas of Strategic Importance: Enrollment and Access; Ensuring Academic Success and Career Development; Improving the Teaching and Learning Experience; Broadening Professional Education and Workplace Learning; Providing a Culture of Care; and Cultivating Innovation.

The planning process took place over the course of a devastating pandemic and the violent racial killings of Black men and women, most notably, the murder of George Floyd on May 25, 2020, which galvanized the nation. This context interrupted our work at the same time that it deepened and strengthened our commitment to social justice. Furthermore, this context fundamentally altered a long-standing position that strategic plans

should be static and unchangeable documents. The challenging conditions we have been working in have led us to embrace our plan as a living document, subject to the ongoing review and input of the community and open to adjustment based on changing circumstances and unpredictable events.

Introducing CUNY Online

CUNY Online is a new service unit, housed at CUNY SPS, designed to build online degree capacity at CUNY and produce high-quality online courses and degree programs in high-demand fields.

CUNY Online will provide cost-effective services to support all 25 CUNY campuses in developing new online programs and expanding existing ones.

CUNY Online services include:

• Feasibility (Associates, Bachelor’s, Master’s)

• Design (fully online [asynchronous], hybrid [async/sync])

• Development (instructional design, rubric, content creation, video studios)

• Marketing (CUNYO website portal, portal marketing, specific program marketing)

• Enrollment (through CUNYO portal, then assigned to home college)

• Student Support (tech support 24/7, online tutoring, campus-provided services including academic and financial advising)

• Faculty Support (course design, PTO, delivery effectiveness)

As the incubator of the CUNY Online initiative, CUNY SPS will shape the program and policies with our expertise and will benefit from the investment in new resources. These include:

• Capacity & resources to stay at the forefront of online teaching and learning

• Marketing support

• Better articulation with online AA/AS degrees

• Enhanced Central Office support

Since the CUNY SPS and CUNYO team began planning at the end of 2021, much progress has been made. As of Summer 2022, the CO team has hired new instructional design and administrative staff, finalized procurements to build out campus infrastructure, and is meeting with campus stakeholders to launch up to seven new degree programs in Phase I of the project, with an expected start date of Fall 2023.

CUNY SPS Data Trends

Institutional effectiveness is the systematic, ongoing, and cyclical process of collecting, analyzing, and acting on data and information relating to the goals and outcomes developed to support and fulfill the School’s mission. At CUNY SPS, it is the Office of Institutional Effectiveness and Planning (IE&P) that develops and manages these functions. The following is a snapshot of the School’s data trends over the previous five years as compiled by the IE&P.

Until Fall 2021, overall enrollment at CUNY SPS increased from year to year. Enrollment dropped by 3% from Fall 2020 to Fall 2021, however, this decrease is concentrated in the undergraduate non-degree area. Master’s degree enrollment was up 2.7%, certificates by 67.3%, and advanced certificates by 2.8%. Bachelor’s degree enrollment decreased by just 0.4%.

Gender

Women make up the majority of students, with 71% of bachelor’s, over 66% of master’s, over 65% of advanced certificate, and over 85% of certificate students. With the exception of the advanced certificate, there has been a steady decline of men. In Fall 2021, men comprised 26% of bachelor’s, 27.5% of master’s, and 8.9% of certificate students.

Race/Ethnicity

University defines Under Represented Minority (URM) students as those who are Black, Hispanic, and Native American. Non-URM are Asian/Pacific Islander and White. CUNY SPS has experienced declining rates of URM students in all of its programs. The percentage of bachelor’s students fell from 55.3% in Fall 2017 to 53.6% in Fall 2021, and the percentage of master’s dropped to 38.7% in Fall 2021 from 40.9% in Fall 2017.

Student Profile

Age

The average age of new students at CUNY SPS has been between 34 and 38 years old. However, students have ranged in age from 16 to 79.