CUNY in the News

CUNY in the News

An analysis of reporting on the humanities at the people’s university, from its founding to today.

This project is a timeline that tracks local media reporting on CUNY, specifically related to liberal arts education and the humanities. It explores the evolution of both rhetoric and aesthetics in the news from different time periods, looking through how local publications have responded to changes at the City University of New York.

The archival research of this project explores four distinct eras, grouped around major events in the history of the university: 1961-1971, for the founding of the university and open admissions struggle; 1980-1990, for the response to the ‘70s fiscal crisis and introduction of the Board of Trustees; 2000-2010 for the post-open admissions era and the centralization of CUNY; and 2020-present, for COVID and a new fight for racial equity.

Examining these “snapshots” of reporting will provide insights into how major events such as protests, financial struggle, and various other crises corresponded with shifting representations of the place of the humanities at the university. The aim of this project is to use the archive to better understand how the work of the humanities at the university has been perceived and presented historically, so that it may be used to advocate for the humanities at CUNY today, during an era of extreme cutbacks in higher education and general hostility towards public schools.

  • Ethnic Studies Revisited

    The establishment of ethnic studies at the campuses did not go entirely smoothly; City was forced to expand its program. The Times publishes different views on the addition of these programs during the year.

  • “Upgrade of Humanities Courses”

    An article detailing efforts to upgrade humanities courses at the community colleges, making them more relevant for the students and providing opportunities for doctoral training. It’s a Mellon Foundation initiative reminiscent of the CUNY Humanities Alliance. Read more.

  • “Hostos: At the Dawn of a New Decade”

    This is one of the earliest articles from the decade that celebrates the efforts of a campus to integrate and serve a local community. The Amsterdam News frequently reports on these matters during the 80s, specifically drawing attention to campus efforts to foster connections between the arts and the surrounding communities. Read more.

  • “City U. Considering a Plan That Would Limit Tenure: Enrollment Decline Foreseen”

    This article discusses the shift away from liberal arts education and towards professional training at the City University. This is also the result of an anticipated decline in enrollment; it stands as an example of the humanities being seen as less conducive to employment. Read more.

  • “Why Must English-as-a-Second-Language Be ‘Remedial’?”

    An article from the president of CCNY objecting to the classification of ESL as “remedial” work. This piece also defends the strength of CCNY’s continued programs in the arts and humanities, rejecting the notion that ESL has somehow replaced the core curriculum. This is one of the only City College-centric pieces of news media during…