Welcome to the Office of the President

Dear Colleagues,

The end of the year is always a special time to reflect on the incredible journey we have shared. I thank you for your dedication, teamwork, and commitment to supporting our students. In 2024, we made progress toward our transformative goals, made enrollment gains, and strengthened our community of care – all guided by our Five-Year Strategic Plan. Let’s take a moment to look back on some of what we have accomplished together. 

Enrollment/Retention Gains 

During last month’s State of the University Address, City University of New York Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez said total enrollment grew three percent, driven by a six percent increase at CUNY’s community colleges. Queensborough’s numbers are part of that success. In the fall, our full-time enrollmemt (FTE) increased by 3.5% and as of today we are on track to meet our goals for spring 2025 enrollment. Additionally, our efforts to support our disproportionally impacted populations are working. The three-year retention and graduation rate trends for Black and Latino men have increased by nearly 10% for both groups. The growth in our enrolment reflects the exceptional experiences you provide in the classroom and through the services we offer. Your dedication is at the heart of this success. 

Strengthening Student Engagement  

We have been working hard to create a strong sense of belonging and community for our students by ensuring our practices are inclusive and welcoming. This past year, we have supported their overall growth through various projects that focus on their development in all areas of life. 

One big milestone was the ribbon-cutting of the Humanities Theatre and Performing Arts Center back in February. It is now a more accessible space and a state-of-the-art learning lab where students can refine their craft in the arts. Then, in August, we opened the LGBTQIA+ Resource Center, now officially named the PRIDE Center, to provide an affirming, supportive environment for our queer and transgender students, helping them thrive as they work toward their academic goals. We also launched the MRC Vault, a walk-in closet stocked with professional attire for students who need clothing for interviews and career events. This is all about breaking down barriers so our students can have the resources they need to succeed. 

Our Lucille A. Bova Food Pantry continues to support the one in four Queensborough students who face food insecurity, and thanks to your efforts, we have been able to help even more. At last month's Give Thanks, Give Back event, volunteers stayed late to make sure every student who was still in line when our first allotment of food had been given out received food. We ended up giving away over 300 turkeys and grocery bags. We also supported our international students with a special Thanksgiving dinner. Your generosity continued during #CUNYTuesday when Queensborough raised $71,337 and had the third-highest number of donors among all 25 CUNY colleges! We have raised more money by this point in the year than we have in years past.  

We are also seeing some amazing success stories. Four of our students were selected as semifinalists for the competitive Jack Kent Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship, and two students have been named Kaplan Leadership Scholars for the 2024-25 academic year. Additionally, the City University of New York presented its inaugural 50 Under 50 Alumni List this summer, recognizing distinguished CUNY alumni who have made headway in their respective fields in the past year. Bianny Rodriguez,’20, was recognized for her work as director of community outreach for New York City Council member Carlina Rivera. These highlights demonstrate our commitment to supporting our students, both in and out of the classroom. 

Transformational Goals 

To support our Strategic Plan goals to improve educational outcomes for students, we partnered with three nationally recognized organizations in higher education: Achieving the Dream, The Gardner Institute, and The Jed Foundation. This past year, we have made considerable gains in creating a First Year Experience, strengthening career learning, and developing a plan for low-success courses. We developed a plan for a first-year experience tailored to Queensborough that addresses reducing equity gaps, and this fall, we had a small cohort of first-year students go through this tailored experience. In the spring, we will increase the number of students.  

In support of our equity goals to confront systemic bias and foster understanding in our communities, our Truth, Racial Healing, and Transformation Campus Center (TRHT), in collaboration with the Kupferberg Holocaust Center (KHC), launched “Unseen Threads” for the 2024-2025 academic year. Last month, our first cohort of faculty engaged in an immersive experience at the KHC and the Equal Justice Initiative Legacy Sites in Montgomery, Alabama, to gain insights into the connections between historical injustices and contemporary forms of hate. Next semester, another cohort of Queensborough faculty and staff will have the same experience, followed by a CUNY-wide cohort. You will hear more about our transformative goals during our State of the College in February. 

Finally, it is affirming to end the year knowing the University has reached a tentative agreement with the Professional Staff Congress, representing our faculty and staff. Among the highlights, this agreement will include stronger benefits and additional equity raises for adjuncts and our lowest-paid full-time colleagues. 

As we reflect on the successes of this past year, I recognize that none of it would have been possible without your hard work, dedication, and passion. Thank you for being a vital part of this journey. Your work helps us reach our Strategic Plan goals. I am incredibly proud of everything we have achieved together, and I look forward to all we can accomplish together in the year ahead.   

Have a Happy New Year!

Sincerely,
Chris

Dr. Christine Mangino
President