New York State Executive Chamber | Governor Eliot Spitzer

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Proclamation

Whereas, New York State is proud to be home to a world-renowned public university system which includes the City University of New York (CUNY) - a key component of the educational foundation of this State and the entire Metropolitan Region - and this comprehensive system continues to provide access to quality higher education for New Yorkers and people nationwide; and

Whereas, throughout its history, CUNY has maintained and enhanced its historic tradition of providing first-rate educational opportunities to students from diverse economic, social, and ethnic backgrounds, and during the month of November 2007, the University will host open houses and special events for students, inviting them to learn about the many excellent resources available at the school; and

Whereas, this Fall 2007 semester marks the highest level of student enrollment since 1975 at CUNY campuses throughout the five boroughs of New York City, and while simultaneously more rigorous standards have been implemented system-wide, leading to greater numbers of better-prepared students in attendance, the student body continues to reflect New York's remarkable ethnic diversity; and

Whereas, the University is working to increase participation and proficiency in the critical STEM disciplines (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) - fields in which there is a shortage of teachers - through The Teacher Academy, established to prepare math and science educators in high-need middle and high schools in New York City, and through a capital program to update and construct campus facilities for science-related disciplines, and ongoing hiring of faculty in science-related fields; and

Whereas, other new academic programs at the University help meet the needs of New Yorkers, including the Accelerated Study in Associate Program (ASAP), an initiative launched this fall in collaboration with New York City's Center for Economic Opportunity to enhance students' ability to graduate with an associate's degree in a timely manner and increase their earning power; and

Whereas, CUNY draws top students from around the globe, particularly through the Macaulay Honors College, where students compete for national awards, including Rhodes and Marshall Scholarships, and Fulbright, Truman, Mellon, and National Science Fellowships, which allow many to continue their studies at prestigious graduate, medical, law, and professional institutions; and

Whereas, the University's distinguished faculty, including those featured in the "Look Who's Teaching at CUNY" program, have received Pulitzer Prizes, Academy Awards, Guggenheim Fellowships, MacArthur "genius" awards, and Carnegie Teacher of the Year awards, and the University's alumni - from former U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell and comedian Jerry Seinfeld to novelist Oscar Hijuelos - excel in every field of human endeavor, and the University's 12 Nobel Laureates, including alumna Rosalyn Yalow, have made extraordinary international contributions in their fields of knowledge; and

Whereas, CUNY's impact on New York State's economy and tax base amounts to billions of dollars annually, with graduates and employees generating millions of dollars in State and City tax revenues yearly and today CUNY continues to seek, in the words of the Free Academy's first President, Horace Webster, to "educate the whole people" and to uphold academic excellence while providing equal access to education for all and, therefore, our citizens proudly join in recognizing the University's distinguished heritage and key role in continuing to advance the personal and professional growth and well-being of New York State, its communities, and its people;

Now Therefore, I, Eliot Spitzer, Governor of the State of New York, do hereby proclaim November 2007 as CUNY Month in the Empire State.

G i v e n under my hand and the Privy Seal of the State at the Capitol in the City of Albany this fifteenth day of October in the year two thousand seven.

Eliot Spitzer, Governor

Richard Baum, Secretary to the Governor