New Chancellor of CUNY Makes Strides for The University This Summer
By Aspasia Celia Tsampas
The following piece was published in the September 2019 issue of The Campus.
Two months after his appointment, former Queens College President Félix Matos Rodríguez took office as Chancellor of the City University of New York on May 1, 2019. While students were winding down for summer vacation, the new Chancellor wasted no time and hit the ground running during his first few months in office, using his professional background to improve the CUNY system’s accessibility and inclusivity for all.
After over a yearlong search for a new leader, the City University of New York Board of Trustees appointed Matos Rodríguez as the first Latino leader of New York City’s public higher education system. Born in Puerto Rico, the educator first took leadership of Hostos Community College before assuming the role of President of Queens College in 2014. In CUNY’s official release of his appointment, they boasted his excellent reputation for propelling “the school to the highest echelon in college social-mobility rankings.”
Prior toMatos Rodríguez’s relationship with CUNY, he attended Yale University as anundergraduate and later achieved a doctorate in history at Columbia University.His doctoral work primarily focused on women in the Caribbean. This led tomultiple publications of his research on the topic, such as “Women and Urban Changein San Juan, Puerto Rico, 1820-1868” and “Pioneros: Puerto Ricans in New YorkCity, 1896-1948.” The new Chancellor’s notable career has not only includedacademia, but also the public sector, as he formerly served as CabinetSecretary for the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
Thesefactors have all contributed to Matos Rodríguez’s success as CUNY Chancellor, inaddition to the values of accessibility, inclusion, and excellence in highereducation the institution was established upon. In the wake of the Immigrationand Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) most recent attacks on undocumented immigrants,Matos Rodríguez has shown his unwavering support for CUNY students and familiesfacing these threats. He released a statement on July 13, urging students tostay informed of the enforcement action taken by the federal government. TheChancellor iterated, “CUNY has a longstanding record of supporting its studentswho are immigrants, regardless of their immigration status. This universitystands with you.” Also listed in his statement is a list of rights andprecautions to take in the event of an ICE raid, along with the number of theLegal Aid Society immigration hotline. This report came just days after theChancellor’s announcement of the opening application for the José Peralta NewYork State Dream Act, which grants undocumented students access to TAP, theExcelsior Scholarship, and other financial aid.
Additionally,Matos Rodríguez unveiled plans this summer to bolster business opportunitiesfor firms owned by women, minorities, and service-disabled veterans). This planwould increase CUNY’s engagement with these businesses at the City UniversityConstruction Fund’s annual Conference on Contract Opportunities for companiesowned by minorities, women, and service-disabled veterans. In a statementreleased by CUNY, the Chancellor affirmed, “These efforts will help inspiremore people of color, women, and service-disabled veterans to directlyparticipate in our vibrant university community and help make CUNY an even moreinclusive institution.” This is just one step in his plan of policies that theChancellor revealed during his inaugural keynote address.
After asummer filled with action, students will enter the 2019–2020 academic year withnew standards set for the future of CUNY by Matos Rodríguez. As the firstLatino and minority educator leader of the university, as well as with the firmsupport of students who face marginalization today, the legacy of the CityUniversity of New York’s open-door opportunity for all students independent oftheir race, ethnicity, color, and class is set to continue to grow under thisadministration.
