The City University of New York’s Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) is making a difference in addressing low graduation rates in the two-year colleges it serves. Founded in 2007, and offered at 14 CUNY colleges, including some four-year programs, ASAP provides holistic support to students, helping them complete their associate degree in three years or less. 

Three-year graduation rates among ASAP students rose from 36.2% in FY2024 to 38.5% in FY2025, according to the most recent Mayor’s Management report. 

The program offers free unlimited OMNY cards for transportation, tuition scholarships, advising, career exposure opportunities, and textbook assistance. ASAP requires full-time enrollment.

ASAP has increased its support for CUNY students over the years, currently serving some 25,000 students annually, and a total of over 120,000 since it began. As of fall 2025, the program supported 44% of first-time, full-time associate degree-seeking students, according to a recent CUNY ASAP Fast Facts evaluation report. 

The report also showed that 69% of ASAP graduates enroll in a bachelor’s degree program upon entering ASAP, and of those, 43% earn their degree.

“It’s really that kind of commitment, ensuring that students, have all of the resources they need that are very customized to their needs,” said Christine Brongniart, Executive Director of CUNY ASAP. Brongniart also heads Accelerate, Complete, Engage (ACE), launched in 2015, which follows the ASAP model to support bachelor’s degree students. It currently serves seven CUNY colleges and over 7,856 students since its start. 

Brongniart hopes that more investment in ACE’s expansion will create a clear pathway for graduates to complete their bachelor’s degree through ACE.

“The hope is that the city and the state continue to invest in an expansion so that we can ensure that the majority, if not all, of our ASAP graduates are moving to a support structure that will continue to support them to maintain academic momentum and ensure that there is a pathway to bachelor’s completion,” said Brongniart.

In late November, the NYC Council Committee on Higher Education held a hearing, led by the Chairperson Eric Dinowitz, to examine CUNY’s graduation rates. Since 2018, according to the  Mayor’s Management report, graduation rates for associate’s degree students increased from 33.1% in FY2018 to 37.6% in FY2024  Baccalaureate students saw a similar pattern: 56.6% in FY2018, rising to 60% in FY2024. Both showed a slight dip in FY2025. 

Dinowitz urged CUNY administrators to boost these numbers and explore support systems to help students and CUNY. 

“The graduation rates, in my view, they’re not where they need to be, and we need to set our sights a lot higher,” said Dinowitz in the Council hearing. “We are partners here in the City Council to make sure that our students are achieving everything they can, both to benefit themselves and, of course, our entire city at large.”

CUNY students face challenges from multiple factors as they proceed through college.

They must often balance work, family, and school, which can be challenging for these students. This can lead to reduced course loads or increased stress, making it harder to stay in school.

“I was kind of doing less classes because I don’t have the ability to do five classes at once, so I take four classes,” said Ylé Blackburn, a Brooklyn College senior and double major. “For other students, I’m very much aware it just takes a slower time to get through the process than for others at times.”

There are also systemic issues, including limited courses, funding, and advising.

COVID-19 sparked a change in the way students attended school as they had to transition to remote learning. This shift disrupted accessibility, as some students lacked laptops or reliable Wi-Fi. The pandemic imposed financial and mental hardships on many families.

Blackburn, who started college back in 2020, has experienced challenges in her academics with disability support services because of the lack of communication during COVID.

“I went an entire semester without accommodations because during COVID, there was no direction on the website on where to submit my accommodations for help, and then I failed a class,” said Blackburn.

She adds that the accommodation process is ongoing and often challenging. While she appreciates the staff’s efforts to support students, she believes the current systems can be more of a hindrance than help.

Blackburn is set to graduate in May 2026. 

Another contributor to declining graduation rates for CUNY college students is unpreparednes. Not all city high schools prepare students for college.. 

“I think because the Department of Education(DOE) is so focused on increasing graduation rates, it graduates students who are unprepared for post-secondary careers and education,” said David Bloomfield, professor of Education Leadership, Law, and Policy at Brooklyn College and the CUNY Graduate Center. 

Bloomfield stressed that high schools should clearly explain college academic requirements to students, adding that the city’s college placement process is a key issue. “The city has a motivation for placing students in colleges, and I think sometimes it doesn’t inform students of both the economic and the academic consequences of that decision.”

Across the United States, about 71% of students who started at four-year public colleges in 2018 completed  their degrees within six years, while 43% of those starting at two-year public colleges graduated within the same time frame, according to a 2024 national report. 

The CUNY ASAP and ACE models are influencing efforts nationwide to improve these rates. According to the CUNY’s ASAP and ACE evaluation report, “More than 60 institutions across Ohio, California, Colorado, New York (SUNY), North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, West Virginia, and Maryland have implemented — or are preparing to implement — the ASAP model with technical assistance from the CUNY National Replication Collaborative.”

Brongniart adds that it’s an expensive model, but the returns are clear, and scaling it could make a big difference. 

“We’re replicating this model through the country, and again it takes millions and millions of dollars up front, but I mean the return is more and more clear,” said Brongniart. “The potential to scale this model it makes such a dramatic impact to lift the tide across the university and other systems too.”

New York has the highest concentration of Puerto Ricans in the world outside Puerto Rico, but Puerto Rican Studies across City University of New York  has consistently been defunded and understaffed, and often a target for political attack. Puerto Rican and Latin Studies (PRLS)  at Brooklyn College has too few tenured lines meet the minimum requirements for a CUNY department at CUNY: only two tenured faculty remain, several courses run only every two or three years, and the department’s operating budget is less than half what it was in the early 1990s, adjusted for inflation.  

Today, according to CUNY, Brooklyn College is nearly 24 percent Latino, but Puerto Rican students say they cannot find enough courses on the history, diaspora and identity of Puerto Ricans on campus.  

This is not a new situation. In 2022, student Maria Hernandez told Brooklyn College Vanguard “there are barely any classes about our history anymore. Maybe one or two a semester, how is that enough for a Latino campus?”  

At that time, the Vanguard reported that PRLS lacked a viable majority of tenured faculty, despite two new faculty being hired. Students expressed fear that it would be merged with another department as had occurred in previous rounds of cutbacks at CUNY in the 1980s and 1990s. Dr.Virginia Sanchez Korrl, a historian who helped shape the field, warned that eliminating tenure lines in ethnic studies amounts to “disciplinary death.” 

When the Puerto Rican Studies Department, the forerunner of PRLS,  was founded in the early 1970s, fewer than 1% of the students at Brooklyn College were Puerto Rican. Despite having thousands of Latino students today, the department has less funding and fewer resources than some directors of the department had several decades previously.  

By 2007 the Center for Puerto Rican Studies, CENTRO, at Hunter College reported  that Puerto Rican Studies programs at CUNY were consistently “diminished… primarily for budgetary reasons” whenever those programs were placed under the purview of other ethnic studies departments. 

Students say these pressures continue today and are part of a larger pattern of reducing humanities classes. During the COVID-era budget cuts, CUNY eliminated over 3,000 adjunct class sections, disproportionately affecting humanities programs.  

“This is about what stories get told, and which ones get erased,” said Dr. Yarimar Bonilla, director of CENTRO, during a 2023 public panel on austerity and Puerto Rican cultural institutions. “Ethnic studies programs are structurally underfunded because they challenge the status quo. That is not accidental.” 

Bonilla has also warned that austerity measures typically accompany periods of political mobilization for marginalized people. 

“In times of crisis, policing, colonialism, Palestine, there is always pressure to shrink the spaces where critical conversations happen.” 

In 2024, CUNY received a $5 million grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation to continue and expand the Black, Race, and Ethnic Studies Initiative (BRESI), allowing Brooklyn College, among other schools, to offer new courses, support academic research, and offer internships. But experts say BRESI cannot reverse decades of erosion. 

“This is patchwork,” an ethnic studies researcher said during a public BRESI briefing in 2022. “Useful, but not a substitute for rebuilding what decades of cuts eroded.” 

Some PRLS students have noted a relationship between CUNY’s funding priorities and the wider national atmosphere on Palestine activism. After pro-Palestine demonstrations on campuses nationwide, administrators faced pressure from donors, elected officials, and the media to more rigorously scrutinize curriculum and activism taking place in ethnic studies environments. Some students argue that austerity leaves PRLS especially vulnerable to these pressures. 

Some PRLS students say the climate at CUNY has shifted further in the past year, shaped by national backlash to pro-Palestine demonstrations and new campus disciplinary practices. Students at multiple CUNY campuses reported receiving misconduct charges related to protest actions, including charges for “failures to comply,” “disruptive conduct,” and “unauthorized demonstration.” Brooklyn College’s Undergraduate Student Government and administration did not respond to repeated requests for  comment.   

Puerto Rican Alliance’s (PRA) president Angelina Rivera neologized the political climate surrounding ethnic studies as “the broader political environment exacerbated by campus protests,” referencing the campus conduct charges against students across CUNY related to the protests from the previous spring. She told the audience at the Encuentro event that “Our biggest issue as a club now is repression from the administration, especially against political activism,” in reference to the focus on PRLS and solidarity organizing.  

 “Even now, there are a lot of students facing conduct charges we’re still worrying about,” Rivera added. 

While PRLS fights for stability, other departments are growing. Jewish Studies programs across CUNY have received millions in philanthropic donations, including a $3 million donation to CUNY Queens College’s Jewish Studies program in 2023.  

Meanwhile, STEM programs receive more consistent investment: CUNY received $18 million in National Science Foundation STEM grants in 2023-2024. Brooklyn College’s new science facilities were funded through state capital allocations exceeding $100 million over the past decade.  

“STEM expansion is funded as the future,” Bonilla noted in the 2022 panel. “But communities also need the tools to understand power, race, and history. When those programs shrink, students lose more than classes, they lose the language to understand their world.” 

    Healing Grounds, a community festival for restoration and resilience, emphasises the importance of mental health while uniting the community in the process. On Nov. 18th, the festival, hosted by the Jewish Community Council of Greater Coney Island (JCCGI), Trauma Recovery Center (TRC), and HeartShare, at the Surfside Gardens community center in the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) building of the same name. The community center already plays an integral part to the Coney Island community, with the interior plastered with flyers of multiple local events, flags representing numerous countries, and handmade children decorations. 

   The center provides free after-school, as well as hosting multiple events for both children and adults. On the 18th, it was the space for the Healing Grounds event. 

The event was a talent show, with the purpose of highlighting citizens of the community. Free food and gifts were given to attendees. LoToya Nunn, the program director of Heartshare, was the host of the event. “This event is catering to people like ourselves, to be resilient. We live in a community where there is so much turmoil and so much going on, and we just want to be grateful that we are still here. To be here and enjoy this event.” Nunn continued, “We are all resilient members of this community, no matter who you are, no matter what your story is. You are resilient.”

The talent show enforced a theme of cultures and community. As a Coney Island native, Jalayla Vasquez, who was an intern at the event, performed a Mexican folklore dance in a Jalisco dress. The Marlboro youth group, from the neighboring community center of the same name, went next and performed a rendition of “Candy Rain.” The theme of resilience shone through as two members from the Coney Island Cathedral Church,  two little girls, Natalya, who only gave her first name, and Lacy Prawel, respectively, performed songs of faith and perseverance. The songs were “Better Days” by Le’Andria Johnson and “Joyful Joyful” by God’s Angels, respectively.

JCCGCI is an organization in which specializes in providing therapeutic services for survivors of domestic violence, gun violence, community violence, sexual assault, physical assault, human trafficing, and it also provides general mental health services. Dr. Chelsea Askew, a representative at JCCGCI spoke on redemption. “Redemption isn’t about erasing the past, it’s about choosing a new path, taking responsibility, earning forgiveness, and proving through actions that transformation is possible.”

   It was segue into guests Bobby and Cheryl Love, author of a 2021 book about their journey. Bobby was a prison escapee who turned his life around, and they formed a partnership centered in resilience.

   Nunn summarized the purpose of the event.“The event was purposely curated to highlight stories of resilience and community,” she said. “Every talent and presentation was included for a purpose of showing community.”

New data show a 17 percent drop in new international student enrollment in U.S. colleges this fall, signaling growing concerns across higher education about the country’s ability to attract global talent. 

That decline arrives even as President Donald Trump recently declared that foreign students are “essential” to U.S. institutions, warning that cuts would “destroy U.S. colleges,” according to Bloomberg. 

Yet for many students, the political rhetoric and lived reality feel increasingly disconnected.

One international student from Central Asia, who like the other students quoted here asked to be quoted anonymously,  posted publicly that she traveled home this summer to renew documents and visit family before her final semester in the USA. Weeks later, she discovered her Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) record had been terminated and her next visa appointment pushed months ahead. With only one semester remaining, losing her active status rendered her ineligible for post-graduation work options as  Optional Practical Training (OPT), a program that allows international students to work temporarily in the U.S. after graduation. 

Her story is one of the issues fueling this year’s enrollment decline. All those problems, including visa delays, unpredictable travel outcomes are leading to a growing fear that studying in the United States has become less stable and less accessible.

According to Open Doors data, published by the Institute of International Education, the number of international students enrolled in U.S. higher education has been shrinking, contributing to the sharp decline this year in new enrollments.

A computer science major from Kazakhstan described spending nearly all of July consumed by worry that he would be unable to return to the U.S. after his visit home. “Every day felt like ‘what if?’” he said. “What if the rules change while I’m abroad? What if I lose everything I’ve worked for?” Though he returned this fall, the stress remains as he prepares for graduation.

The financial burden of studying in the U.S. adds another layer of pressure. An Albanian student said the high cost of international tuition makes even small policy changes risky. “The fees are too expensive, and we can’t work off-campus. One rule change could ruin everything.”

A student from Kyrgyzstan suggested the current climate may push more students toward Europe or Canada. “It’s already very expensive to study here, and jobs are limited,” she said. “If the rules keep getting more complicated, people will choose other countries.”

Some students compare the U.S. to other education systems and see differences. A Turkish student who previously studied in Argentina said the U.S. academic experience felt easier, but the immigration and job pathways weren’t stable. A Ukrainian student, educated in Europe and the U.S., said European programs offered better academic standards, while the U.S. offered post-graduation job potential but only if immigration pathways remained open.

Not all students expressed concern. An Albanian student pursuing an employment-based green card (EB-3) said he believes legal immigration pathways remain intact. “As long as students follow the rules, they should still have opportunities,” he said.

Across these varied voices, students described constantly monitoring policy changes, concerned that a single update could disrupt years of academic and financial planning.

According to NAFSA, international students contributed more than $43 billion to the U.S. economy last academic year. With enrollment declining and confidence shaken, colleges that rely on international tuition may face an increasingly uncertain future.

For many students, the challenge now is simply getting through their studies while managing the possibility that their entire plan could change overnight. “I want to stay,” the Kazakhstan student said, “but sometimes it feels like my future changes every time the news changes.”

November is Puerto Rican Heritage Month, and New York has long recognized Puerto Rico’s cultural, political, and historical ties with the city. So when Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani traveled to Puerto Rico earlier this month and announced, “You cannot tell the story of New York City without telling the story of Puerto Rico,” Puerto Ricans did listen. His remarks circulated widely online at a time when the diaspora was already immersed in celebrating, commemorating, and reflecting on Puerto Rican history. 

Although Mamdani’s visit occurred during a season filled with historical anniversaries –the 1511 Taíno rebellion, the 1868 Grito de Lares, and the attack on the US House of Representatives led by Lolita Lebrón – that was not why he traveled to the island. He was there for the annual SOMOS conference, where New York politicians meet with Puerto Rican officials, community groups, and advocacy organizations. Still, the timing shaped how his comments were interpreted, especially by Puerto Ricans wary of symbolic gestures that do not lead to lasting political support. 

John W. Acevedo, a 27-year-old filmmaker from Ponce who moved to New York during the COVID-19 pandemic, said Mamdani’s message felt familiar but carried weight coming from a mayor-elect. Acevedo, who responded in Spanish, said that the island’s culture had historically been suppressed through anti-nationalist laws, such as the former criminalization of the Puerto Rican flag, creating what he described as “fear of repercussions.” “As a Puerto Rican, it feels like people hear us,” Acevedo said. “It’s nice to hear a mayor wants to help my main culture.” 

Still, Acevedo does not believe that anyone who has not lived on the island can fully understand the depth of its struggles. He pointed to experiences in Ponce, where residents lived without reliable electricity for years after Hurricane María and where federal relief arrived slowly or in limited amounts. “The hardship we’ve been through… those are struggles that I feel you would only truly understand when you live in it,” he said.  

Living in New York reshaped Acevedo’s view of Puerto Rico’s political status. He explained that while he once believed statehood was necessary for the island’s survival, he now fears it would erase the cultural identity that defines Puerto Rican life. “If we become a state, we will lose what made us truly Boricuas,” he said. “Our culture, our voices, our lifestyle would all be gone or down to minimal.”

For at least one Puerto Rican who grew up in New York, Mamdani’s trip resonated differently. Marisol Rivera, 22, a second-generation Puerto Rican from Brooklyn, said that hearing a mayor-elect openly acknowledge the island’s importance “validated and showed face,” especially during a month when cultural pride is foregrounded. Rivera said she hoped this year’s statements would lead to more consistent political support rather than holiday messaging that fades. “We’ve learned to wait and see what happens after the cameras leave,” she said.  

Rivera also questioned how much mainland politicians can realistically do for Puerto Rico. “They praise Puerto Rico in statements, but they do not send resources,” she said, adding that many visit during SOMOS but rarely return once the conference ends. She and Acevedo both noted that while New York City officials can fund programs for the diaspora and raise awareness about Puerto Rican issues. It is important to note: they cannot control federal disaster aid, economic policy, or the island’s political status, all of which fall under congressional and presidential authority.  

Rivera said her parents taught her about historical cycles of displacement, beginning with the economic restructuring of Operation Bootstrap, and the role Puerto Ricans in New York played in movements like the Young Lords. The Young Lords were a radical Puerto Rican organization founded in the late 1960s that fought for community control, anti-poverty programs, and self-determination in New York and Chicago. Riviera said those lessons shaped her expectations: “Just because we weren’t born on the island doesn’t mean we don’t feel what happens there.” 

Both Rivera and Acevedo were clear that meaningful change for the island will always depend on federal action, not municipal leaders. Yet, both expressed hopes for how New York City’s mayor could support Puerto Ricans living in the city. Acevedo said the priority should be “more respect for the community,” including attention to housing issues affecting Puerto Ricans displaced by economic crises. Riversa said she wants elected officials to “show up when it matters,” not only during holidays or photo opportunities. 

What Mamdani’s visit ultimately means, they argued, will depend on whether his statements evolve into consistent engagement. As Rivera put it: “If you believe in this, it’s not just in November.”

Seven drownings occurred on NYC beaches in the summer of 2024, making it the highest number since 2019. In response the NYC Council Committee on Education passed a resolution on October 29 calling on the state to promote water safety training in schools. 

The Council’s Resolution 0501-2024 urges the New York State legislature and the Governor to pass A.1080, requiring school districts to provide water safety information to parents and to teach water safety to K-12 students.

“I’m dedicated to ensuring that our children and New Yorkers are safe while swimming in pools and our beaches,” said the resolution’s primary sponsor, NYC Councilmember Shekar Krishnan, who is also Chair of the Council’s Committee on Parks and Recreation, during the meeting. “One death due to drowning is too much.”

In the proposed state legislative bill, 2025-A1080, the school districts would allow and encourage “age-appropriate” water safety instruction. The school districts are required to send online water safety materials that are outlined in regulations by the Commissioner with the Department of Health to parents of the students annually.

Some of the topics covered in the curriculum are the usage of flotation devices, the importance of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), recognizing water dangers like rip currents, teaching swim lessons, respecting pool barriers, following safe behaviors, and lifeguard supervision. 

“I think this is an excellent thing,” said Brian Jensen, Brooklyn College Aquatics Director and Head Swimming and Diving Coach. “One, it can teach people to get over a fear, two, you’re developing life skills that can benefit you. Three, it might be a skill that you can turn into a job that might turn into a career.”

Drownings can occur because water safety education is not accessible to everyone.

“It is a socioeconomic issue, meaning if you don’t have the resources and funds to pay for it, you don’t get it,” said Kaitlin Krause, Founder & Executive Director of Rising Tide Effect. “So putting it in the schools is the most efficient and effective way to get it to everyone regardless of their background.” 

Rising Tide Effect is a non-profit organization that assists underserved communities with free swimming lessons, water safety education, and career training.

Naomie Grandpierre, Brooklyn College student says, “When I was in high school, I was never educated on water safety or had any swimming experience.” She notes limited pool access and low interest in swimming, highlighting a need for more education.

Lifeguard shortages have been driven by factors like COVID-19, stricter certification tests, declining interest in swimming, and low salaries. 

Brooklyn College is also in the movement to address water safety issues by providing a swimming course to college students. They are collaborating and renting out their pool with for-profit and nonprofit organizations like the Inclusive Community Wellness(ICW) for children and adults to learn how to swim. The ICW offers free swim lessons while providing wellness programs for physical and mental health.

NYC Parks officials and lifeguard unions are also taking action to boost water safety; they’re increasing lifeguard salaries to $22 per hour, offering $1000 bonuses for returning guards, and making certification tests more accessible. NYC parks will also provide personalized training programs, like the Swim Prep Program, to attract new lifeguards.

Rising Tide Effect’s Krause stresses that water safety education should be a classroom staple, covering not just pool and beach safety, but also flood preparedness, to equip families with life-saving knowledge. “So we can become, as we call it in Rising Tide, water wise individuals,” said Krause.

This year’s mayoral race saw the highest turnout of voters in New York City since 1969. Three-quarters of NYC’s youth, people under 30, who voted chose Mamdani, according to a voter poll conducted by The Associated Press on November 5, 2025. In April 2025, some young women in New York City mobilized and, brought together by 24-year-old Cait Camelia and 28-year-old Kaif Kabir, started the unofficial campaign, ‘Hot Girls for Zohran,’ after having the idea to create a fun kind of campaign t-shirt. ‘Hot Girls for Zohran’ is inspired by a 2020 trend, #HotGirlsforBernie, which started during Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders’s presidential campaign.

The group is primarily Gen Z, but has gone viral and spread to other age groups. Actress Emily Ratajkowski joined the campaign, and even former New York City Mayor Bill De Blasio was seen wearing a ‘Hot Girls for Zohran’ t-shirt on November 4 when he showed up to vote. The group inspired groups formed by Republican podcaster Emily Austin, ‘Hot Girls for Cuomo’, and ‘Cool Girls for Capitalism’, formed by Danielle Goldman. 

Calling themselves ‘hot girls,’ Camelia’s goal was to empower women and bring them together in a way that would convince more of the city to vote for Mamdani. On November 4, he was announced as NYC’s next mayor. 

“Together, we have illustrated the power of leading with a politics grounded in hope, compassion, and humility – rather than a politics of fear, shame, and superiority,” Camelia said in a speech she gave at a watch party on election night, “This campaign was built on community, conversations, and something that politics has lacked for far too long: joy.”

The group’s mission brought people together from many different parts of the city through parties, t-shirt giveaways, comedy shows, and canvassing, in which they would walk the city and knock on doors to tell them why they should vote for Mamdani. 

For actress, model, and influencer Abril Rios, the group was more than just a way to spread politics. “I think in the past years, especially after the pandemic, a lot of us in Gen Z have felt very disconnected from one another,” Rios said. Rios has a following of over 200,000 on instagram and yet it only serves to make her feel lonely. 

“It’s almost even more isolating cuz you see this like huge number on a screen, but it’s not necessarily reality. For a long time, I grappled with that as an influencer, and I really craved a community,” she said. “When I moved back to the States after being in Europe and got involved with ‘Hot Girls for Zohran’, and I was so amazed by his ability to make campaigning fun. There’s all these little ways that he brought people together to make it not feel like a job.” 

‘Hot Girls for Zohran’ certainly built a community not just with their over 18,000 followers but with the thousands of people who actually came together to campaign for Mamdani. It didn’t just stop at women, and New York City’s queer community as well as men joined in. The group helped change how young people approach politics and got them more involved than in recent years. Even Mamdani himself appeared in social media videos for the group’s Instagram. 

Not only did the campaign help with making politics more fun and accessible but it helped humanize Mamdani for the younger generation. Mamdani’s win is just the beginning for the group and after his win, they plan to keep their work going.

“We have many more doors to knock, many more minds to change, and many more strides to make. In the words of Mohammed El Kurd, I do not want us to compare our past to our present. I want us to invent a new future. Together,” Camelia said.

In 1967, Brooklyn College’s student body was 91.6% white, 4.2% Black, and only 0.8% Puerto Rican. Eight years later, after protests and sit-ins demanding representation, students helped establish the Puerto Rican Studies Department, one of the first in New York City. That legacy was celebrated this week at Encuentro: The Possible Dream, Legacies of Protest, an intergenerational event held at the Student Center that united scholars, alumni, and activists to honor more than 50 years of struggle, scholarship, and solidarity.

Hosted by the Puerto Rican and Latinx Studies (PRLS) Department, Encuentro brought together past and present members of the Puerto Rican Alliance (PRA), faculty, and community organizations to honor a movement that transformed the college’s identity. Today, 22.4% of Brooklyn College’s student body identifies as Hispanic/Latinx, according to Data USA.

Dr. Ruth Delgado Sánchez, one of the founding members of the Puerto Rican Alliance, recalled how early organizing began in the late 1960s, when students from across the city, Hunter, Queens, and Hofstra, traveled to Brooklyn College to unite.

 “Back then, we didn’t even have Spanish in school,” Delgado Sanchez said. “We had to build everything ourselves.”

Those efforts led to the establishment of the Puerto Rican Studies Department in 1974, a landmark victory that gave Puerto Rican and Latinx students a space to learn about their history, politics, and identity. Delgado Sánchez described those early alliances as both political and cultural, with students collaborating closely with Black student groups during the civil-rights era. “We were learning about ourselves for the first time,” she said. “And that gave us power.”

Keynote speaker Dr. Johanna Fernández, a historian at Baruch College and author of The Young Lords: A Radical History, drew direct connections between that student movement and broader anti-imperialist struggles across Latin America.

“Puerto Rico was not simply poor, it was a colony,” Fernández said, explaining how U.S intervention in Latin America, from Guatemala to the Dominican Republic, displaced millions and shaped modern migration. 

She urged students to see their activism as part of a longer revolutionary tradition:

“The Young Lords gave their generation the language and analysis to make sense of the trauma their parents experienced,” she said. “Their vision remains urgently relevant today, liberation will not be handed down from above, but built from below, through solidarity.” 

Fernández also reflected on how she first learned about the Young Lords while researching her book The Young Lords: A Radical History. The revelation came unexpectedly. 

“I was flabbergasted that I had never heard of them, even though my father almost died at the hospital they occupied,” she said, referring to the 1970 takeover of Lincoln Hospital  in the Bronx. “That’s when I realized history had been erased.” 

Following the keynote, a panel moderated by Professor Jasmine Mitchell showcased voices from across PRA’s history: Joe Alvarez Azario (Class of ’76), Vanessa (Class of 2006), Lex (PRA president 2021–2024), and Angelina (current president). Together, they traced the evolution of student activism from the 1970s to today.

Azario described arriving on campus in 1969 when Latino students were “so few you could count them on one hand.”

“A brother tapped me on the shoulder and said, ‘You want to know more about yourself?’ That’s how I found PRA,” he said. “It became my sanctuary.”

He recalled joining classmates in occupying administrative offices to defend the new Puerto Rican Studies program. “There was no fear,” he said. “We were fighting for self-determination.”

Vanessa, who led PRA in the late 1990s, described a thriving organization that balanced culture and activism.

“We were loud, but we were organized,” she said. “We built coalitions with the Black Student Union, the Dominican Student Association, the Haitian Student Union, everyone. Our presence alone was powerful.”

Lex, who served as president after the pandemic, spoke about a renewed wave of political pressure on student organizers.

“Before the megaphone even turned on, police were already grabbing students,” Lex said, describing protests in solidarity with Palestine. “Even when we were scared, we kept showing up.”

Current president Angelina noted that today’s challenge is institutional rather than cultural.

“Our issue isn’t that we can’t celebrate who we are, it’s repression,” she said. “Sometimes it feels like the school wishes we didn’t care about other oppressed people. But this is our college too, and we’re not backing down.”

During the discussion, one audience member proposed naming a campus building after student activists and former PRLS faculty, arguing that “if we don’t make these things visible, the administration will erase them.”

The PRLS awarded its Good Trouble Award, which honors individuals who embody the department’s spirit of resistance, to Dr. Johanna Fernández for her scholarship and activism. PRLS also named Miguel Figueroa, a PRA member and student leader, as the student recipient.

“We need to show solidarity with one another and learn from our movement elders,” Figueroa said. “Spaces like these, spaces people spent time in prison for, can’t disappear. This is our inheritance.”

Faculty described this year’s Encuentrot as an intergenerational passing of the torch, linking the department’s founders with its newest advocates. The celebration closed with a dance party featuring bachata, merengue, and salsa.

A few months since New York Police Department Quality of Life ‘Q-Teams’ began responding to calls across New York City, some residents welcome increased policing, while others question whether it can successfully address societal issues and increase community safety. 

While major crime in New York City remains low, with shootings, murders, and subway crimes reaching historic lows in October 2025, many New Yorkers remain concerned about public safety issues, many of which are responded to by Q-Teams. 

Some feel that the division will address long-reported issues in the community. “By focusing on these issues, we help improve public safety in this borough block by block and erase the notion that some portions of the city are more important than others,” said Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz in a city press release.   

But others aren’t so sure. “Overpolicing never works,” said lifelong North Bronx resident Manny Polanco. “It just continues the cycle.” While Polanco added that many people in his community think increased policing can fix issues such as open drug use, “all it does is throw people who look like you, that sound like you, that grew up around you in jail, just for the fact that they’re trying to get by.” He also said that Black and Brown communities are disproportionately targeted by police in the Bronx, and that he sees increased access to social programs as a way to break the cycle.  

The division was first announced in April in a joint press conference by Mayor Eric Adams and police Commissioner Jessica Tisch. According to Tisch, the division would address “issues that New Yorkers see and feel every day,” impacting their sense of safety in the city.  In August, it was announced that the division would be expanded across the city. During the pilot period, the department reported responding to over 40,000 calls and reducing non-emergency response times by an average of 50 minutes. 

Officers from various community-focused divisions, such as neighborhood coordination, youth coordination, and traffic safety make up the Q-Teams. The officers respond to non-emergency 911 and 311 calls specifically regarding quality of life complaints, such as encampments, abandoned vehicles, and noise complaints. 

The Legal Aid Society, a nonprofit providing legal representation for New Yorkers in need, called the division “deeply troubling and dangerous.” It targets vulnerable New Yorkers who are trying to survive amidst a cost of living crisis, and saddles them with an arrest record which can impede access to housing and social services, the organization wrote in a press statement released after the citywide expansion was announced. 

Sofia Canonge, resident of Woodside, Queens, reported while she had seen increased policing of minor offenses since the division was implemented, it’s targeted at the wrong subjects. She points to the criminalization of minor issues such as food vending while major crime such as human trafficking occurring on Roosevelt Avenue goes largely unchecked. 

Canonge also spoke about the relationship between the targeting of quality of life issues and gentrification. Queens, as well as many other areas of the city has seen an influx of younger white residents, many of them students who can be intolerant of existing community norms. “I’m pretty sure these young people are okay with the Mayor’s administration doing that,” she said. “The Mayor’s administration is, on behalf of them, doing this.” 

Stringent enforcement of low level offenses is nothing new to New Yorkers. In 1993 under Mayor Rudy Giuliani and police commissioner Bill Bratton (Tisch’s former mentor), the Broken Windows theory was first applied to the NYPD. The theory proposes that allowing minor signs of disorder to go unchecked will lead to increasing disorder and an eventual eruption of serious crime.

The increased enforcement of quality of life offenses is widely cited by proponents as the factor behind the steep decline in crime in the 1990s. However critics have long disputed this, and in 2016, the NYC Department of Investigations found no direct link between increased quality of life summonses and drop in felony crime. Tisch responded to the findings when announcing the city-wide rollout, saying the division is “not about preventing something worse, It’s about improving daily life.”

As college application deadlines loom, Brooklyn high schoolers are preparing for the next steps in higher education.

Governor Kathy Hochul announced on October 6 that close to 130 colleges across New York State would waive application fees in October as part of College Applications Month (CAM) for the third consecutive year. 

This initiative aims to assist high school seniors as they pursue higher education and tackle financial challenges. This includes all of the City University of New York (CUNY) and State University of New York (SUNY), as well as about 50 private colleges and universities. 

“College Application Month is about breaking down barriers and helping every student take that critical first step toward college success,” said Hochul on the NYS official website press release.

CUNY is waiving application fees from October 27-November 21 for NYC students and November 10-21 for out-of-NYC students. SUNY waives fees October 20-November for up to five applications per student. Private colleges and universities offer varying waiver periods. Application fees typically range from $50 to $90. 

“I think this is a good incentive to help low income students get more opportunities,” said Giselle Rodriguez, a Brooklyn College senior.

CUNY saw a positive impact on enrollment rates from its fall 2024 fee waiver initiatives, which helped the university system recover from declines during the pandemic. According to CUNY News, “During the free application period, the University received a record 55,050 applications, an increase of 62% from last year’s period. Overall, applications to CUNY were up 13% year-over-year.”

Although fee waivers eliminate application costs, students still face tuition expenses. “I personally believe you shouldn’t have to pay to go to college.” said Janiah Taylor, a CUNY K16 Initiatives Program Associate for college and career advising and a graduate of CUNY. “That tactic has never made sense to me and I think it blocks a lot of opportunities for different students.” K16 Initiatives is a partnership between CUNY and New York City Public Schools (NYCPS), where students can apply to their programs, supporting a smooth transition to college and early college education and environment. 

Despite the challenge of paying tuition, CAM still gives students an opportunity to take the first step in applying to college.  “College Application Month sends a clear message: college is within reach,” said Lola W. Brabham, President of Commission on the Independent Colleges and Universities in the NYS official website’s press release.

   The Muslim Center of New York in Flushing opened its doors on October 19 to Queens residents protesting the possible construction of a casino at Flushing Meadows Corona Park. Earlier this year, Queens state Senator John Liu explained that he would introduce the bill to the Legislature about the casino, which would take over 50 acres of land from Flushing Meadows Corona Park, leaving locals furious.

   “We at the Muslim Center are completely against this regime; it will hurt us, our families, our children, our friends, and our faith,” said Abdel Ghani, a member of the Muslim Center’s board. 

   Over 250 individuals came to the protest, many hailing from Flushing, Bayside, Jackson Heights, and Jamaica.

   “Left and right, communities across New York City are rejecting a casino in their neighborhood. All three casino proposals in Manhattan were the first to reject theirs. Coney Island as well, and shockingly, last week, even Yonkers, pulled their casino project,” said Sarah Ahn, organizer with Flushing Workers Center.

   Ahn explained that there are three more proposed casinos all within “a 14-mile radius of each other. Even the Bronx Casino is actually extremely close to Flushing. And the other proposal is in Jamaica, where they already have the Resource World,” a casino opened in 2011. 

   Baojin Qiu, a Flushing resident and home attendant, said, “My husband, my son are both gamblers. Our family is broken because of this. We sold our house, we sold our business, and now a casino in our own home. John Liu, you are breaking my family, shame on you!” 

    Lifelong Flushingite Jack Hu explained to the audience that before John Liu spoke with Steve Cohen, the billionaire Mets owner hoping to build the casino, Liu was against it. Then, in March, Liu met with Cohen and decided to support the Flushing casino. 

   “He drafted a bill to alienate the parkland and pushed it through the New York State Legislature in a record speed of three months,” Hu said. “Senator John Liu works harder and faster for a billionaire’s predatory casino than he has ever worked for you.” 

    Hu added, “We plan to turn out over 2,000 people at Flushing Library, and we’re going to demand that Senator John Liu, Governor Kathy Hochul, and the gaming facility location board strike down this casino.”

  Former Queens state senator Tony Avella also expressed disagreement with the casino plan. “Unfortunately, this has not come up enough in the media,” he said. “Once you lose parkland, you never get it back. Parkland is here. And in my opinion, shame on any elected official who’s allowing parkland to be lost.”

   The state is planning to award three downstate casino licenses. The Gaming Facility Location Board will evaluate each application and base its approval on the projected revenues, number of jobs, variety of amenities, and the development of the financial aspect of the gaming facility. 

   If approved, the casino will be built near Citi-Field with a casino, hotel, a theater, over 100,000 square feet of conference space, and other amenities. The lawmakers within Albany have already approved the use of the land within the Flushing area.

New York City mayoral candidates Andrew Cuomo and Curtis Sliwa butted heads with Democratic front-runner Zohran Mamdani over the city’s Gifted and Talented education plans during their second and final general election debate at 30 Rockefeller Plaza on Thursday, Oct. 16. 

Mamdani confirmed that he would phase out the Gifted and Talented Program (G&T) for kindergartners, as he has already announced. “I do not believe kindergartners should be subjected to a singular assessment,” he said during the second and final mayoral general election debate. He also repeated his call to end mayoral control of the school system.

The city’s G&T program began in the 1970s to provide advanced learning opportunities for eligible elementary students. This program was phased out for incoming kindergartners by former Mayor Bill de Blasio in 2021, but was later reinstated by his successor, Mayor Eric Adams, in 2022.

The program has faced a mix of opinions and backlash for its low rate of including Black, Hispanic, and other students in the program. 

Black or Latino students make up 70% of the NYC public school system, and are far less likely to be enrolled in gifted and talented programs than their White or Asian peers, who make up 75% of these programs.

Sliwa, the Republican nominee, and former Governor Cuomo, who is running as an independent, both agreed during the debate that the G&T program should be expanded rather than phased out.

Sliwa said the program doesn’t have enough slots. It currently has 1,900; he wants at least 5,000. Sliwa also emphasized that the tests need to be more available for Black and Hispanic communities.

Brooklyn College student Khalia John, who watched the debate, said she agrees with Mamdani on the G&T program ending for kindergartners but warned it won’t be enough to guarantee greater opportunities for Black and Latino children. 

“To be successful in that approach depends on broader changes such as ensuring all schools have equal access to resources, various methods to identify giftedness later on, and supporting all students in those early grades,” said John. “Without addressing these factors they’ll reach the same results, it’ll just show up later down the line.”

Lindsey Gordon, a nine-year NYC teacher and parent, believes the mayoral candidates oversimplify complex education issues like the G&T program. But she can agree on both sides of the G&T program argument based on reading news coverage articles of the debate and her knowledge of these types of programs.

Gordon said that she agrees with Mamdani that all students deserve a high-quality education. She stressed that large classes with students of varying abilities and behavioral issues make it challenging to meet “all” diverse needs. So she advocates for support programs. “I support pull-out or push-in programs that provide targeted support or enrichment to better meet students’ diverse needs,” said Gordon.

Gordon added that she has had concerns that changes to G&T and enrichment programs could affect other students currently in these programs, like her 8-year-old. “If enrichment programs were phased out or scaled back, I think my child might lose some of that excitement and motivation that comes from being challenged and engaged,” said Gordon.

Mayoral control allows the Mayor to have significant authority over the NYC public schools, including the appointment of the school chancellor.

“I’ve been critical of mayoral control because of the ways in which it’s been used to take away the voice of parents, of educators, of students,” said Mamdani during the debate. 

By contrast, Cuomo wants to maintain mayoral control and emphasized its importance. “We’d go back to the old system that had local school boards which were corrupt, patronage mills, etc.,” Cuomo said.

Gordon believes her views align more with Mamdani’s: that parents and teachers are losing their voices. But she understands that the situation is not easy. “So while I understand the argument for consistency under mayoral control, I think it’s way more important to build a system that actually listens to the people in it,” said Gordon. “Education should be a shared effort between leadership, families, and teachers—not something dictated from the top down.”

New York District 9 Democratic Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke used her October 8 telephone town hall to blame President Donald Trump and the Republic Party for the impact of the government shutdown on Brooklyn residents.

“At the start of the shutdown Democratic leader and our fellow Brooklyn Senator Minority Leader Schumer and House Minority leader Jeffries went to the White House to negotiate a resolution to avoid the shutdown in good faith,” said Clarke. “But Donald Trump and Republicans have nothing but bad intentions.”

It’s was the seventh day of the government shutdown and residents who attended the telephone town hall had the opportunity to share their questions and concerns.

Clarke collaborated on the Q&A with panelists from the New York City Health Department and the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce.

Brooklyn seniors expressed concerns about the stability of their pensions and Social Security benefits during the shutdown. “The issue is that these are central services to our communities and it is my understanding that Social Security benefit payments are not affected by annual appropriations bills and payments as expected,” said Clarke.

Camille Hastick, the Vice President of External Affairs and Government Relations at the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce, was asked about the potential fallout for small businesses if the enhanced premium tax credit expires at the end of 2025. Hastick stated, “Tax credit system will revert to the pre-enhancement ACA standard, which means stricter income limit, less general subsidies and more out of pocket cost for many individuals.”

Health care was another big topic for Brooklyn local residents. New York State of Health Deputy Director Sonia Sekhar answered questions about the shutdown’s effect on health care. Under the republican plan current tax credit will expire and health care premiums will go up,” she said.

Following up on healthcare, the CEO of One Brooklyn Health Sandra Scott, spoke on potential changes with Medicaid. "Individuals should understand the eligibility that impacts them, but most importantly to know about our wellness and stay healthy to avoid the emergency room,” Scott said.

Many research programs addressing health imbalances at SUNY Downstate have been affected over the past nine months, said SUNY Downstate Health Science University President Dr. Wayne J. Riley “Downstate has received significant impact in terms of loss or suspension of federal research grants that are focused on addressing health disparities and health equities in central Brooklyn and in New York City. Because of the current administration’s posture, any research grant that has anything to do with DEI they
suspend and agree to not fund those grants.”

Clarke closed off thanking everyone for attending the call and stating, “The Trump administration allies and congress are not here to play by the rule of law, or abide by the Constitution, they are not here to ensure that your voice in democracy continues to be heard, they want silence.”

   Over the course of two days, October 6-7, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) held two public hearings to discuss the safety of the city’s bridges and tunnels. The goal was to improve safety on the roadways, focusing on controlling speed in work areas and making sure the infrastructure is in good condition. 

   The MTA said to ensure the structure has a long lasting future, it would introduce weigh-in-motion (WIM) technology on the Robert F. Kennedy (RFK) bridge, which weighs trucks as they approach the bridge to flag any that are too heavy for the bridge’s infrastructure.

   David Gmach, the Director of Strategy and Stakeholder Engagement at MTA Bridges and Tunnels, led the hearing. As the RFK bridge reaches its 90th year since construction, practices to ensure it’s longevity must be put in place. It was originally called the Triborough bridge because of its connection between the three boroughs (Manhattan, Queens, and the Bronx). 

   Currently, MTA is spending more than $7 million to repair damages done to the RFK bridge. As reported by MTA’s Bridges and Tunnels, 6.5% of the trucks traveling on their bridges are overweight. These repairs cost the MTA’s Bridges and Tunnels institutions a total of $30 million annually.

   Gmach detailed how WIM will work. “You start with the signage that will be posted before the bridge about the weight restrictions and the use of wind. Vehicles then pass over the roadway

sensors as shown in the photo which serve to weigh the trucks.” Gmach continues, “Third, the cameras capture identifying information. And this roadway system will undergo a daily self- test and semiannual calibration to confirm accuracy.”

   The MTA detailed the weight limits they have in place. The weight restriction is 80,000 lbs. If the truck weighs more than 10% over the 80,000 lbs weight limit (88,000 lbs) than the truck is in violation. If in violation, warning letters will be mailed to drivers. After multiple warnings a fine of up to a maximum of $1,200 will be issued. Gmach stated that 20% of the funds collected will go to the city of New York and 80% will go to the MTA Bridges and Tunnels.

   Another issue according to MTA’s Bridges and Tunnels is the amount of speeding accidents, specifically in work zones. According to the MTA, almost 900 fatalities and 40,000 injuries occurred in U.S. work zones back in 2023. Gmach detailed how they will enforce a work zone speed. “Radar and cameras are mounted on a designated vehicle, and this vehicle can be moved from location to location as needed. The radar identifies any vehicle traveling 10 miles per hour faster than the posted speed limit within the work zone. The camera captures photos of the speeding vehicle and marks the time.”

   Gmach detailed the fines in place in case of a violation. “There’s a 90-day warning period before fines are issued. Any vehicle that exceeds the posted speed limit by more than 10 miles an hour will receive a violation. The first violation is for $50. If a second second violation is committed during the 18-month period following the first violation, the cost is $75. And then the third and every other violation within the 18-month period of the first violation is $100.” In terms of distributing the funds, it will be the same as the weight limit violations, with 20% going to the city and 80% going to the MTA’s bridges and tunnels.

   The safety procedures are currently in effect in New York state, and as of this year it will be in effect in New York City.

As families, students, and educators cheered, New York City Public Schools Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos unveiled new initiatives at her inaugural State of Our Schools event on September 29 at Manhattan Center for Science and Mathematics High School in East Harlem. The New York City Department of Education (DOE) is taking action with these key initiatives, Aviles-Ramos told a live audience in an event that was also livestreamed, including the expansion of  NYCPS Cares and introducing a new dashboard tool to monitor these initiatives’ progress. 

Former Schools Chancellor David Banks announced he would retire at the end of 2024. Mayor Eric Adams appointed Melissa Aviles-Ramos to succeed Banks starting in January 2025. Notably, Aviles-Ramos’s state of school speech occurred a day after Adams dropped out of the NYC Mayoral race, leaving the fate of the school chancellor in the hands of the next mayor.

The NYCPS Cares initiative, announced in April 2025, began its phased rollout in the beginning of the 2025-2026 school year. The DOE says the initiative will address systemic inequities and improve student and school communities’ safety through two initiatives:  “family connectors,” whose role is to improve families’ access to resources, and student-led anti-bullying and anti-vaping campaigns. 

“As a family connector, I’ve spent time learning all resources available to families, and this has prompted me to be willing to share with others so that no one will have to go through challenges alone,” said Anton Zundee, parent of three in District Three, during the State of Our Schools parent panelist segment. The Family Connectors program trains individuals in housing, aid, and food access to help families get access to city resources while referring them to city agencies and organizations.

Aviles-Ramos also announced the expansion of Every Child and Family is Known (ECFIK), a key component of NYCPS Cares. This initiative emphasizes the importance of supporting vulnerable students and families who live in shelters by connecting them with “caring adults” who provide one-on-one support. 

“This started in the Bronx and we are expanding to additional communities now reaching 125 schools across the city,” said Aviles-Ramos.

To address the number of students not meeting grade levels in both reading and math, the DOE began its phased rollout of NYC Reads  in the 2023-2024 school year,  ensuring that pre-K and elementary students receive reading resources, instruction, and materials through research-based curricula. The previous curriculum lacked phonics-based instruction, which is part of NYC Reads.

Aviles-Ramos also gave an additional update on the NYC Reads initiative. “We will be piloting NYC Reads English Language Development curricula, specifically for our English Language Learners, in 80 schools,” Aviles-Ramos said. She emphasized that having a second language should be valued, not undermined. “Here in New York City, we know knowing more than one language should be an expectation and in no way a deficiency,” she added.

“This year’s State of Our Schools shows progress we can feel in our classrooms and a school system advancing on several fronts,” said Caroline Jose, Parent Leader and Community Education Council (CEC) six-member, 

In a NYC Public Schools press release, parent leader and Community Education Council 6 member Caroline Jose said that with the new programs, school leaders have clearer guidance and resources to lead with, and students are making strong gains in literacy and math.”

To promote transparency in the new school year, Aviles-Ramos emphasized the importance of having a new Accountability Tool that shows the initiatives and their results, such as static data year-over-year comparisons, and dynamic data, which are regular updates on progress toward specific goals, such as paraprofessional training to support students with IEPs, school facilities repairs, and other factors. 

“As your Chancellor, I want us to operate differently, more openly, […] I assure you, I am listening, we are listening,” said Aviles-Ramos. “And I encourage you to use this accountability tool just as the name suggests-to hold us accountable.”

Aviles-Ramos shared hope for a brighter future in education for New Yorkers. “This year, after all, is about lighting sparks–and a spark is not an end in and of itself. A spark represents a catalyst, a beginning. And we are just getting started.”