13 Facts About CUNY

CUNY was created in 1961, by New York State legislation, signed into law by Governor Nelson Rockefeller.

CUNY has served a diverse student body, especially those excluded from or unable to afford private universities.

Additionally, as the population of New York grew, CUNY was not able to accommodate the demand for higher education.

Across CUNY, students boycotted their campuses in 1970 to protest a rise in student fees and other issues, including the proposed open admissions plan.

However, in 1969, students and faculty across CUNY participated in rallies, student strikes, and class boycotts demanding an end to CUNY's restrictive admissions policies.

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Doors to CUNY were opened wide to all those demanding entrance, assuring all high school graduates entrance to the university without having to fulfill traditional requirements such as exams or grades.

Additionally, ethnic and Black Studies programs and centers were instituted on many CUNY campuses, contributing to the growth of similar programs nationwide.

Meanwhile, CUNY students were added to the state's need-based Tuition Assistance Program, which had been created to help private colleges.

CUNY's enrollment dipped after tuition was re-established, and there were further enrollment declines through the 1980s and into the 1990s.

In 1995, CUNY suffered another fiscal crisis when Governor George Pataki proposed a drastic cut in state financing.

CUNY ended its policy of open admissions to its four-year colleges, raised its admissions standards at its most selective four-year colleges, and required new enrollees who needed remediation, to begin their studies at a CUNY open-admissions community college.

CUNY is the fourth-largest university system in the United States by enrollment, behind the California State University system, the State University of New York system, and the University of California system.

CUNY has a unified public safety department, the City University of New York Public Safety Department, with branches at each of the 26 CUNY campuses.