USG Press Release: CCNY Undergraduate Student Government Calls for Further Action in response to COVID-19

The following is a press release directly from the Undergraduate Student Government of The City College of New York. For more information, please contact media contact listed at the bottom of the release.

March 10, 2020- As the elected body of student representatives, the Undergraduate Student Government’s main priority is to advocate on behalf of the students and in their best interests. With that being said, first and foremost, we direct the entire student body to the following resources in order to obtain the most accurate and consistent information in regards to COVID-19, otherwise known as the Coronavirus : (New York State Department of Health, CUNY’s Health and Wellness Services, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, World Health Organization). We also acknowledge President Vincent Boudreau’s consistent communication with the campus as it is necessary during this time. You can read his official memo to the City College community here.

The Undergraduate Student Government appreciates the students who have voiced their concernsto us in regards to their health, safety, and frustration with the response from the administration. Over thelast week, accounts of students no longer feeling comfortable enough to attend class, professorscancelling class, and unofficial reports of students potentially exhibiting symptoms, have all been broughtto our attention. We bring this up not to cause hysteria, but to validate the concerns of the student bodyand their desire to continue their education at CCNY without jeopardizing their health or that of theirloved ones. As the Undergraduate Student Government we are committed to hearing you out and bringingthose concerns to the rest of the campus and university wide leadership. We salute the CUNY studentswho have already taken initiative in expressing their stance to Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodriguez here.

Furthermore, as members of the City University of New York, we are in a unique position giventhat the majority of our students commute across the city via the MTA, also coming from parts ofWestchester, Long Island, and New Jersey. We are also cognizant of the socioeconomic status of many ofour students and how that plays a part in terms of testing and treatment of those who may potentiallyencounter the Coronavirus.

We formally call on the administration to transition towards online classes immediately and take the necessary precautions to address this issue and ensure the safety of the students. This includes temporarily cancelling classes campus wide, as some professors have done so already. Especially given that multiple institutions in our immediate radius have already cancelled classes and moved towards online lectures, to protect the safety of their students including Columbia University, NYU, Fordham University, Yeshiva University, NYIT and several others. The campus leadership should keep in mind that although we do not want to overact we must be proactive, rather than retroactive. We are willing to work with the administration in any capacity in order to come up with a solution that prioritizes the student body’s health and well-being. We value our education, but it should not come at the expense of our health.

Yours in Service,

Frantzy Luzincourt, President
Hannah Towfiek, Executive Vice President

Media Contact

Nelson Asemota, Vice President of Public Affairs
Email: nasemot000@citymail.cuny.edu