CUNY Master Plan 2012-2016

THE CUNY MASTER PLAN 2012-2016
• Increase the number of weekend mass citizenship assistance events from twice a month to three
times a month;
• Hold mass citizenship application assistance events weekly at the CUNY express location in Washington
Heights;
• Initiate and implement a fundraising effort seeking support from individuals and foundations; and,
• Increase citizenship application fee waiver services.
CUNY TV
CUNY TV, the University TV station, located at the CUNY Graduate Center, operates in a full HDTV
environment. In November 2011, with a $4 million endowment from the Radio Drama Network, and the
approval of the Chancellor and the CUNY Board of Trustees, the CUNY TV studios were named “The
Himan Brown TV and Radio Studios at The City University of New York.” Himan Brown, a founding member
of the CUNY TV Advisory Board, was a pioneer of radio drama programming with such famous radio
series creations as “The Thin Man,” “CBS Mystery Theatre,” “Dick Tracy,” and “The Inner Sanctum.”
CUNY TV is currently merging with WNYE-TV, channel 25, and WNYE radio, the stations of the Office
of the Mayor of The City of New York. With this merger CUNY TV will receive its own digital broadcast
channel (channel 25.3) and an HD radio station (91.5HD), both for exclusive use by the University. These
channels will give University Relations and CUNY TV the ability to brand CUNY across the city and tristate
region to more than 7.3 million households. CUNY TV will continue to operate cable channel 75 in
the five boroughs of NYC, reaching an additional 1.7 million subscriber homes. This tremendous increase
in audience base will greatly advantage CUNY TV in 2012-2016 in seeking foundation and corporate support
and institutional sponsorships for its many projects.
The use of the new technology of HD radio will be developed at CUNY TV as a cost-effective delivery
medium with content for new immigrant audiences with very specific needs and interests. Lifelong
learning programs on citizenship, educational opportunities, and survival skills (banking, transportation,
health, and wellness) will be developed in multiple languages for these populations. This initiative is tied
to the new radio station that will be up and running in mid-2013 and that will begin with public service
announcements. Cultural programs for various groups, in their own languages, will be acquired or produced
at CUNY TV. Strategies will be developed for print and Web components to complement the radio
content, produced in partnership with the many ethnic newspapers published in the city.
During the next five years, channel 25.3 will expand the branding of the University as a major academic
resource to the city, state, region, and nation. CUNY TV will enhance its efforts to present “lifelong learning
through quality television” with public affairs programs hosted by NPR’s nationally acclaimed radio
host Brian Lehrer. Other projects include a science magazine “Science & U,” looking at science in daily life,
a series of conversations with “Irish Writers in America,” and “Working,” a look at the people who work,
their unions, and their future. Bill Moyers’ new PBS series “Moyers and Company,” is also being produced
at CUNY TV. Finally, CUNY TV will, of course, continue to offer high-quality arts and cultural programs
acquired from both national and international sources. External funding is being sought for these projects.
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