You are here
CUNY Launches Comprehensive New Online Education Initiative
This article was posted first on CUNY.edu.
Invests $8 Million in Federal Stimulus Funds to Expand Online Offerings, Produce High-Quality Courses, and Programs
‘CUNY Online’ Will be Directed by CUNY School of Professional Studies, a National Leader in Online Education
The City University of New York is investing $8 million in federal stimulus funds to develop CUNY Online, a new initiative to build online degree capacity at CUNY and produce high-quality online courses and programs that meet student needs.
CUNY Online will be directed by the CUNY School of Professional Studies (CUNY SPS), the University’s premier and award-winning online institution, and will provide cost-effective services to support all 25 CUNY campuses in developing new online programs and expanding existing ones. CUNY Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez visited the CUNY SPS campus today to announce the initiative and speak about its importance to the University.
“The shift to online instruction that took place during the pandemic demonstrated the great promise of technology to help us meet students quite literally where they live, but course materials need to be optimized, and best practices incorporated, to realize the full potential of these tools,” said Chancellor Matos Rodríguez. “We are fortunate to be able to lean on the great expertise of CUNY SPS to lead this effort that makes a long-term commitment to the success of students who can benefit from the flexibility of online degree programs and courses.”
CUNY Online will enhance capacity and resources to make student-focused investments in online education, and provide dedicated personnel to support academic content development, including instructional designers, production staff, and project managers. These dedicated personnel will aid faculty in academic content development, course design and delivery effectiveness. CUNY Online will also provide strong student support services including around-the-clock tech support, expanded tutoring and early access to the newest technologies.
“CUNY SPS has long known the need for quality online programs that enable busy students to access their classes and complete their coursework at a time and place that is convenient to them,” said CUNY SPS Interim Dean Jorge Silva-Puras. “With CUNY Online, the University has made a forward-thinking investment in online education to ensure that all CUNY colleges may be able to offer more flexible and accessible online learning opportunities. We look forward to bringing our 15-plus years of online expertise to CUNY Online and therefore other campuses within the CUNY community.”
Conceived in response to growing student demand and as a result of the University’s commitment to expanded access, quality instruction, student support and external competition, CUNY Online has been designed to support campuses, faculty, staff and students with a range of services. CUNY Online will also serve as the primary portal for promotion and enrollment of online programs. The courses developed under the CUNY Online initiative will be accessible to students across the University, promoting student success and completion with credits that will be transferable across campuses.
CUNY Online is in the initial phases of its launch, with plans to select and develop a first round of seven to 10 new online associate, bachelor’s and master’s degree programs by the end of 2022 that will be in place by Spring 2023. The initiative is expected to have completed 13 to 20 new programs by Fall 2023.
Quality Online Programs
CUNY Online is the latest online initiative developed by the University with the help of CUNY SPS. In Spring 2020, CUNY SPS created an award-winning series of workshops in online instruction that drew 3,400 faculty members from across all CUNY campuses as they transitioned to online teaching and learning during the pandemic.
CUNY SPS offers 24 degrees and numerous non-degree and grant-funded workplace learning programs and has been nationally recognized as a leader in the growing online education space.
For the second year in a row, CUNY SPS has been named in the top 10 of U.S. News & World Report’s 2022 list of Best Online Bachelor’s Programs nationwide. The publisher also ranked the school’s B.A. in Psychology No. 2 in the nation on the list of Best Online Bachelor’s Programs in Psychology, out of 55 schools reviewed.
In a new entry for CUNY SPS, the B.A. in Business was ranked No. 30 in the nation on the list of Best Online Bachelor’s Programs in Business, out of 228 institutions assessed. The school was also No. 5 for Best Online Bachelor’s for Veterans.
Stimulus Funds Investments
The $8 million for CUNY Online is the latest example of CUNY investing federal stimulus funds to take a forward-looking approach to equitable student success. Over the last two years, CUNY has used federal Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds to advance a number of key initiatives. The University expanded mental health services to assist the increasing numbers of students at CUNY struggling with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, using $5 million from federal stimulus funding in each of the last two fiscal years. This allowed CUNY colleges to reach more students with face-to-face online counseling and other remote wellness services.
CUNY also made history by launching the CUNY Comeback Program, erasing more than $100 million in unpaid tuition and fees for more than 57,000 students through what is believed to be the country’s largest debt-forgiveness initiative of its kind. And CUNY oversaw the timely distribution of $455 million in emergency grants from three federal stimulus bills directly to students.
About the City University of New York
The City University of New York is the nation’s largest urban public university, a transformative engine of social mobility that is a critical component of the lifeblood of New York City. Founded in 1847 as the nation’s first free public institution of higher education, CUNY today has seven community colleges, 11 senior colleges and seven graduate or professional institutions spread across New York City’s five boroughs, serving over 260,000 undergraduate and graduate students and awarding 55,000 degrees each year. CUNY’s mix of quality and affordability propels almost six times as many low-income students into the middle class and beyond as all the Ivy League colleges combined. More than 80 percent of the University’s graduates stay in New York, contributing to all aspects of the city’s economic, civic and cultural life and diversifying the city’s workforce in every sector. CUNY’s graduates and faculty have received many prestigious honors, including 13 Nobel Prizes and 26 MacArthur “Genius” Grants. The University’s historic mission continues to this day: provide a first-rate public education to all students, regardless of means or background.
About the CUNY School of Professional Studies
As New York’s leader in online education since 2006, the CUNY School of Professional Studies (CUNY SPS) offers the most online bachelor’s and master’s degree options at the City University of New York, and serves as the University’s only undergraduate all-transfer college. With 24 degrees and numerous other non-degree and grant-funded workplace learning programs, CUNY SPS meets the needs of adults who wish to finish a bachelor’s degree, progress from an associate’s degree, earn a master’s degree or certificate in a specialized field, and advance in the workplace or change careers. Consistently ranked highly by U.S. News & World Report for its online offerings, and noted for its soaring growth and enrollment, CUNY SPS has emerged as a nationwide leader in online education. The School’s renowned and affordable online programs—which offer in-state tuition to all students regardless of where they live—ensure that busy working adults may fulfill their educational goals on their own time and schedule.
Press Contact
Andrea Fagon
Director of Marketing and Communications
andrea.fagon@cuny.edu