Page 9 - qt edition #37

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2025 THE QUEENS TIMES PAGE 9

Mayor Adams, CUNY Chancellor Matos Rodríguez On First Day of School Year, Speaker

Celebrate Funding for New Life Sciences Facility at Adrienne Adams Celebrates Funding
Hostos Community College For District 28 Schools in Fiscal Year
2026 Budget
State-of-the-Art Life Sciences
Facility Will Offer Hands-on On the first day of the 2025-26 faculty, and staff. She also deliv-
Training in High-Demand Health School Year for New York City ered a check for $350,000, which
Care Programs, Nursing, Occupa- Public Schools, New York City was allocated to the school for
tional Therapy, Home Health Care Council Speaker Adrienne Adams bathroom renovations and technol-
and More celebrated capital funding invest- ogy upgrades.
ments secured for schools in her “Investing in our local schools
Facility Expected to Drive Enroll- district in the City’s Fiscal Year is essential to the success of our
ment Growth, Create Demand for 2026 budget. Speaker Adams allo- scholars,” said Speaker Adrienne
Additional Faculty Jobs, Increase cated $1.7 million to public schools Adams. “I’m proud to allocate
Research Capacity, Help Students in Council District 28 to renovate funding for technology upgrades
Enter High-Paying Careers in school facilities, upgrade their at High School for Law Enforce-
Health and Science technology, and improve student ment and Public Safety and PS
experiences. 48Q David N. Dinkins School for
New York City Mayor Eric At High School for Law Enforce- Community Service, which will fa-
Adams and The City University New Yorkers.” and Natural Sciences Life Sci- ment and Public Safety, Speaker cilitate access to modernized learn-
of New York (CUNY) Chancel- “The transformation of the ences Center will feature modern Adams joined Principal Laura ing equipment and improve student
lor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez historic Bronx Central Post Of- instructional labs, lab support Van Deren, faculty, and staff at experiences. In the City’s Fiscal
today announced $12.3 million fice into a state-of-the art science areas, faculty offices, general the school’s “Patio Party” to wel- Year 2026 budget, I’m thrilled to
in funding to lease a new space facility for Hostos Community classrooms, student spaces and come students back from summer invest a total of $1.7 million in capi-
that will serve as a life sciences College is the realization of a de- campus services. It consolidates break. She presented a check for tal funding for schools in Council
facility for Hostos Community cade-long ambition shared by the the Allied Health and Natural $200,000, which will be used to District 28, ensuring our children,
College in the Bronx. With $12.3 Bronx and Hostos communities,” Sciences departments, improving improve the school’s technology educators, and school communities
million in baselined funding from said CUNY Chancellor Matos proximity between faculty and and ensure students have access to have the support they need now
the city, developer BPO Owner Rodríguez. “With more space, we classrooms and fostering greater modernized equipment. and for generations to come. As
LLC will embark on an approxi- will double the number of students interaction between students and At PS 48Q David N. Dinkins we welcome students back for the
mately $70-million renovation of eligible for meaningful careers faculty. With increased capacity, School for Community Service, 2025-26 School Year, I thank our
a portion of the historic Bronx as medical professionals, creat- Hostos Community College can Speaker Adams welcomed stu- school principals, faculty, and staff
General Post Office to develop a ing more avenues to New York’s introduce additional high-demand dents in the school yard alongside for their leadership and dedication
state-of-the-art facility for health thriving health care industry and health care programs, such as sur- Principal Joan Stanley-Duvernay, in support of our scholars.”
care programs. The city’s invest- improving access to health ser- gical nursing, surgical technology,
ment was made in conjunction vices for communities throughout occupational therapy and home SBS Marks Workforce Development
with the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 the Bronx. I want to thank Mayor health care.
Adopted Budget, which builds on Adams and the City Council for Currently, over 2,400 students Month with Record-Breaking Job
Mayor Adams’ FY 2026 Execu- giving this storied building a new are enrolled in allied health pro- Support Across NYC
tive Budget, often called the “Best lease on life while honoring its grams, including dental hygiene,
Budget Ever.” identity as a public good.” nursing and radiologic tech- (Continued from page 4) these events, resulting in 4,500
“If it’s good enough for Cor- “Today is a great day for Hostos nology; and, nearly all Hostos interviews and more than 2,000
nell, it should be good enough and for our students,” said Hostos Community College students, The city’s Jobs NYC initia- conditional job offers.
for CUNY. There’s no reason Community College President Dr. regardless of their major, are tive is also expanding, with new SBS also reported progress on
our CUNY schools shouldn’t Daisy Cocco De Filippis. “We required to complete at least one programs targeting high-growth inclusive hiring goals, including
have the same level of resources have been planning for years to natural science course as part of sectors and underserved com- over 1,350 job placements for New
and access to hands-on learning build a new Allied Health Build- the pathways general education munities: Yorkers with disabilities—well
as their peers across the nation, ing to meet the increasing needs of requirements. As a result, the • Bronx Tech Hub will launch a on track to meet the city’s goal of
and our administration is proud our community, as more and more new facility is expected to serve six-week “Prompt Engineering Ac- 2,500 hires by 2026. Meanwhile,
to help make that happen,” said students are enrolling in pursuit of up to 5,000 students per semes- celerator” to train 60 participants the NYC Mayor’s Office for Talent
Mayor Adams. “Today, we are careers in health care and various ter. Construction is expected to in AI-related skills. and Workforce Development has
helping CUNY develop further STEM fields. We are so excited begin in the fall of 2026, with the • The Inspired Community Proj- delivered 15,000 apprenticeships,
into a world-class institution with to start renovating the building, program slated for opening in the ect will support apprenticeships in aiming for 30,000 by 2030.
the announcement of a brand new developing new programs and fall of 2028. behavioral health with paid clinical “These numbers happen because
life sciences facility at Hostos creating new opportunities for The Adams administration is training and certification. of hundreds of staff members
Community College in the Bronx, our students to progress socioeco- delivering on realizing plans for • Opportunities for a Better To- thinking creatively and working
which will feature modern in- nomically. Mil gracias to Mayor Hostos Community College that morrow will offer HVAC training hard every day to connect our
structional labs, classrooms, and Adams, CUNY, and BPO Owner are over a decade in the making. as part of a renewable energy and neighbors to opportunities,” said
student spaces, and serve up to for making this possible.” The inspiration for the facility sustainable construction track. Deputy Mayor Adolfo Carrion, Jr.
5,000 students per year. Building “I have been working with Hos- stems from the 2012 Master Plan Jobs NYC Hiring Halls have Throughout September, SBS
on our ‘Best Budget Ever,’ we are tos for nearly a decade, and I am Amendment, which identified become a cornerstone of outreach, will host recruitment and training
investing over $12 million more truly proud to have played a role in a significant space shortage at bringing employers directly to events across all five boroughs.
annually in Hostos to support the making this program and building Hostos Community College. The neighborhoods with high unem- Jobseekers and businesses alike are
college’s growth, expand high- a reality for Hostos and CUNY,” approved plan called for a new ployment. Since early 2024, over encouraged to visit nyc.gov/work-
demand programs, and replace said Jorge Madruga, partner, allied health and natural sciences 14,500 New Yorkers have attended force1 or call 311 to learn more.
outdated labs — all which will BPO Owner LLC. “Bringing a building to support the college’s
drive enrollment, create demand revered Bronx institution like growth and expand high-demand Gillibrand Leads Bipartisan Bill To
for additional faculty, and give Hostos Community College into programs. Outdated labs and
our students the skills they need the Bronx General Post Office instructional spaces have limited Protect Safety Net Hospitals
to enter high-demand careers.” reflects our long-term vision to students’ academic growth and
“My story began at CUNY — revitalize this historic landmark hindered the preparation for suc-
more specifically, at Hostos Com- for the benefit of the community. cess in an increasingly competi- $300 Million in Medicaid Funding in New York State.
munity College. CUNY opened We are honored to house their new tive job market. at Risk Without Legislative Fix “Safety net hospitals provide
the doors to opportunities and life sciences facility here, which Today’s announcement builds critical care to New York’s most
gave me the foundation to pursue will open doors for more students on the significant investments In a bipartisan effort to shield vulnerable communities,” said
my dreams in this city,” said New to pursue critical education oppor- Mayor Adams has made in CUNY hospitals serving New York’s Senator Gillibrand. “We must
York City Deputy Mayor for Stra- tunities and higher paying jobs. I and the advancement of career- most vulnerable communities, ensure these establishments get
tegic Initiatives Ana J. Almanzar. want to thank Mayor Adams and oriented learning. In 2024, Mayor U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand the funding they need.”
“Now, in my role as deputy mayor CUNY for their support in shap- Adams and CUNY Chancellor (D-NY) and Senator Jim Banks WHAT THE BILL WOULD
and as the city’s liaison to CUNY, ing the future of this important Matos Rodríguez announced a (R-IN) have introduced the Save DO:
it is deeply meaningful to be part project, and everyone involved in nearly $12 million expansion Our Safety Net Hospitals Act, • Restore the pre-2022 Medicaid
of this moment. Supporting my making it a reality.” towards the CUNY Inclusive a bill aimed at restoring critical DSH payment formula
alma mater and contributing to its The new facility — located Economy Initiative, which lever- Medicaid funding. • Allow states to spend unspent
growth means helping thousands at 558 Grand Concourse in the ages CUNY campus resources to The legislation would reverse a DSH funds from prior years
of New Yorkers have access to the South Bronx — is the historic create college-to-career pipelines 2021 federal formula change that • Permit states to amend Med-
same opportunities I once had. and landmarked former Bronx for CUNY students and now excluded low-income dual-eligible icaid plans to implement these
This new life sciences facility at General Post Office building. exceeds $14 million. In 2023, patients—those covered by both changes
Hostos is both an investment in Approximately 10,000 square Mayor Adams announced “Path- Medicaid and Medicare—from LOCAL IMPACT:
the infrastructure of this institu- feet will continue operating as a ways to an Inclusive Economy: Disproportionate Share Hospital In New York, 85% of Medicaid
tion and a commitment to our post office, with the remaining An Action Plan for Young Adult (DSH) funding calculations. This DSH spending supports public
students — to their future, and to approximately 190,000 square feet Career Success,” a $600-million, change has disproportionately im- and financially distressed hospi-
the next generation of health care to be used by Hostos Community pacted hospitals in high-poverty
leaders who will serve our fellow College. The new Allied Health (Continued on page 10) and rural areas, including several (Continued on page 11)