Queens Borough President Donovan Richards (flanked by QC President Frank H. Wu, left, and CUNY Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez) visited the Queens College campus on Monday, May 24, to announce $4.5 million in allocations to the CUNY colleges in Queens. Of that total, $1.25 million will go to fund renovation of the food science and management laboratory at QC.
Credit: Andy Poon
May 27, 2021 By Ryan Songalia
Queens Borough President Donovan Richards announced Monday that he will be allocating $4.5 million toward campus upgrades at four public colleges in the borough.
The funds will be split among Queens College, York College, Queensborough Community College and LaGuardia Community College—all in need of upgrades.
“There are a lot of big needs across this borough but we want to make sure the CUNY institutions know we are committed,” said Queens Borough President Donovan Richards, who announced the funding at a press conference at Queens College.
Queens College will receive $1.25 million that will go toward renovating its Food Science and Management Lab.
York College will be allocated $1 million to renovate its outdoor track, which Richards says has become unusable due to subsurface oil erosion. Once completed, the track will be open to students and local residents.
LaGuardia Community College is slated to receive $1.25 million for the construction of science, occupational and physical therapy labs.
Meanwhile, Queensborough Community College, which Richards says serves more students with disabilities than any other CUNY school, will receive $250,000 toward new ADA-compliant bathrooms. The school will also be allocated $750,000 to build a new chemistry lab.
“This funding is slated to be included in the city’s fiscal year 2022 budget and my checks cash, they don’t bounce,” Richards said.
CUNY Chancellor Felix Matos-Rodriguez said the funds were much needed.
“There are no facilities that are used as much, and take a beating as those in the City University of New York,” said Matos-Rodriguez.
Queens College Student Association President Zaire Couloute says the new funding is the morale boost that students need after dealing with the challenges of the pandemic.
“What you’re doing here today is sending a clear signal that CUNY colleges are closely tied to the future of our borough,” Couloute said.
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