Introduction

This introduction presents an overview of key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of the book. The book presents the story of the City University of New York (CUNY), which was established officially in 1961 and went through a series of ups and downs, like any other public university system in the country. It focuses on the period prior to CUNY's establishment in 1961 and specifically at the colleges that would initially comprise the university. The book examines the establishment of CUNY in 1961, as well as several of the major actors who helped bring it into existence. It also focuses on open admissions, a policy that would guarantee admission into one of the CUNY colleges for all high school graduates, regardless of grades or standing. The book also examines the financial issues at CUNY in the 1970s after the implementation of open admissions throughout the system.