Abstract: Memos don’t typically have a genre; in this case, the memo can be considered a form of an email that is attempting to inform people. My purpose was to inform those who make decisions with our school funding on the things that must be prioritized to create more stability for students. It was also to persuade President Boudreau to invest in specific areas of interest. 

I am writing this memo to allow our university to improve its students and staff experience. 

The City College of New York has a reputation for providing resources for its students to achieve wonderful things. It delivers an exceptional education at a reasonable cost for people of different economic standings. The university receives most of its funding from the state of New York and the tuition paid by its students (Flamm, 2018). However, over time, the school’s funding has gone to waste. 

Elevators and Escalators:

To identify the main concern of many students, the escalators are out of service repeatedly. The fourth and fifth-floor escalators rarely work, yet, on the rare occasion that they do, they go out of service within the hours that one lecture takes place. The situation has become unbearable and students have now given the unofficial CCNY subreddit the description “Where the escalators only work in pictures.” Additionally, the elevators in nearly every building on campus take over five minutes to arrive; with this in mind, we must analyze how this affects students and their learning capabilities. This may not be an issue for those going to the second floor, however, for students in Marshak who attend classes on the thirteenth floor, there is only one solution. Nevertheless, who is thinking about the students with disabilities who require an elevator to move throughout the building? How are we accommodating those who are relying on the school to support them throughout the semesters? 

HVAC System:

Although our means of moving around the school are severely hindered, our experiences within the classroom are also something the university must work on; many students complain about the temperature within the rooms. During the fall and winter, the classes are cold and in the spring and summer, it feels as though the classes are extremely warm. The heating and air conditioning systems are constantly on two extreme ends of the spectrum. A study from Cornell University, mentioned by an air conditioning contractor, stated “Your mind becomes focused on maintaining its body temperature in a room that’s too cold or too hot – taking away from your concentration” (Champion Home Services, 2023). As many might know, a student’s ability to focus on the lecture, exam, note-taking, etc. can be affected significantly just by the room’s temperature. To allow these students to engage fully, there must be a change made to the temperature system in our classrooms and lecture halls. 

Further Grievances: 

Though there is a continuous list of changes we must make such as: 

• The seats in the library, labs, classrooms, etc. are extremely outdated and uncomfortable making it hard to stay in for long periods. 
• Lack of activities for students to participate in. Many feel as though there is a shortage of exposure to the clubs on campus. 
• The buildings generally are not well maintained and some students have even gone as far as to say that they are “falling apart.”
• The cafeteria does not offer students to have healthy options on campus which is especially important since most places to dine outside of campus are also not healthy.

Possible Solutions: 

With these grievances in mind, the student body offers its share of solutions to aid the school in its progression. One is to have staff focused on creating a more permanent solution to fixing the escalators and elevators. I believe that this holds significant importance for our schools community seeing that it not only affects those in need but also the entirety of the student body. Additionally, in regard to the HVAC system, an upgraded system would be required to ensure a more structured and efficient schedule. 

Hence, City College of New York students hope that their voices are heard by you, President Boudreau, and await to see the results. Thank you for your time today. 

Works Cited 

• Champion Home Services, G., R., Anita, Dennis, & Grace. (2024). How room temperature affects your brain while studying. Retrieved from https://www.championac.com/blog/how-room-temperature-affects-your-brain-while-studying/#:~:text=Their%20study%20concluded%20that%20temperature,maintained%20at%20around%2070%20degrees.

• (N.d.-a). Retrieved from https://www.crainsnewyork.com/article/20180319/FEATURES/180319919/at-chronically-underfunded-city-college-the-new-president-s-challenges-are-well-beyond-academic 
• (N.d.-a). Retrieved from https://www.reddit.com/r/CCNY/