In the News

Dr. Andrew Marcum, CUNY SPS academic director of the Disability Studies programs, provides expert testimony in this SmartBrief article on the disability community's concerns about recent aggressive downsizing and restructuring at the U.S. Department of Education. Dr. Marcum voices concern over the shifting of special education to the US Department of Health and Human Services. “The reason that we stopped having the health department oversee education for disabled students is because of the recognition that it’s not a health issue, it’s an educational issue,” Dr. Marcum said. “It’s how do we make our classrooms accessible? How do we make our curriculum accessible? How do we make the teaching accessible?” Of equal concern is that the civil rights of disabled students will no longer be enforced through the Department of Education. Instead, enforcement was transferred to the US Department of Justice. Dr. Marcum said that history shows why advocates are wary of treating civil rights as administrative details. “People fought for these protections and rights over a period of decades,” he said. “Congress itself enacted these measures, and the courts ratified these measures.”

CUNY SPS Disability Studies Program adjunct faculty members Mark Friedman, Ph.D., founder of the website MyTechforAll, and Ruthie-Marie Beckwith, Ph.D., a national leader in disability rights, were the featured keynote speakers at the Green Mountain Self-Advocacy Conference in Vermont, attended by more than 600 self-advocates, family members, and professionals. Their keynote presentation focused on how Artificial Intelligence (AI) can support people with disabilities in everyday life, promoting greater independence, communication, and opportunity. Through live demonstrations and practical examples, attendees learned how AI tools can assist with job interviews, doctor visits, communication, organization, and daily decision-making. The session also emphasized the importance of using AI safely and responsibly while helping bridge the digital divide for people with disabilities.

In this Real Simple feature story, CUNY SPS Psychology program faculty member Dr. Lauren Mahoney is frequently quoted for her expert testimony. The article examines people who have multiple social circles, or "floater friends." As Dr. Mahoney points out, “Being a floater friend can absolutely be a strength. These individuals are often socially intelligent, emotionally perceptive, adaptable, curious, and capable of connecting with people from very different backgrounds." But sometimes floater friends can feel that they lack the deeper friendships people often need for support. According to Dr. Mahoney, “We need to feel remembered, prioritized, emotionally safe, understood, and valued for who we are rather than for the role we play.” However, she also points out that if the floater friend feels fulfilled with their diverse social life, then there is "nothing to fix."

This post from the CUNY SPS blog is the first segment of the new “Alums Making the Grade” series. The Q&A feature profiles CUNY SPS alum Dr. Steven Samrock (MA Psychology ‘18), who will be returning to CUNY SPS in the fall to teach at his alma mater.

The Master of Science in Generative AI at CUNY SPS was named as one of the "Top 7 Data Science Programs Integrating AI, ML, Data Engineering and Generative AI" by Analytics Insight. Among the US institutions mentioned, CUNY SPS ranks alongside Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Carnegie Mellon (CMU), Stanford, and UC Berkeley. The article also recognizes CUNY SPS as "among the first degree programs dedicated specifically to generative AI technologies."