We are writing this petition out of deep personal concerns, having experienced extreme distress as a collective of student, faculty, and staff members at Queens College, City University of New York. On March 25th, 2026, during the Middle States Accreditation Report Read Out, a credible threat was communicated to several administrative email accounts – including Admissions, Academic Advising, the Vice President of Student Affairs, and the Aaron Copland School of Music. At the time, the LeFrak Concert Hall (located in the Music Building where the Aaron Copland School of Music is situated) was filled with over 200 faculty and staff members. Despite the immediate danger, there was no campus-wide alert issued to inform or protect those present, or to prevent harm to the wider community of students, faculty, and staff.

Erica Doran, Chair of PSC Queens College Chapter, addressed the timeline in detail: https://queenschapter.commons.gc.cuny.edu/2026/03/26/an-open-letter-to-president-wu-regarding-wednesdays-credible-threat/

This alarming situation has raised serious questions about the priorities and effectiveness of the administration under President Frank Wu. The failure to communicate this threat demonstrates a blatant disregard for the well-being and safety of the Queens College community. It is paramount that we ensure our campus is a safe environment where everyone feels secure, and that the administration is adequately handling situations that could pose a threat to the community.

This incident does not stand alone. Rather, it reflects a broader pattern of administrative failure under President Frank Wu’s leadership. Across the college, students, faculty, and staff have been forced to confront the consequences of hiring freezes affecting both full-time and part-time positions, leaving departments understaffed and weakening essential student-facing services such as advising, tutoring, transfer enrollment support, and other academic and co-curricular operations. At the same time, the college’s financial condition has worsened significantly. According to the FY2024-2025 Year-End Financial Update, Queens College was projected to end the year with a structural deficit of approximately $4.88 million, with projected tuition collections falling $2.513 million below target and projected tuition revenue down $5.87 million from the prior year. These figures point to a serious failure of planning, oversight, and institutional stewardship.  

The deterioration of campus infrastructure has only deepened the sense that basic institutional responsibilities are not being met. The discovery of asbestos during the Delany Hall renovation and the water pipe break in the Student Union, which subsequently forced the building to shut down, are not isolated inconveniences; they are warning signs of a campus environment in decline. Just as troubling are concerns raised by members of the campus community during the Middle States process that communication between senior leadership offices, including the President’s Office and the Provost’s Office, has been ineffective and fragmented, undermining the implementation of data-informed student success initiatives. When leadership cannot communicate internally, the entire institution suffers: planning becomes inconsistent, accountability disappears, and students are left paying the price.

The actions of senior administrators surrounding President Wu should also be subject to careful and independent scrutiny. This includes Troy Hahn, Interim Vice President for Finance and Administration, over concerns that student technology fee resources and equipment originally intended for student clubs were allegedly redirected away from their intended student use. It also includes Joseph Loughren, former Chief Financial Officer, whose continued compensation on the payroll at a reported salary exceeding $200,000 raises serious questions in light of allegations regarding misuse of public funds. Because these matters involve public resources, student fees, and institutional trust, they should be reviewed transparently and thoroughly by the appropriate authorities. This petition does not presume the outcome of such a review, but it does insist that these allegations are serious enough to warrant immediate investigation.

This petition calls for the CUNY Board of Trustees to launch a thorough investigation into the actions and decisions of President Frank Wu during this incident and his overall leadership regarding campus safety, financial mismanagement, infrastructure failure, and student enrollment. We urge the Board to consider his removal if found negligent in his duties to protect the college community.

We also call on the Queens College Academic Senate to place a vote of no confidence on the agenda for its next scheduled meeting on April 16, 2026, and to allow the faculty governance body to formally determine whether President Wu and his administration still retain the trust necessary to lead this institution. A vote of no confidence would be an essential act of shared governance and a clear statement that the campus community will not accept administrative negligence, failed communication, financial instability, and unsafe conditions as normal. The Academic Senate’s published schedule lists a Senate meeting for Thursday, April 16, 2026, at 3:35 p.m, in Kiely Hall, room 170.

We also call on the Middle States Commission on Higher Education to take full account of the events of March 25, 2026, and the broader concerns they reveal, before finalizing any accreditation action. Queens College’s peer evaluation visit took place from March 23 to March 25, 2026, and the Commission’s review process is meant to assess not only formal compliance on paper, but whether the institution is in fact being led in a manner that protects its community and supports its mission. A failure to communicate a credible threat during a major campus event, combined with ongoing concerns about leadership, coordination, finances, and institutional effectiveness, is directly relevant to any assessment of governance and administration. We therefore urge Middle States not to treat the March 25 incident as incidental, but as evidence that must be weighed seriously in its final deliberations.

Our staff and students should not live or work in an environment where personnel safety, academic excellence, and institutional prospect are compromised. The administration must prioritize the community's welfare and demonstrate accountability and responsibility. Please sign this petition to demand necessary changes for the safety and wellbeing of everyone at Queens College.

In solidarity,
The (Frankly Frustrated) QC Community