i would like to introduce mickey callahan. [applause] >> i am sorry not to be ed lee. i did not have enough time to grow a mustache. i pass along to you the mayor's regret at not being here tonight. he is a strong supporter of this program. he is very familiar with the incredible work that spur does with the city, because of his work as a city administrativor,a lot of us from his vantage point of the mayor's office. i would like to recognize the department heads and elected officials. i know i've seen some of you here. thank you for coming out to support the fund workover our city employees. it is a privilege to me in particular to be here because i have had the opportunity for the last several years to be on the selection committee for the good government awards. it is really a treat. as a human-resources director, i get a lot of bad news. some of that gets in the newspaper. with all due respect to our brethren in the press, it's always a good story to write about bad behavior that may happen in a city department or that a public employee may have engaged in. we are t

so also i have representatives of the comptroller's office, then rosenfield, mickey callahan, the human resources divisions that are here today, nadia from our public financing, and certainly kate howard and the budget staff, all here to help me help the city college to make sure they continue in the best tradition that we have in our city. after all, they need our help, our support. they will not be able to accomplish it all by themselves, so no less than any other educational institution. they cannot do it alone. certainly, i get that message from hydra a lot. working with her on the board of education, as well as her being at the city college at this time, and then with our community assets, read it is here at the head of children, youth, and family. she has been a critical part of the programs that support our educational institutions and will be similarly so when we meet the challenges of our community college. our community colleges, as i say earlier, is the really important part. let me tell you how important. 90,000 students come through city college. we cannot let that fail. we