This study, conducted for the Mayor's Advisory Task Force on the City University of New York (CUNY) in 1998 and 1999, was charged with reviewing and making recommendations regarding: (1) the uses of city funding by CUNY; (2) the effects of open admissions and remedial education on CUNY's capacity to provide high-level college courses; (3) third-party remediation services prior to admission; and (4) implementation of other reform measures as appropriate. Separate chapters of the report provide an historical overview; examine the authority and functions of the Regents of the University of the State of New York; examine the composition and responsibilities of the CUNY Board of Trustees and its central decision-making functions; examine the structure of the university colleges, collegiate independence, and the failure of university-wide academic planning; and examine the college governance structure. A concluding section sets forth recommended reforms, including: the need for central leadership combined with local autonomy, with each college accountable for its outcomes; the need for consensus at the top levels of university governance; and clarification of the relationship between the board and elected officials, with elected officials playing a significant role in the definition of the institution's mission and structure. A section on methodology is appended. (Contains 60 references.) (CH)