City Elected Officials Stand in Support, Barron Charges Racism.
Brooklyn, New York - The Medgar Evers College Coalition for Academic Excellence and Mission Integrity (MEC Coalition) is calling last Tuesday's press conference and public hearing a double victory.
On Tuesday, March 8, 2011 the MEC Coalition held a press conference with the purpose to raise awareness about the nationally reported upon issues faced by faculty, students, and community members at Medgar Evers College (MEC). The press conference was also called to demand a change in leadership at the predominately Black institution of higher learning.
On the steps of city hall, the MEC Coalition charged the current administration with being un-aligned and in conflict with the mission of the college. The MEC Coalition and supporters also addressed significant problems related to MEC's centers, student support services, and academic programs that, they said, need to be resolved immediately.
The press conference preceded a City Council legislative hearing on
Examining the Academic Impact of CUNY's Institutes and Centers on Ethnic Studies (sponsored by the City Council's Higher Education Committee). The hearing's focus was on the political and cultural impact of CUNY centers and institutes on ethnic studies within a university system that services many diverse student groups. It turned into a spirited session when
NYC Council Member Charles Barron, outraged, walked out, stating that the lack of an African American presence on the CUNY panel was racist.
The Hearing - An OverviewCity Council Members heard from the CUNY panel first, which was represented by
Julia Wrigley, Associate University Provost,
Anthony Rini, University Director, and directors from the Dominican Studies Institute, the Center for Puerto Rican Studies, and the Italian American Institute.
At the end of the CUNY panel presentation,
Council MemberYdanis Rodriquez, NYC Chair of the Higher Education Committee, asked university officials whether there were any programs or centers related to CUNY's African American constituency. CUNY panel members responded that they were not aware of any.
Incensed by the response, Barron pointed out that there were in fact two executive directors present at the hearing who represented African American constituents: the Center for Black Literature and the Center for Law and Social Justice. He then demanded to know why there were no African Americans on the CUNY panel. At that point he called the hearing insulting and then dramatically walked out, followed by several other members of the City Council. After the stir,
NYC Council Member Letitia James further highlighted Barron's observation on the panel's lack of representation of African American people. She followed with a series of critical questions related to the process for establishing and removing centers, the responsibilities of center directors, and the funding models for the more than 100 centers and institutes within CUNY.
During the second half of the hearing, others gave public testimony as well. Among them were Dr. Brenda Greene, Executive Director of the Center for Black Literature; Esmeralda Simmons, Director of the Center for Law and Social Justice; Joe Coello, Board Member of the DuBois Bunche Center and the Center for NuLeadership; Kate Rhee Ji Kyung, Director of the Institute for Juvenile Justice Reform and Alternatives at the Center for NuLeadership; and
Gloria Dulan Wilson, journalist and community activist. Select testimony is posted on the MEC Coalition's website and Facebook page.
NYC Council Member Jumaane Williams was unable to attend but issued this statement in advance: "I have grown very concerned that Medgar Evers College may not be standing firm upon the community service ideals in which the college was founded. I stand with the students, faculty, and other elected officials in demanding answers about recent developments and decisions relating to long-standing institutions and faculty."
urban-ny-magazine.posterous.com
Brooklyn, New York - The Medgar Evers College Coalition for Academic Excellence and Mission Integrity (MEC Coalition) is calling last Tuesday's press conference and public hearing a double victory.
On Tuesday, March 8, 2011 the MEC Coalition held a press conference with the purpose to raise awareness about the nationally reported upon issues faced by faculty, students, and community members at Medgar Evers College (MEC). The press conference was also called to demand a change in leadership at the predominately Black institution of higher learning.
On the steps of city hall, the MEC Coalition charged the current administration with being un-aligned and in conflict with the mission of the college. The MEC Coalition and supporters also addressed significant problems related to MEC's centers, student support services, and academic programs that, they said, need to be resolved immediately.
The press conference preceded a City Council legislative hearing on
Examining the Academic Impact of CUNY's Institutes and Centers on Ethnic Studies (sponsored by the City Council's Higher Education Committee). The hearing's focus was on the political and cultural impact of CUNY centers and institutes on ethnic studies within a university system that services many diverse student groups. It turned into a spirited session when
NYC Council Member Charles Barron, outraged, walked out, stating that the lack of an African American presence on the CUNY panel was racist.
The Hearing - An OverviewCity Council Members heard from the CUNY panel first, which was represented by
Julia Wrigley, Associate University Provost,
Anthony Rini, University Director, and directors from the Dominican Studies Institute, the Center for Puerto Rican Studies, and the Italian American Institute.
At the end of the CUNY panel presentation,
Council MemberYdanis Rodriquez, NYC Chair of the Higher Education Committee, asked university officials whether there were any programs or centers related to CUNY's African American constituency. CUNY panel members responded that they were not aware of any.
Incensed by the response, Barron pointed out that there were in fact two executive directors present at the hearing who represented African American constituents: the Center for Black Literature and the Center for Law and Social Justice. He then demanded to know why there were no African Americans on the CUNY panel. At that point he called the hearing insulting and then dramatically walked out, followed by several other members of the City Council. After the stir,
NYC Council Member Letitia James further highlighted Barron's observation on the panel's lack of representation of African American people. She followed with a series of critical questions related to the process for establishing and removing centers, the responsibilities of center directors, and the funding models for the more than 100 centers and institutes within CUNY.
During the second half of the hearing, others gave public testimony as well. Among them were Dr. Brenda Greene, Executive Director of the Center for Black Literature; Esmeralda Simmons, Director of the Center for Law and Social Justice; Joe Coello, Board Member of the DuBois Bunche Center and the Center for NuLeadership; Kate Rhee Ji Kyung, Director of the Institute for Juvenile Justice Reform and Alternatives at the Center for NuLeadership; and
Gloria Dulan Wilson, journalist and community activist. Select testimony is posted on the MEC Coalition's website and Facebook page.
NYC Council Member Jumaane Williams was unable to attend but issued this statement in advance: "I have grown very concerned that Medgar Evers College may not be standing firm upon the community service ideals in which the college was founded. I stand with the students, faculty, and other elected officials in demanding answers about recent developments and decisions relating to long-standing institutions and faculty."
urban-ny-magazine.posterous.com
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