#37 October 2004

Former Student Gives Graduation Keynote Address and Receives Degree

By Staff

For Andre Taylor, a former LaGuardia stu - dent who 24 years ago had to leave the college short of graduation, the college’s recent thirty-second commencement exer - cises held special meaning. It was there that he stood before the Class of 2004 to give the keynote address and where he walked among his fellow graduates to finally receive his long-awaited associate degree in business administration. “It’s taken me a little time,” Mr. Taylor, a nationally recognized entrepreneur whom Black Enterprise Magazine named its 2002 Business Innovator of the Year, said to the 700 graduates who attended the September 23rd event at Madison Square Garden. “It’s not unusual for a student to take a little longer than two years to go through a community college, but what you may not know is after 24 President Gail Mellow with Andre Taylor, a former LaGuardia student who gave the years you get to be the keynote speaker.” keynote address at commencement. Also recognized at graduation was New York State Comptroller Alan Hevesi, who received the coveted President’s Medal for his inspiring leadership in LaGuardia’s Fall Enrollment advancing the cause of education and the welfare of the city’s residents. On the Increases 8 Percent student’s side, Timothy Rodriguez, a liber - al arts graduate who is now attending Cornell, received the LaGuardia By Staff number of applications submitted by Memorial Association Scholarship for prospective students. LaGuardia has seen an 8 percent jump in community service. “The numbers confirm that LaGuardia its fall enrollments. The event attracted a host of local politi - offers the rich educational experience that The latest figures collected by the cians, City University of New York repre - students are seeking,” said President Gail Division of Enrollment Management indi - sentatives, and friends of LaGuardia, who O. Mellow. “Graduates have the option cate a 12.6 percent increase in freshman came to extend congratulations to the of continuing their studies to earn a and transfer students over last year-–from graduates. Among the well-wishers were Bachelor’s Degree at the college of their 3,095 to 3,488. In addition, the number Helen Marshall, Queens borough presi - choice or immediately entering the work - of continuing students went from 7,309 to dent; Assemblyman Adriano Espaillat; force.” 7,747, a boost of 6 percent. Wellington Z. Chen, member of the In evaluating the increase in enrollment In addition to the hike in enrollment, the Continued on page 17 college saw a10 percent increase in the Continued on page 18 www.laguardia.edu critical institutional initiative to support our President: 2004-05 a Year of students.” Along with the new activities spelled out New Challenges, New Vision by the president and vice president, President Mellow announced that with the first three-year visioning process coming to By Staff make sure that the black men in our com - a close, a second visioning summit will be munity are identified, supported, and held in early 2005. At the traditional kickoff of the new aca - made future leaders,” she said. “Through this inclusive experience we demic year, President Gail O. Mellow Other initiatives include an assessment will shape our future by envisioning and officially welcomed the 63 new faculty of the academic calendar, implementation setting goals,” she said,”and then work and staff members and urged both new of the recommendations made by the task together to accomplish them.” and senior colleagues to work together to force on student advisement, the establish - For the past three years, the college meet new challenges and to define a ment of faculty leadership development community has been working together to new vision for the college. and relationship training, and the launch - fulfill the nine goals set by 150 faculty, “It is crucial that the work, which takes ing of the Student Government’s GPA staff, administrators, alumni, and represen - place because of the dedication and bril - Jump Off initiative. (See story on page 7) tatives of employers, four-year colleges, liance of the people in this room, contin - Looking at the academic area’s future, and the community who attended the ues at full force,” the president said to the Vice President John Bihn said that several 2001 three-day event. Reflecting upon over 200 audience members who successful fledgling programs will be the work accomplished around the recom - packed the Little Theater at the September expanded this year. The ePortfolio pro - mended priorities, President Mellow said, 1st Opening Sessions event. gram, which had 1,400 students design “We did not accomplish everything but During the two-hour plenary session, their own portfolios in the first year, will we made major progress.” which was followed by a full day of be extended to more students. To give new faculty a sense of the insti - workshops and a guest speaker, President The vice president pointed out that stu - tution, the president acknowledged some Mellow briefly described several future dents’ positive response to the new of last year’s highlights and several recent projects on her agenda, including the col - Business and Technology Academy has accomplishments. A video produced by lege’s next visioning summit. She then spurred the college to register all students William Kelly of the Office of Marketing stepped back to boast about some of the in an academy, adding liberal arts and and Communications, spotlighted such last year’s highlights and recent accom - allied health. major events as the Melba Moore con - plishments. Also being expanded this year will be cert, the commemoration of the birthday Among the activities for the coming professional training for faculty members of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., a reception year, the president said that the college participating in advisement. “Each honoring service staff, recognition of long- will continue its effort to improve black department will codify its current advise - time faculty and staff, a theater workshop male recruitment and retention, one of the ment practices and/or prepare a depart - conducted by actress Anna Deveare priorities that came out of the college’s mental advisement plan,” Dr. Bihn said. Smith, and the Asian Heritage celebra - last visioning summit. “It is critical to “We need all faculty to be a part of this tion. The president gave special recognition to the staff of Enrollment Management and Student Development who she said is responsible for transforming a registration process that was “broken and chaotic.” She pointed out that a process that once took three frustrating days to complete is now done in an hour and a half. Other statistics showed that, as of that day, 94 percent of continuing students were regis - tered and 80 percent of the new students were ready to start classes. “That is unheard of,” she added. “It’s not perfect, but it sure is right,” she said. “It is a tribute to the people.” After she praised the division she clicked on a slide presentation showing the division’s President Gail O. Mellow chats with Kevin Lerner, English Department lecturer, left, and staff and faculty busy helping students go Scott Sternbach, commercial photography lecturer, at the Opening Sessions breakfast. Continued on page 3 2 www.laguardia.edu opportunity to review programs, services and activ - 2004 Opening Sessions ities that are designed to improve the student’s overall experience at the college. Program The plenary session began with opening remarks and a special presentation on the theme and program activities from the Co-Chairs, Clementine Lewis and Wen Juan Fan. Special By Clementine Lewis and Wen Juan Fan, welcoming remarks, an overview of current admin - Co-Chairs for Opening Sessions 2004 istrative initiatives and highlights from 2004 pro - grams and activities for students and faculty were On September 1st, more than 250 people attend - presented by President Gail O. Mellow and Vice ed the 2004 Opening Sessions Program. The President John P. Bihn. After the plenary session, theme for this year’s program was “Our Evolving more than sixty new faculty and staff members Campus: Moving Toward a New Educational attended a special luncheon hosted by the Human Ecology.” The program included a plenary ses - Resources Department. In addition, one of the sion, a keynote speaker, twenty-six workshops highlights of this year’s program was a new lunch - offered in two concurrent sessions and a reception. eon for more than two hundred Opening Sessions Opening Sessions has always been a tradition participants. at the college that marks the beginning of a new Dr. Henry A. Giroux, an internationally academic year for faculty and staff. It has provid - renowned educator, an author of more than 300 ed a forum for faculty and staff to exchange new articles and 40 books, and a recipient of numer - ideas and examine new initiatives throughout ous awards, was the keynote speaker. Dr. Giroux LaGuardia, which are of significant importance to is also considered “one of the 20th century’s top the college. This year’s program focused on col - Internationally renowned educator, Dr. contributors to the history of educational thinking.” lege initiatives that are transforming the educational Henry A. Giroux, made the keynote environment on campus. Faculty and staff had an address at Opening Sessions. Continued on page 16

that the $21.6 million in the New York The vice president also said that the col - Opening Sessions ... State legislature budget, which was lege is expanding its academic offerings Continued from page 2 vetoed, will be received. “That money with the approval of its practical nursing through the multi-stepped registration translates into the renovation of an entire program and expected approval for an process. While the slides were being floor of Center III,” said President Mellow. engineering program. Also being shown, people outside the theater were Other accomplishments that the presi - reviewed are bilingual education and ele - able to view the same images on the col - dent spotlighted were the launching of the mentary and secondary education offer - lege’s plasma televisions. DegreeWorks project, a student advise - ings. Another recent accomplishment the pres - ment vehicle, and the reported 33 percent Through the LaGuardia Foundation’s ident noted were the major construction boost in revenue for the Center for efforts, Dr. Bihn said that 35 scholarships projects now underway. In the main Corporate Education. (See story on for $1,000 were awarded last year. building, renovations of the lobby have DegreeWorks page 6). And to further enhance its fund-raising been completed, while work continues on Vice President Bihn added several high - campaign, the college has recently pro - the cafeteria and bathrooms. “The bath - lights in the academic arena. He noted duced a video that will introduce the col - rooms, which continue to be the bane of that the Community College Investment lege to prospective donors. our existence, continue to be renovated,” Program, a university initiative that grew The president’s and vice president’s the president said to laughter from the out of a response to the rise in community overviews of past accomplishments and audience. college tuition, enabled the college to hire future goals tied in nicely with the theme In the Center III building, construction of new faculty and staff. of this year’s Opening Sessions, “Our the One Stop Service Center, which will He applauded the success of such Evolving Campus: Moving Toward a hold Admissions, Registrar, Bursar, and fledgling initiatives as the award winning, New Educational Ecology. (See story Financial Aid, is progressing and the pro - first-year experience program with its com - above) jected completion of construction is spring mon reading activity; Opening Sessions To show how the college has changed 2005. for Students, which was to welcome some over the past 33 years, Clementine Lewis, To guarantee future construction proj - 600 incoming freshmen to the college the co-chair of the committee, presented a ects, President Mellow said that the col - following day; and the Center for montage of news clippings, dating from lege recently received for capital construc - Teaching and Learning for receiving the 1971 to the present, which showed tion $1 million from the borough presi - Certificate of Excellence for professional changes in the college’s physical plant, dent’s office and $2.75 million from the development in the national Hesburgh the expansion of course offerings, and the New York City Council and is hopeful competition. addition of special programs. 3 Service Center is getting closer to becom - ing a reality. Construction on the first and fourth floors is underway. Also on the first floor, two classrooms will be converted to computer labs to support the new center. The fourth floor construction provides twelve new classrooms and a student study hall. Construction is being approached in two phases. Phase I, which is expected to be completed in April next year, con - sists of the projects underway on the first and fourth floors. In phase II, nine class - rooms and an estimated 40 faculty offices will be built on the fourth floor. If funds are sufficient, planning will begin for the design of space to house admissions, and the bursar’s office, and the imaging and photo card identification office in Center III. Also on the drawing board is the cre - ation of space for the NY Design and The renovation of the Main building lobby was one of the construction projects that has Business Center. Forty thousand square taken place throughout the college. feet has been designated on the eighth floor, and approximately 9,000 square College Goes Through Some feet was earmarked for workshops on the basement level. Now in the design Reconstructive Surgery phase, the project should be completed by next summer. Center III projects recently completed include: a new study hall and two rest - By Adele Rainey, Executive Associate to multi-million dollar effort, which began last rooms on the seventh floor; the conversion Vice President, Administration year, and will continue through 2004-05. of room C-323 and 323A to four class - Aside from its entrance lobby, the Main rooms; the construction of two offices on “I’m sure you’ve noticed all of the renova - building has been the subject of several the ninth floor, for use by a grant funded tion and construction going on around our on-going, and recently completed proj - by the Bill Gates Foundation; construction campus,” said Richard Elliott, vice presi - ects. Projects completed last year include of a new Records Retention Office on the dent for Administration. “This was a very the replacement of floor covering in the seventh floor; a 65-station test center in busy year for our division with all of the Skylight and Red Carpet areas, and the room C-401; development of a speech various construction projects. I’m proud of design of an independent air condition - lab (C-222); the redesign of the confer - my staff’s hard work and dedication to the ing/ventilation unit in the International ence room (C-316A) into four temporary college.” High School computer room (MB-38). faculty offices; and the construction of fac - The Main building entrance lobby has Renovations of the Registrar’s former office ulty office space on the seventh floor. The gone through an extreme makeover. (rooms M-101 and 102), which will ninth floor office suite received a Gone are the cold, institutionalized cinder house the Office of Students With makeover this summer with new vinyl com - blocks, the dim fluorescent lights, and Disabilities, will begin in late fall. Another position tile and freshly painted walls. well-worn furniture. In their place are project calls for the redesign of the gym - The E-building received its fair share of bright white walls that open the space, nasium’s locker room facilities. James L. renovations. In the library, its first floor inviting daylight lighting, and modern, Buckley, associate dean for Administration study space was renovated to accommo - lobby style furniture. A new Information said new lockers were installed in June date 79 new computer stations and three Desk, which will be installed soon, will and plans are in place to renovate rest - faculty offices were built. The Pool Side further enhance the space. The cafeteria rooms next April. Café and Atrium areas received new fur - was renovated in late August. New walls While the Main building is going niture. Also a new state-of-the-art fire were installed over the brick and the light - through a facelift, Center III is going alarm system is being installed and is ing was enhanced. through a major transformation. A new expected to be fully operational by this These projects are just two of the vari - 14,000 square foot, One Stop Student December. ous construction projects that are part of a Continued on page 5 4 www.laguardia.edu President Gail Mellow said that this doc - umentary “gives a glimpse of La Guardia’s passion for the people. Our college bears the name Fiorello H. LaGuardia for a rea - son. Fiorello LaGuardia fought for a better life for all New Yorkers. LaGuardia was a true believer in education, equality and opportunity —values that made New York a beacon for millions of immigrants in the past and today. “The documentary shows LaGuardia as a fighter for immigrants, for labor unions, for the poor, for civil rights, for public health and housing. In the Great Depression of the 1930s LaGuardia believed in putting people back to work so they could make a better life for them - selves–with a little help from a compas - This is one of the images in the video presentation produced by the archives. sionate government. “We all can learn from the commitment Fiorello …Coming to the Big of Fiorello LaGuardia. I believe that the students at LaGuardia Community College Screens Near You will contribute as much to our great city as he did.” For more information about Mayor LaGuardia and the other collections at the By Joseph Margolis, Editor/Research, visuals to illustrate some of the life and archives, go to LaGuardia and Wagner Archives work of the dynamic leader and www.laguardiawagnerarchive.lagcc.cuny. reformer of New York City after whom A documentary about Fiorello H. the college was named. LaGuardia–his life and career–will be It highlights LaGuardia’s boyhood in It’s Your ‘Destiny’ playing on the large screens around the Arizona, his fight for immigrants’ rights college in October — presented by the while working at Ellis Island, and his Attention: LaGuardia and Wagner Archives in col - enthusiasm for early aviation — serving LaGuardia College!!! laboration with the college’s Information as pilot-trainer in World War I and Technology Department. becoming the driving force behind New Destiny Restaurant Lounge would like This lively show will run on the wide York City’s first commercial airport. The to offer you a free 15% discount on all screens hanging from the ceilings through - presentation also focuses on LaGuardia’s your meals and non-alcoholic bever - out the college hallways and common roles as people’s lawyer and United ages. areas beginning October 12. States congressman, his promotion of Present your college id and receive a Using material from the archives’ collec - the 1939-40 World’s Fair, and his three- tion–photos, documents, comics–the show 15% discount upon paying at Destiny year term as Mayor of New York from Restaurant. employs a modern take on newsreel style 1934 to 1945. Join us today for the best meal at the greatest price around! Construction ... ing lot at 47th Avenue and 29th Street. Continued from page 4 Also commencing this fall, the college This offer is not valid with any other The L-building was not ignored. The will update the 1996 Facilities Master discount or giveaway offers. You must Computer Information Systems’ labs and Plan. The architectural firm, Helpern be an active LaGuardia College stu - tech rooms were renovated to accommo - Associates, has been retained to assist the dent, alumni, faculty or staff member date a tutoring area and new media lab. college in the update process. for the offer to be honored. Destiny The building also received new fire retar - During this college-wide construction Restaurant Lounge reserves the right to dant windows on the second floor. These effort, existing security cameras will be withdraw this offer at any time without interior windows provide a corridor view replaced with new cameras in November. notification whatsoever. into the media lab. As always, the college is committed to Destiny With the design work completed, con - providing a safe secure environment in 33-02 Queens Blvd. struction is to begin this fall on a new which to work and study for all of our stu - Long Island City fence and guardrail for the outdoor park - dents, faculty, and staff. 5 ria or groupings, so that multiple student audits can be reviewed more easily. The best way for students or faculty to get started with DegreeWorks is to review the Introductory Self-Training Slide Show from the login screen. The implementation of DegreeWorks satisfies key targets under the college and university strategic objectives to improve the quality of student support services. Over time additional features and enhancements will be made to the base - line tool, such as Financial Aid Audits, Enhanced Student Planning tools, and Transfer Equivalency Automation. The process of implementing DegreeWorks was an intensive one. Starting with the definition of requirements and evaluation of potential vendors 2 Using the DegreeWorks software, Aaron Maldonado, a telecounselor at the Student years ago, the project was in full gear Information Center, assists a student. starting last September (2003). The Information Technology division provided DegreeWorks: Tracking a dedicated project manager and pro - gramming staff to work with the Registrar, Academic Progress On Line Academic Affairs and the vendor, SunGard Bi-Tech to tailor the DegreeWorks tool to LaGuardia's needs. Focus groups were established at the onset from student and staff populations to By Brad Orcutt being taken and that the student meets validate the designed features and func - their goals as expected without any unnec - tions, and to allow for suggestions up During the summer a team from essary delay. DegreeWorks includes a front before customization began. A Information Technology, Enrollment "What-If" feature that provides the ability to detailed project plan was developed and Management, and Academic Affairs select other majors and run the degree maintained throughout the project, provid - rolled out DegreeWorks to all students, audit to see how previous accomplish - ing a structured roadmap for all team faculty, and staff. DegreeWorks is a web ments can satisfy new requirements and members, executives, and end users. based academic progress reporting sys - what courses need to be taken going for - Detailed weekly status reports kept every - tem that displays in checklist format the ward if the student elects the new major. one updated and informed throughout the student's graduation requirements based This enables the students and advisors to project. on the Course Catalog of the year the quickly determine the best option with the Since DegreeWorks needs accurate student entered LaGuardia. The academ - assurance that it is the most expeditious as and current student data, programs were ic history of the student including course - well. written to enable nightly download of stu - work, certain tests, and activities such as Students can access their own degree dent records from CUNY's main student co-op are listed next to the requirements audit by logging into DegreeWorks using information system (SIMS) and integration they satisfy. For each student this map - their Online Registration (RegXpress) login to the DegreeWorks' datasets. Many of ping of fulfilled and remaining require - and PIN combination. The DegreeWorks the finer nuances at LaGuardia including ments along with other key information login screen can be accessed from differ - CPI, and Developmental Skills require - such as grades, GPA, and credits is ent pages on the college's web site, but ments took extraordinary amounts of effort called a "degree audit.” most directly through the "I am a student" and cooperation among the various This on-line degree audit provides an under the QuickLinks section in the middle organizations at the college. As we were easy to read comprehensive snapshot for of that page transitioning from a human expert based the student to review throughout their aca - (www.laguardia.edu/DegreeWorks). evaluation process, using catalogs which demic career at LaGuardia. By provid - Faculty and staff can request a are narrative in nature to describe rules, ing the information up to date and on DegreeWorks Advisor login by email to a computerized logic rules based sys - demand, the student and their advisors ([email protected]). The advi - tem we encountered conflicting processes can assure that the right courses are sor login provides added capability such as searching for students by different crite - Continued on page 7 6 www.laguardia.edu College Central Network: Student Government Sponsors Contest to Now in the Employment & Boost G.P.A.s

Career Services Center By Ebelechukwu Okafor, President, Student Government Association

The new Student Government Association By Claudia Baldonedo, Director, ings. The system also allows for informa - members are excited to introduce the Employment & Career Services Center tion to be posted about special events G.P.A. Jump Off to the students of such as job fairs and special career Beginning in August of this year, the LaGuardia. The G.P.A. Jump Off is a events. Employment and Career Services Center contest that was created to motivate aver - Instead of having employers wait for rolled out a new on-line career manage - age students to increase their grades and faxed resumes from job developers, stu - ment system for employers and students have fun at the same time. The rules of dents can now upload their resumes including graduates and alumni. It brings this contest are simple: a student whose directly into the system, have the system the job placement office in to the 21st G.P.A. increases the most wins. For search for suitable jobs (that are entered century and goes beyond. example, a student with a G.P.A. of 3.5 by the employers) that match their qualifi - College Central Network is a leading who moves up to a 3.8 has a three-point cations and then have employers select on-line career office management system jump, while a student starting the chal - and notify candidates--all on line. that enables connectivity and productivity lenge with a 2.3 who goes on to earn a The center encourages students to visit between students, alumni and employers. 3.3–a whopping 10 point increase-–will the center if they are interested in full-time Career Services Central provides the abili - be eligible for the first place prize of or part-time employment. We also invite ty to collect, enter and approve job post - $750. The goal of the S.G.A. is to turn faculty and staff of the college to visit the ings; search and refer resumes to prospec - average students into honor students. We center to look at the new on-line career tive employers; generate reports about stu - believe that LaGuardia students are very management system. dents, alumni, employers and job post - special.

DegreeWorks ... faculty will see something that seems schedules to be advertised in flyers, mail - Continued from page 6 incorrect to them. Often times these issues ings, posters, and other means. and practices that were not illuminated need detailed explanation of college poli - Here are some quotes from those until DegreeWorks audits made them evi - cies or rules by an expert from the already using DegreeWorks: dent. As such, the largest component of Registrar's office, or an off system process "DegreeWorks is a fantastic tools that the implementation was rigorous testing of needs to occur to update the data in turns tasks that used to take hours down student audits to uncover these discrepan - SIMS so that the audit is reflected accu - to minutes, while allowing us to provide cies, and then set about getting consensus rately. Occasionally there may be times better advisement service to our students." among the process constituents on the cor - when there needs to be an addition or - Matthew Joffe, Director of OSD (Office rect way to go. Sometimes policies had change of logic in the underlying or of Students with Disabilities) to be created or changed, sometimes LaGuardia tailored DegreeWorks pro - "DegreeWorks defines itself by its title. It data reporting practices had to change, grams to set the audit right. is simple, easy to use, and more impor - and sometimes new programs and data Distinguishing the nature of a tantly it works. It is a simplistic way of out - components needed to be created in the DegreeWorks issue in the eyes of the stu - lining the degree requirements for each SIMS system of record. While perform - dent is not always straight forward, which student, while taking into consideration ing the planning, implementing, validat - is why a structured DegreeWorks Support their unique circumstances and or situa - ing, and testing activities, the team mem - Process has been put in place, as tions. DegreeWorks is a great tool for stu - bers still had their "regular" responsibilities described in the self-training slide show. dents and advisers. It empowers students to attend to. To their credit and the enor - Many issues identified as degree audit by making them more proactive about mous amount of hours put in by the indi - discrepancies turn into opportunities for planning and completing their degree viduals, the DegreeWorks system substan - improved advisement which benefits the requirements." - Carey A. Manifold, tially meets the technical objectives set out students and leads to continuing improve - Educational Planner for it in the product evaluation process ment of college operations. "It's straight forward and to the point; years before. To help all members of the college an excellent visual of your degree require - Although testing was intense and cov - understand and get the benefits from ments. It encourages you to look into ered about 2000 student audits, there using this tool, DegreeWorks workshops what you think is incorrect so that you can will be times when students, advisors, or for students and staff will be offered often get an explanation." - Johanna Arismendi, throughout the fall semester. Look for Student 7 and responsibilities,” “the MBTI was most USIP/Quick Start Reaches a meaningful because it helped me to understand myself more fully,” the compo - Five-Year High in Enrollment nent “showed us how to use blackboard for the e-portfolio,” and “the leadership and diversity exercise” was valued highly. Based on the success of the new sum - By Vincent Bruno, Director, First Year Students surveyed at the end of the pro - mer Quick Start model we are enhancing Programs, and Steve Dauz, Director, gram felt that the Quick Start Program has our winter model for incoming freshman Retention Programs empowered them to embrace the new for the Spring 2005 semester. For more challenges they will be facing during their This summer the University Summer information on the Quick Start Program first year at LaGuardia. When students Immersion Program (USIP/Quick Start) suc - you may contact Mr. Vincent Bruno, were asked what aspect of the skills cessfully enrolled 655 pre-freshman, Director of First Year Programs located in awareness component was most meaning - which surpasses the previous high point of the Office of Academic Support and ful to them their comments included: “I 449 students from the summer of 2000. Special Programs (M 311) and/or call learned about the importance of college This summer’s program offered the most extension 5395. comprehensive schedule of activities for our new students since the inception of USIP. The program has grown from its Expanded Health Services original mission of helping students to move quickly out of their basic skill requirements to include a broad range of Offered to Students enrichment activities. The Quick Start Program consists of two- week basic skills intensives, peer-mentor - By Elizabeth Carde, additional health services are: ing, and a skills awareness week. Basic Staff Nurse, Health Services • Diagnosis and treatment of acute skills intensives offered are accelerated health care problems; The Division of Enrollment Management developmental courses in mathematics, • Health promotion and disease preven - and Student Development is proud to English, communication skills, and English tion care for women and men; announce the expansion of student health as a second language. Peer mentors, • Diagnose and handle minor trauma, services in collaboration with Mt. Sinai acting as a college resource, assist Quick including splinting; Hospital of Queens, and to introduce our Start students by connecting them to pro - • Perform physical examinations; new family nurse practitioner (FNP), grams and services. The skills awareness • Interpret laboratory tests for screening; Michele Avent. Ms. Avent has already component of the program includes a • Prescribe medications as needed joined the Health Services team and is focus on technology, leadership and diver - • Provide referrals to the Mount Sinai available on campus three days a week. sity, career exploration strategies for suc - Family Health Associates Clinic and other Ms. Avent began her nursing career in cess, and academic advisement. specialists; and 1992 where she worked at Long Island A revised calendar of Quick Start offer - • Assist with Medicaid and other pay - College Hospital in the CCU, ICU, ED ings allowed for five separate sessions ment options and cardiac step-down units. From 1999 throughout the summer. Day, evening and The weekly schedule for the family nurse until 2004, she was a nurse consultant weekend classes were made available to practitioner is Mondays and Thursdays with the Visiting Nurse Service Choice all new students needing developmental from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Wednesdays Program. She also served as preceptor for skills. Three hundred and ninety-five stu - from 12 noon to 8 p.m. new employees and nursing students. Ms. dent participants were able to advance Please join us in welcoming Ms. Avent has a MS in Nursing from CW Post one level in their basic skill sequence Michele Avent, FNP, to the LaGuardia University, a BS degree in Health Services allowing them to move closer to their col - community. lege level track. The Quick Start Management from Norfolk State University Program has embraced other areas within and an AAS in Nursing from The Borough the college in order to enhance the effec - of Manhattan Community College. She is tiveness of the program. The office has a certified family nurse practitioner in the orchestrated a collaborative effort with the State of New York and was the 2002 Leadership and Diversity Program, Design ESPIRIT Award recipient from the Visiting for Teaching and Learning, the Counseling Nurse Service of New York. LaGuardia Live Wire is produced by the Department, College Discovery, and the As a licensed FNP, Ms. Avent will add Office of Marketing and Communications. Division of Student Affairs and Enrollment to the range of free health care services Submissions are welcomed by e-mail at Management. now provided to students. Among these “Livewire”, by phone at extension 5060 or in person in room E-508. 8 www.laguardia.edu process, a bridge course, and two aca - Disability Studies Program: demic courses that will conclude just under the wire on January 29, 2005 – 42 Graduates and Growing and that runs off-site in Brooklyn! The DSC program has over 22 students continuing in the fall and has over 30 incoming students. There are 19 students By Madeleine L. Dale, Coordinator, ing with contemporary and classic read - in the teacher assistant program. In light Disability Studies Certificate Program ings in the field. Of Mice and Men is a of the success of the undergraduate DSC favorite. Most of the students are return - model, the JFK, Jr. Institute has developed Forty-two frontline workers from fifteen dif - ing to school after a significant hiatus, a Post-BA DSC program that will launch ferent community agencies in Queens, have family responsibilities, and, by defi - at the new School of Professional Studies Brooklyn, Manhattan, and the Bronx grad - nition, work full time, so their commitment at the Graduate Center in Fall 2004, uated from the college’s Disability Studies must be strong. They know their agency with this writer as one of the students. Certificate Program last July in a grand leadership values them and that they and ceremony in the festively decorated sec - their faculty have high expectations of ond floor lobby of the C-building. them. In fact, the certificate program’s Immigrant Affairs Andreen Soley, director of Educational standards are higher than the college’s in Programs, John F. Kennedy Institute for that DCS certificate students must achieve Head Attends CIET Worker Education, CUNY awarded the a minimum grade of “C” in each course! Celebration certificates. In this rewarding program, in addition The Disability Studies Certificate to having tuition, books, most fees, paid, Program at the college is funded by the graduates receive a promotion or finan - By Hillary Gardner, Program Coordinator, John F. Kennedy, Jr. Institute for Worker cial remuneration from their agency. In English and Civiics Program, Center for Education/City University of New York, the three years of the program's exis - Immigrant Education and Training under the executive direction of William tence, roughly 7 percent of each class On August 10, the newly appointed Ebenstein, who, along with Sandra goes on to matriculate in a four-year Commissioner for Immigrant Affairs of the Watson, dean of the Division of Adult school to continue their education. City of New York, Guillermo Linares, and Continuing Education, offered greet - Two such graduates spoke at the cere - attended the Center for Immigrant ings to the graduates. This unique pro - mony. James T. Nuahn, DSC alumnus Education and Training’s Second Annual gram collaborates with community agen - ‘03 is currently a CUNY Kennedy Fellow. Student Achievement Ceremony in the cies to provide job-specific higher educa - Beverly Bennett, DSC Alumna ’02, is cur - Mainstage Theater. tion and career development to direct rently a Human Services Programs student The ceremony provided an opportunity service workers in health, education, and at the college who did an internship in for CIET students to reflect on their accom - human services occupations. the DSC program this past summer. She plishments over the past year and for fac - Mr. Ebenstein noted that John F. remarked, “My graduation from the ulty and staff to recognize the many peo - Kennedy, Jr. believed that providing top- Disability Studies program gave me a ple who have contributed to the center’s drawer training to direct care workers great sense of achievement. It confirmed growth since its inception in early 2002. would yield quality care for consumers, for me that I can succeed, and thankfully, Other special guests included President improved job satisfaction for workers, and it gave me a purpose. The Disability Gail Mellow; Dr. Linda Gilberto, vice greater retention of employees by agen - Studies Certificate Program, as I see it, is president of Adult and Continuing cies. At LaGuardia, the program is a a key to open the doors to a meaningful Education; Councilmember David Weprin; joint undertaking of ACE with coordina - career, not just any career, but, for me, and poet Andrey Gritsman. Each of the tion by Judi Flamenbaum and Michele one that I will enjoy and that is valued by guests reflected on the Center’s mission to Stewart, and the Human Services the community.” provide comprehensive educational and Programs of the Natural and Applied In Spring 2004, the JFK, Jr. Institute training programs to help low-income non- Sciences Department. I oversee the pro - approached LaGuardia with a challenge. English speaking immigrants in New York gram. The Social Science Department, New York State regulations required that City. led by Chairperson Lily Shohat, provides people in positions who functioned as Both Councilmember Weprin and academic support for two courses. “teacher assistants” were required to have Commissioner Linares emphasized the Students in the DSC Certificate program a six college credits by February 1, contributions immigrants have made to have a reputation for being enthusiastic 2005. Could the college’s DSC program New York City throughout history. about learning. Prior to beginning a come up with something? You bet! Commissioner Linares also spoke of his series of four college-credit bearing cours - Within six weeks, LaGuardia staff upbringing on a farm in the Dominican es, the participants take a “Bridge” designed and implemented a program Republic and his life of public service as course to refresh and rebuild academic that included outreach to community- skills in reading, writing, and critical think - based agencies, an application review Continued on page 18 9 As I returned from my first visit to China, Xuanzang and the Emperor: Xuanzang’s story struck me as a parable of that great country’s condition today. A Parable of China For most of the last 2,000 years between one sixth and one third of the world’s population have lived in “the Middle Kingdom” under a single, highly central - ized and very effective government domi - was away for 16 years, during which he By George D. Sussman, Professor, Social nated by scholars rather than soldiers. traveled some 10,000 miles, visiting holy Science Department The Chinese have created one of the sites and Buddhist monasteries, some of world’s great civilizations, based on a The city of Xi’an, which I visited this sum - which functioned like universities with unique and visually beautiful written lan - mer, was known as Chang’an during the great libraries of sacred texts and profes - guage. For the thousand years we call Tang Dynasty (618-907 C.E.), when it sors who expounded these texts to “the Middle Ages” in the West (500- was the capital of China. One of the crowds of eager students. Xuanzang 1500) the Chinese were the world lead - sites tourists visit in Xi’an is a Buddhist spent years at some of these monasteries ers in technology, the inventors of the temple complex dominated by the Great studying with the great masters. compass, printing, paper, the stern rud - Wild Goose Pagoda (more about that Everywhere he went he collected der, and gunpowder, among other later). In front of the gates of the complex Buddhist manuscripts (generally written on achievements. is a modern statue of one of China’s palm leaves), as well as statues of the Nevertheless, through much of their his - great travelers and scholars, the monk Buddha and relics (pieces of bone or tory China has also been a closed socie - Xuanzang (ca. 602-664). scraps of clothing supposed to belong to ty, contemptuous (like the ancient Greeks) Xuanzang was already a great scholar the Buddha). of the “barbarians” who inhabited the rest in the Chinese Confucian and Indian Finally, Xuanzang began his homeward of the world, scorning their wares and Buddhist traditions when he decided, at journey accompanied by porters and their wisdom. The early Tang Dynasty, age 27, to travel as a pilgrim to India to pack animals, including, until it drowned when Xuanzang made his great pilgrim - visit the sites where Siddhartha Gautama, in a mountain gorge during an attack by age to India, was an exceptional period the Buddha, had lived, achieved enlight - robbers, an elephant given him by a in Chinese history, a period—after the ini - enment, and preached some 1,000 pious Indian ruler. As he approached the tial hesitation of the Taizong Emperor— years earlier. The young Chinese scholar northwestern border of China around when China welcomed the spiritual wis - also wanted to learn more about 645, he began to worry about what dom of India and the raw materials of Buddhism by studying its Sanskrit scrip - kind of reception he might receive from Central Asia, which they bought for silk tures in the original, under the guidance the Emperor whose orders he had defied and other advanced manufactured of Indian scholars, and to bring back and in making his trip. So he stopped for goods. There were even Nestorian translate many of the scriptures that were seven or eight months at a town outside Christian churches in Chang’an at a time still unknown in China. the border and sent forward a messenger when Christian Constantinople had The trip to India was no minor undertak - to inform the Emperor of his approach expelled them from the Byzantine Empire ing. The route he had in mind—part of and to determine how he would be as heretical. the famous Silk Road—was a distance of received. The Emperor, who was a Over the last 25 years China has been at least 3,000 miles through some of the patron of Buddhism and was eager for emerging from a period of isolation and roughest country in the world, including information about conditions in his newly suspicion into a period, like the early the Taklamaklan Desert in what is now conquered northwest territories, ordered Tang Dynasty, when foreign products, at northwestern China and the knot of formi - that horses and soldiers be provided to least, are welcomed. For much of this dable mountain ranges that includes the escort Xuanzang back to Chang’an. period the country’s economy has grown Pamir (“the roof of the world”) and the After the monk’s triumphant return to the at a rate of 8-10 percent per year, more Hindu Kush. One more obstacle: the capital, the Emperor welcomed him per - than twice the rate of the U.S. economy. ruler of China, known as the Taizong sonally and encouraged him to write Shanghai today is building exotic sky - Emperor (reigned 626-649), had forbid - about his travels. The Emperor’s son and scrapers and beautifully landscaped high - den any Chinese travelers along this route successor, the Gaozong Emperor, built ways at a pace reminiscent of New York through territory controlled by pastoral the magnificent Great Wild Goose City at the beginning of the 20th century. tribes whom he would conquer in the next Pagoda in stone, seven stories high, to But China’s government, like the few years. provide a safe repository for the manu - Taizong Emperor at the beginning of his Xuanzang set out on his journey in scripts and relics that Xuanzang had reign, still makes it difficult for her popula - September 629, traveling at first only by brought back from India. He also fund - tion to travel abroad or to have access to night to escape the attention of imperial ed an institute of translators to help the foreign ideas. Of five tourist guides I met guards. It took him over a year to reach great scholar render the Sanskrit classics the northwest corner of India. All told, he into Chinese. Continued on page 11

10 www.laguardia.edu College Looks at Presidential Election Year Issues

By Georgia Theophanous and Diana Wong, Students, Middle College High School

LaGuardians for Peace, in conjunction with the Student Government Association, held several presentations on September 20 collectively entitled “Democracy in Crisis” to help inform community members on topics relevant to the upcoming elec - tions. There were 10 workshops held over the course of the day on topics ranging from jobs to the environment to health care. The discussions were effective at relating national policy issues to local concerns. Throughout the day, there was a voter registration table stationed outside the library encouraging people to register. Below is a partial listing of the events with short summaries of each: One hundred and twenty students registered to vote during the Democracy in Crisis Continued on page 18 event.

China ... What can the United States do to sup - What can we as individuals and as a Continued from page 10 port China in this effort and reduce her college do in this effort? The single most in five cities I visited, all of them university traditional suspicion of foreigners and for - important thing we can do is to match graduates fluent in English, only one (the eign ideas? It seems strange to me, com - China’s opening to the rest of the world daughter of a silk exporter) had traveled ing back from this dynamic country, that with our own opening to China. By that outside China. The press in China, judg - we don’t hear China even mentioned in I mean we have to learn more about ing from the English-language China the U.S. presidential campaign now China. How many of us can name the Daily available in tourist hotels, is a underway. China still has the largest president of China? (The answer to the dreadfully dull collection of bulletins from population of any nation in the world, question “Who is the president of the various government ministries and triv - although India is catching up, and China China?” is “Hu is the president of ial human-interest stories. Yet it is clear will have the largest economy in the China.”) What words would you use to from two vibrant exhibits of recent world within the next 50 years if current greet someone on the street in Madrid? Chinese art that I have seen at the Asia growth rates continue. Powerful Asian Paris? Rome? How about Beijing? Society in New York as well as personal economies and loyal allies of the United Who were the great rulers, writers, artists encounters I had in China that the States like Japan, South Korea, and of China? How does the Chinese family Chinese people, like Xuanzang, are Australia now trade more with China than differ from the Western family? Could eager to explore the ideas of the rest of with us. China’s booming economy has you locate France on a map? How the world and to absorb them into their put enormous pressure on world supplies about Sichuan, a province of western own rich cultural heritage. The new of petroleum, concrete, timber, and clean China that has a comparable area and emperors of China need to find the air. The U.S government cannot afford to 38 percent more population? You get courage of the Taizong Emperor in the ignore China and the struggle it is going the idea. The Silk Road is a two-way latter part of his reign to welcome ideas through to achieve an open, stable socie - street. from abroad and an open discussion ty. among different points of view. 11 Lunchtime Concert Set For October 20

By Staff

Music will be served up with lunch when the LaGuardia Performing Arts Center presents on October 20 its free lunchtime musical concert featuring music professor Aaron K. Hamilton. Professor Hamilton, a performer in the metropolitan area, has worked with prominent musicians such as Jaki Byard, Peck Allmond, Jimmy Owens, Junior Mance, Reggie Workman, Joe Chambers, and Clark Terry. He also trav - eled with an all-star group of musicians to perform in festivals in Sweden, Israel and Anaheim California. Mr. Mance describes Aaron Hamilton as having “excellent composition skills Political philosopher Benjamin Barber meets with a group of students from the Student and a sophisticated harmonic sense…an World Assembly. astounding student of music.” The two-hour concert will begin at 12 noon at the college’s Poolside Café. Author Discusses His Book at Listeners can either bring their lunch or purchase some eatables at the café. The Honors Reading Circle For more information, please call the theater office at ext. 5151.

By Mohammad Reza Fakhari, Academic books. Advisor, Student World Assembly In introducing Dr. Barber, I told the the choice faced in the coming presiden - audience, “No other author that I know tial election by Americans. The whole More than 60 students, faculty, staff and of has written as originally and effectively event was filmed and CDs of it are avail - community leaders gathered on the as Dr. Barber on our post-9/11 world able free-of-charge to interested faculty evening of September 22 at LaGuardia to and what we can do to create a just, and students. The lecture will be placed hear the internationally-renowned political humane, and democratic world order for on the SWA website as well. Dr. Barber philosopher, Benjamin R. Barber, discuss everyone on earth.” Besides being a praised students’ political activism and his latest book, Fear's Empire: War, leading public intellectual in the U.S., Dr. underlined that “this is democracy’s Terrorism, and Democracy in an Age of Barber is also the principal of the moment” and all of us need to be Interdependence. Democracy Collaborative and the engaged to prevent further catastrophes. This Honors “Reading Circle” event was CivWorld Citizens Campaign for The students were truly inspired by the co-sponsored by the Student World Democracy. He is also the Gershon intellectual caliber of Dr. Barber’s argu - Assembly (SWA) and the Phi Theta Kappa and Carol Kekst Professor of Civil Society ments and by the realism of his recom - Chapters at LaGuardia as well as the and Distinguished University Professor at mendations for a better global future. Amnesty International Cluster NYC. Thirty- the University of Maryland and the writer The Student World Assembly five students were provided a free copy of of 17 other books, including the classic, (www.StudentWorldAssembly.org) is a Dr. Barber’s Fear’s Empire to read in Jihad vs. McWorld, translated into 20 non-governmental, non-partisan, organiza - advance and to be prepared to ask ques - languages. tion where interested and active students tions after the lecture. The students capa - During his lecture, Dr. Barber expound - worldwide come together to form a com - bly fulfilled this purpose and not only ed on his key ideas in Fear’s Empire and munity of concerned global citizens, engaged Dr. Barber in thoughtful and how a better world is possible and is a exchange ideas on global democracy probing questions during the session, but moral imperative of our time. He offered building, and explore creative solutions to gathered around him during the dinner a plan for an alternative foreign policy pressing global problems. time to continue their conversations with for the U.S. In response to questions, he him and obtain his autograph on their commented on the quagmire in Iraq and

12 www.laguardia.edu and that is their problem not the problem LaGuardia and the Resolution of the majority of us.” I would like to respond with two points. Of ‘The American Dilemma’ First, the implementation of “slow African- American genocide” continues today in the U.S.A., with new, democratically approved, non-racist, deceptive methods. By Terence Julien, Professor, Social So “the Negro Problem” was really a (See Bonilla-Silva, Lemann and Science white problem with the Negro. It was Steinberg). The question is will the how to get rid of Negroes in an 2004 is not only the fiftieth anniversary of post–1965 immigrants from around the approved way. Well then, what was the “Brown vs. the Board of Education” (the world inadvertently become complicit with dilemma? Myrdal states it very clearly: 1954 Supreme Court decision which the pre-1965 immigrants (mostly “In our further discussion of the means in began the legal desegregation of U.S. European) in implementing this continuing, Negro population policy, we ought to apartheid society) but also the sixtieth African-American (add also Native start from the desire of the politically domi - anniversary of the 1944 publication of a American and Hispanic American) geno - nant white population to get rid of the major scholarly study edited by Gunnar cide. Are we inadvertently practicing this Negroes. This a goal difficult to reach by Myrdal, entitled, “An American Dilemma: slow, hidden genocide on our campus? approved means and the desire has never The Negro Problem and Modern Secondly, The United States is not the been translated into action directly and Democracy,” which was instrumental in only country where a politically dominant probably never will be. All the most obvi - the Brown anti-segregation decision. The majority faces the challenge of an aggres - ous means go strongly against the contents of this document should be com - sive demand by ethnically different minori - American creed. The Negroes cannot be municated to faculty, staff and students of ties/majorities for full rights. There is an killed off. Compulsory deportation would our world community college during this Australian Dilemma, a Colombian infringe upon personal liberty in such a year of its commemoration. Dilemma, a Mexican Dilemma, a radical fashion that it is excluded. This lengthy study of almost 1500 Sudanese Dilemma, an Israeli Dilemma, a Voluntary exportation of Negroes could pages not only became the definitive Canadian Dilemma, a European not be carried on extensively because of study of “The American Negro” for its Dilemma, a Russian Dilemma, a Chinese unwillingness on the part of recipient time but revealed to white society for the Dilemma, and the temptation to use indi - nations as well as on the part of the first time in irrefutable detail the impact of rect, hidden genocide is rife throughout American Negroes themselves who usually systematic discrimination of blacks by the world. At LaGuardia, we have to do not want to leave the country but pre - whites in the U.S.A., as well as the virtual - reject without reservation “slow, hidden fer to stay and fight it out here. Neither is ly universal genocidal intent on the part of genocide” as a method of solving the it possible to effectuate the goal by keep - whites to get rid of blacks from U.S. soci - challenges of inclusion and find genuinely ing up the Negro death rate. A high ety. But they had a problem for which democratic and just methods of integrat - death rate is an inhumanitarian and unde - they hired Myrdal to find a solution. ing socially endangered minorities (includ - mocratic way to restrict the Negro popula - What was the white problem? Let ing today gays and lesbians) because the tion and in addition, expensive to society Myrdal himself describe it. “There is no world which is our community needs such and dangerous to the white population. doubt that the over whelming majority of a model. We can begin by making the The only possible way of decreasing the white Americans desire there be as few 14th amendment our motto and ideal Negro population is by means of control - Negroes as possible in America. If and work towards its genuine implemen - ling fertility. But as we shall find, even Negroes could be eliminated from tation. birth control – for Negroes as well as for America or greatly decreased in numbers, Bonilla-Silva, Eduardo: whites – will in practice have to be con - this would meet with the white’s approval White Supremacy and Racism in the sidered primarily as a means to other – provided that it could be accomplished Post-Civil Rights Era ends than that of decreasing the Negro by means which are also approved. Lemann, Nicholas: population.” Correspondingly, an increase of the pro - The Promised Land: The Great Black So Myrdal’s solution to the white prob - portion of Negroes in the American popu - Migration and How It Changed lem with the Negro population was to lation is commonly looked upon as unde - America; The Big Test: The Secret History practice democratically acceptable indi - sirable …….as we shall see, all white of the American Meritocracy rect, deceptive genocide through family Americans agree that if the Negro is to Steinberg, Stephen: planning for Negroes carried out by be eliminated, he must be eliminated Turning Back: The Retreat From Racial “black doctors and black nurses.” (See slowly so as not to hurt any living individ - Justice in American Thought and Policy chapter 7 on “Population Policy.” ual Negroes. Therefore, the dominant I can imagine readers of this article say - American valuation is that the Negro ing “well, what does this have to with should be eliminated from the American LaGuardia? There are only a small per - scene, but slowly.” cent of African-Americans on the campus 13 Ferdinand the Bull Performed at LPAC October 30

By Staff

The charming children’s story of Ferdinand the Bull , the gentle and peaceful bovine who preferred smelling flowers to fighting in the bullring, will be performed October 30 at the LaGuardia Performing Arts Center. Performing Munro Leaf’s classic tale will be the Hudson Vagabond Puppets, a well- known children’s theater troupe famous for its giant puppets and Japanese Bunraku style of puppetry. Along with the ballet, the center will get the children in the mood for Halloween by holding its annual “Creative Costume Contest.” Children wearing costumes will Attending the Dominican American National Roundtable were left to right, Manhattan be called on the stage to participate. Borough President C. Virginia Fields and Maria Alexandrine Ribas of Enrollment Nine winners will be chosen from three Management. age groups and free treats and a few tricks will be handed out to the young the - Dominican American National atergoers. The event, which will begin at 2 p.m., Roundtable National Conference will be held in the college’s Mainstage Theatre. Tickets are $12. Those who are inter - ested in purchasing tickets, may call the By Maria Alexandrine Ribas, Enrollment was conducted by Assemblyman Adriano box office at ext. 5151. Manager Officer and Transfer Coordinator, Espaillat; Raysa Castillo, president of the Enrollment Management Office Dominican Woman Caucus; and Moise Perez, executive director of Alianza being,” said the Dominican First Lady I attended The Dominican American Dominicana. The report assisted local, Margarita Cedno, who addressed the con - National Roundtable (DANR) Seventh state, and national Dominican and Latino ference participants. “The workshops and Annual National Conference that was held institutions interested in increasing voter reg - panels presented specific opportunities to September 17 through the 19th at City istration and voter turnout in the Dominican enhance dialogue.” College. community. The DANR National Conference tradition - This three days year conference, whose Another workshop, “The Future of ally rotates cities every year to give various theme was “Education and Civic Dominican Students: Impact of Educational states with active Dominican communities Participation: Empowering Our Community Reforms From Elementary to Higher the opportunity to host the conference. Through Academic Knowledge and Active Education,” was moderated by several Previous cities that have hosted the confer - Citizenship,” was very informative for our board members and panelist Dr. Ramona ence include Miami, Providence, Dominican community. Hernandez, CUNY Dominican Studies Washington, DC; and Atlantic City. This is “We believe that this was one of the most Institute. And “Immigration and the second time that the conference took informative and motivating conferences yet,” Naturalization Process for Dominicans,” was place in New York City. said DANR President Cid Wilson. “This was moderated by board members, “New York was an ideal place to host the the only event of the year, which brings Commissioner Guillermo Linares, and Dr. DANR National Conference,” said together Dominicans from around the country Allan Wernick, a well-known immigration Assemblyman Adriano Espaillat, who was to exchange best practices when it comes to attorney. the conference co-chairperson. “New York community empowerment.” “The DANR’s Annual Conference offered has the largest population of Dominicans in The event featured a series of panel dis - a valuable experience to enrich participants the country and I was excited to see that the cussions, exhibits and workshops. One with new ideas and perspectives vital for DANR brought its conference closer to the workshop, “Participation of Dominicans in their personal, professional, and civic well community.” the Electoral Process: Voters Registration,” 14 www.laguardia.edu Library Introduces New Faculty

By Kenneth Schlesinger, Director of Media Services, Library

Through the generous support of Community College Investment Program (CCIP) funds, the library was able to hire two new faculty members. Steven Ovadia is the new Web Services Librarian, who will be responsi - ble for upgrading and enhancing the library’s website: http://www.lagcc.cuny.edu/library/. He comes to us from Brooklyn Public Library, where he helped launch their real- time chat reference service. In addition, he served as principal trainer for BPL’s QuestionPoint e-mail reference service, so we are hoping he can contribute to LaGuardia’s pilot virtual reference servic - es. Steve can be reached at ext. 6022 and [email protected]. Our new Electronic Services Librarian is William Perrenod, who previously was assistant library director at College of The library’s two new faculty members, left, Steven Ovadia and William Perrenod. Mount Saint Vincent. He will be responsi - mater, Queens College. Please contact ented librarians to the college. Thanks to ble for maintaining the library’s network Billy at either ext. 5435 or wperren - CCIP, the library will be able to offer a and computer resources to support student [email protected]. wide array of services to successfully sup - learning. Future plans include enrolling in Library Chair Ngozi Agbim remarks, port teaching and learning. We’re excit - a liberal arts master’s program at his alma “We are delighted to welcome these tal - ed about these new opportunities.”

News from the libraries an 88 percent approval rating – • 3M electronic security system the highest of any service unit within City Though still under construction, this sys - Library University. Needless to say, we’re proud tem will provide the capacity to exercise to be contributing to student satisfaction. greater control over our valuable materi - By Ngozi Agbim, Chairperson, Library LaGuardia Community College als, maintaining them for student use and Foundation Student Government Award benefit. Most significantly, it already facil - The library received $425 from the The library is pleased to accept a 2003- itates unlimited access to our disabled College Foundation to spend toward stu - 2004 service award from Student patrons. dent scholarships or new library materials. Government. The plaque citation reads: • Stacks shift Library faculty voted to donate these funds In appreciation of your dedicated and Our reference and mezzanine stacks to three deserving LaGuardia students. devoted service to the college communi - were widened to be wheelchair-accessi - We acknowledge the financial challenges ty. We have hung this plaque in a ble, as well as equipped with motorized facing many of our students, and are prominent place near the library’s assistive technology tables. pleased to contribute. This is a wonderful entrance as a testament to our efforts to • Faculty offices new college initiative. support student success at LaGuardia. Due to a major redesign of the library’s Library reconfiguration Over the years, Student Government has storage area, we now have beautiful new We are indebted to the Division of donated crucial computer resources to offices to welcome arriving faculty. Administration and its hardworking enhance the library, and we are grateful Finally, all library faculty are housed under Buildings and Grounds crew for undertak - for this productive partnership. one roof: ready and eager to serve ing the following renovations over the While we’re on the subject, in a survey LaGuardia students and faculty! summer: last year CUNY students gave their

15 Sandra L. Rios – New Media The Best of the Best: Technology Chi Chung Yeung – Liberal Arts: Social Library Awards for 2004 Science and Humanities For additional information about LRC 102, please visit the Library’s website: www.lagcc.cuny.edu/library/lrc/lrc10 By Clementine Lewis, Fall I and Spring I. Students who excel in 2.htm Associate Professor, Library this course and serve as role models for Bookstore Humanitarian Award their classmates receive the LRC Incentive Two of the four students receiving the Research Review Competition Award. LaGuardia Community College Bookstore For the past 25 years, the Library Media At Honors Night, the following five stu - Humanitarian Award at Honors Night Resources Center has sponsored a dents received the LRC Incentive Award: were recognized for their outstanding Research Review Competition to encour - Ataoulaye F. Bah – Business service to the library: age and support research efforts at the Administration Islam Aminul (Media Services) and college. Students who receive a grade of Ayesha Blackman – Accounting Mariusz Monasterski (Institutional A on a research paper written for a Doreen A. Corbett – Business Archives) received this monetary award, course at LaGuardia during the current Administration which is donated by Barnes & Noble academic year may submit it into the com - Bookstore. petition. Faculty Council co-sponsors this Opening Sessions ... event and provides U.S. Savings Bonds New York City and China in class projects and Continued from page 3 for all the winners. assignments New York community business pro - Students and faculty who want to learn An audience of more than 100 faculty, staff and gram and the College on-line courses and training more about this competition should con - administrators listened attentively to Dr. Giroux as program to assist students with disabilities tact members of the Research Review he spoke enthusiastically about the mission of high - Opening Sessions 2004 was concluded with a Panel: Fredesvinda Dura, Terence Julien, er education in preparing and educating the coun - music-filled reception in theCobblestone Courtyard. Clementine Lewis, Sally Mettler, Marie try’s youth as “informed and socialized citizens.” More than 200 participants attended the reception Spina, and Zhang Yu. Dr. Giroux proposed that the “decline of democra - which offered a unique opportunity for both new You may also review the flier: cy in the USA” could only be reversed by the and seasoned faculty and staff from various disci - www.lagcc.cuny.edu/library/ResearchRe preservation of schools and colleges as “public plines including the president, vice presidents, viewCompetition2005. The deadline for venues of education.” Public venues where acade - chairs and program directors to converse with each the 2004-05 Research Review micians saw themselves as “public intellectuals other before the first day of classes. Competition is July 9, 2005. rather than technicians, engaged in critical, politi - The comments from Opening Sessions partici - The following 2003-04 Research cal not politicized education” and where “students pants were extremely positive. The success of the Review Competition winners received an were involved with the deepest problems of our program is the result of a college-wide collabora - award and recognition for their academic society.” Dr. Giroux’s speech was well-received by tive endeavor with special support from President achievement at LaGuardia’s 2004 Honors faculty and staff who rewarded him with a stand - Mellow, Vice President Bihn and Dr. Audrey Night Program on September 14th: ing ovation. Harrigan. This success is also attributed to the ded - First Place: The twenty-six workshops included more than icated service of the members of the 2004 Pearlie Singh sixty workshop presenters who used various forms Opening Sessions Committee who were Evelyn ENG 102 – Dr. Eleanor Tignor of digital technology, media equipment and role- Burg, Josephine Corso, Fredesvinda Dura, Debra Second Place: playing scenarios to share their research and proj - Engel, Terence Julien, Ellen Quish, Sonja Tanner, Yukari Seki ects, and engage workshop participants in their and the superb assistance provided by Gianina ENG 101 – Dr. Daniel Lynch presentations. All of the workshops covered an Bujosa, Carmen Griffin, Rosa Herrera-Rodriguez, Dmitry Zakrevski array of diverse topics such as: oral skills develop - Edward Hollins, Yeofanah Jean Mary, William ENG 101 – Prof. Ellen Czuchlewski ment to engage students in the classroom new and Kelly, Magalie Lopez, Karen McKeon and Robert Third Place: evolving programs and courses academic reten - Monegro. Ginger Albertson tion, minority male retention, governance and infor - The Opening Sessions Committee has made the ENG 103 – Dr. Leonard Vogt and mation ecology models experiential education in program available at the web site for the HUC 130 – Dr. Louis Lucca the disciplines and Cooperative Education media, Committee on Professional Development Thanks to all the instructors who encour - digital storytelling, ePortfolios and Blackboard to (http://www.lagcc.cuny.edu/OpeningSessions/2 aged their students to submit research enhance teaching and empower students class - 004/ ). Faculty and staff who were not able to papers. room strategies for teaching the College’s common attend this year’s Opening Sessions may visit this reading selection and preparing students for the website to review the program and documents dis - LRC Incentive Award CPE in ESL classes student advisement, classroom tributed in the workshops such as PowerPoint pre - The library offers a three-credit course, assessment and teaching for academic integrity sentations, handouts, bibliographies, etc. LRC 102: Information Strategies, during guidelines for research on human subjects use of 16 www.laguardia.edu as a slave laborer at a Volkswagen facto - A Graduate Chronices Her ry. After the liberation she married a sur - vivor of the Death March and they moved Holocaust Experiences to the United States in 1966. Today, Ms. Gross is keeping the memo - ry of her family and other victims of the Holocaust alive through her books and other activities. She is a lecturer for the Speakers Bureau of the Museum of Jewish By Staff author whose normal life in Romania was Heritage and tells her story at schools shattered in 1944 when she, her mother, throughout the country. She is one of the Elly Gross, a 1998 LaGuardia graduate and five-year-old brother were crowded over 50,000 survivors filmed by Steven and a Holocaust survivor, recently pub - into a cattle car with 100 others and Spielberg’s Survivors of the Shoah Visual lished her second book, Storm Against transported to Auschwitz-II/Birkenau. Foundation and she has appeared on the Innocents, Holocaust Memories and There, Ms. Gross’ mother and brother “60 Minutes.” Other Stories . were exterminated and she was an The book is comprised of short vignettes The book is a compilation of the memo - inmate until she was transported to and poems that poignantly describe both ries and experiences of the 74-year-old Fallersleben, Germany, where she worked the joyful and nightmarish experiences of her childhood, as well as thoughts on the terrorist attacks on the World Trade tion does not end with this degree. Commencement ... Center. Graphically illustrating her words “Everyone graduating today knows that Continued from page 1 are vintage sepia photographs capturing the LaGuardia experience has changed the family before the war as well as the his or her lives,” he said. “But now, it is CUNY Board of Trustees; Jay Hershenson, horrors of war that followed. your job to continue the process of devel - vice chancellor for University Relations; Those who wish to purchase the book oping and applying the knowledge that Peter L. DiCapua, chair of the college’s may do so by visiting the Amazon.com or will change your life. Do not miss or dis - foundation and nine other foundation Barnes & Noble’s websites. members. Representing the Class of miss educational opportunities that are not 2004 was Maya Sherpa, a member of formally packaged. Think of your lifelong the Student Government who will be education in its full and glorious scope— attending Baruch College in the spring. its ability to teach you about the world, In his address, Mr. Taylor explained teach you about yourself, and improve how his plans to pursue a college degree your quality of life. Decide that it will be abruptly ended when a fire destroyed his ongoing and continuous.” home and he was forced to seek full-time He spoke about the vital role that com - employment. His search led him to Wall munity colleges play in academe and rec - Street where he went on to assume posi - ognized some notable individuals who tions in the news-information department have graduated from two years institutions of Paine Webber and Dow Jones before such as PBS news anchor Jim Lehrer, becoming vice president of marketing NAACP president Kweisi Mfume, actors sales for television at Reuters. And in Tom Hanks, Billy Crystal, Clint Eastwood, 1990 he started Interactive Sports, a and Halle Berry, and fashion designer sports media firm. Calvin Klein. Although he never pursued a college “Perhaps through your continued dedica - degree, Mr. Taylor noted that the experi - tion,” he said, “your name will soon be ences that he collected over the years mentioned as one of the distinguished demonstrated that he does, indeed, have graduates of LaGuardia Community an excellent education. “I do believe in College.” the value of a college education. I think And it was during the exercises’ culmi - my experience is only a contradiction if nating activity—the graduate procession you are among those who think of a to the stage to receive a diploma and degree as a piece of paper—or merely congratulations from President Gail O. as a requirement to get a good job. Mellow and Vice President John Bihn— Education is the knowledge gained that Andre Taylor finally read out his name through learning.” before an audience, which included his In sharing his life experiences, he urged wife and two sons, and received the edu - the graduates to understand that educa - cational credential that took 24 years to collect. 17 see on the news, and hear what you Presidential Election Year hear on the T.V. and you believe it,” explained one participant. Issues Explored “How would you feel, if I searched your privacy, your children, your back - ground because of the way you dressed or looked?” one person responded. “No, I wouldn’t like it no one does, Election ... borhoods and ask ourselves if there’s any - but it needs to happen for our safety.” Continued from page 11 thing dangerous or hazardous to the Crisis in the U.S. Health Care: atmosphere. Do you see problems with Are the doors of American col - The guest speaker was Dr. Juliet our environment? What are we doing to leges being slammed shut in the Jacobsen. There are 44 million citizens fix these situations? Is President Bush faces of workers and the poor?” who are uninsured and 80 million are doing anything to help our environment? Among the many noted guest speakers, only partially covered. It seems that your Take A Stand! celebrated author Stanley Aronowitz was medical needs are more then what your “Is it okay to keep America safe by pro - perhaps the most well known. Author of insurance is offering to cover. “Our health filing?” “What is the point of living in 15 books including The Last Good Job in care system is expensive.” America if we get searched?” “Is this not America and The Knowledge Factory , One of the students brought up that if the land of the free?” Mr. Aronowitz spoke to a crowded Little you are a college student without health Questions such as these provoked par - Theater, addressing the rising cost of edu - insurance you may go to the nurse’s office ticipants in the “Take a Stand” workshop. cation in the United States. and they will have more information on The format was based around facilitator One Life One Vote: The envi - how you can claim coverage through Renee Butler, senior administrator for ronment. LaGuardia. Enrollment Management and Student Hosted by Professors Diann Slade and There are many important issues Development, asking a controversial ques - Fredesvinda Dura, this workshop focused involved in the upcoming election. The tion, and having audience members liter - on issues of environmental justice, air and day-long event seemed to ask everyone ally take a stand, moving to one side of water pollution, and global warming. involved “What are you doing to make a the room if they agreed, and the opposite One of the speakers stated that difference in our democracy?” side if they disagreed. President Bush has allowed power plants Additional reporting contributed by Many people argued that the police do to triple their mercury pollution, which is Trevor Soponis, a Middle College High need to take certain measures to be safe. dangerous to humans. Another partici - School teacher. pant asked if our environment is in need “If someone looks suspicious, then yes of emergency attention. We the people they should be questioned. It is in human should start by looking around our neigh - nature to judge others. You see what you Enrollment ... Continued from page 1

CIET ... This year’s ceremony featured the recipi - and new admits, Peter Jordan, vice presi - Continued from page 9 ent of the center’s First Annual Educational dent of Enrollment Management and Achievement Scholarship of $100 award - Student Development, pointed to an ed to Ramon E. Bayona in recognition of aggressive campaign to reach out to the an example of how much immigrants can his efforts to learn English, overcome borough’s ethnic communities and older achieve in the U.S. adversity, and make progress toward his adults. “This is testament to the college’s Commissioner Linares is currently an goals. commitment to serve the community and Ed.D. candidate at Teachers College, The center currently consists of three to increase the number of students who Columbia University, and reminded stu - major programs—civics, family literacy, hold a degree,” he said. dents that the quest for education is a life - and vocational English—serving some Another factor, the president added, is long pursuit. He spoke of the strength of 500 students a year, with a waiting list of the improvement in the college’s admis - his ties to the immigrant community when more than 2000 people hoping to enter sions process. “The division has trans - he began his City Council service in the free classes. Commissioner Linares formed the advisement and registration 1991 thanks to his previous work as a began his appointment on July 14th and process to create a student-friendly envi - teacher. attended the ceremony to show his sup - ronment,” she said. In addition to the guest speakers, stu - port for the dedication of so many immi - The college’s enrollment increase comes dents listened to their peers reading from grants to pursuing education while work - at a time when the City University of New examples of their writing published in “Life ing, raising families, and participating in York is enjoying a boom in enrollment. in New York,” the center’s second annual the life of the city. Fall figures show a 2.3 percent leap from literary journal. The night also included a last year and the highest enrollment since poetry reading by Andrey Gritsman, a 1975. native of Russia. 18 www.laguardia.edu neighbor and famous music producer LPAC Celebrates Hispanic Henry Glover invited the aspiring musi - cian to his home to attend the rehearsal Heritage Month October 22 sessions of the Cleftones and Joey Dee and the Starliters. At the age of 15, Mr. Kroon decided to play percussion. During his formal By Staff Joining each session is a highly acclaimed training, he studied the conga drums with In celebration of Hispanic Heritage jazz artist who performs, leads the other Tommy Lopez and Brazilian percussion Month, the LaGuardia Performing Arts musicians, and talks about various aspects with Dom Um Romao. Center will kick off its 2004-05 jazz jam of jazz. As a professional musician he has per - series with a night of Latin Jazz. “It has proven to be an ideal setting for formed with an impressive group of Featured performer is percussionist, nurturing and encouraging aspiring musi - acclaimed musicians and singers. From Steve Kroon, who for the past 30 years cians and, at the same time, for educating 1981 to 2001, he worked with soul has produced an eclectic sound influ - and exposing novices to the world of singer Luther Vandross. During that peri - enced by Latin jazz, and Afro-Cuban jazz,” said Lucy Holland, the series proj - od, he appeared in seven platinum and African music. ect director. “It is truly an extraordinary albums, 15 world tours, and two live The performance begins at 8 p.m. in and passionate exchange that occurs video performances—“Live in Wembly the college's Little Theatre. Tickets are between musicians and audiences.” Stadium in London” and “Live at Royal $10. Discounts are available for Mr. Kroon grew up surrounded by Albert Hall in London.” He also groups, students, seniors, and participat - music. In his Queen**s neighborhood of appeared on such television shows as ing musicians. Those who are interested St. Albans, which was a jazz Mecca, he The Tonight Show With Jay Leno, David in purchasing tickets may call ext. 5151. was exposed to the music of such jazz Letterman Show, and The Arsenio Hall For the past six years, the jazz jam greats as Count Basie, Eddie Lockjaw Show. series has been providing aspiring musi - Davis, and Lester Young. In his home, he Since 1987 he has performed with cians with the rare opportunity to show - poured over his father’s record collection jazz bassist Ron Carter on world-wide case their talents in an open jam session, that included the Latin sounds of Tito tours in the United States, Japan, and while offering jazz aficionados a chance Puente, Tito Rodriguez, and Machilto. Brazil as well as on six CD’s, and numer - to enjoy America’s true indigenous music. And he discovered R&B sounds when his ous television shows. Mr. Kroon has performed live and made recordings with such artists as Aretha Franklin, Roberta Flack, Teddy Pendergrass, and Billy Ocean. He has also produced two CD’s—“In My Path,” and “Senor Kroon.” The jazz jam schedule: November 19: The Generations: Old and New—Roland Alexander and Justin Robinson February 18: Blues Night—Keith ”The Captain” Gamble, guitar, and Sweet Georgia Brown, vocals March 18: Singers’ Night—Mark Murphy April 29: “Sweet Lou” Returns—Lou Donaldson, saxophone May 20: Brass Players Night—Slide Hampton, trombone June 10: Latin Jazz Finale—Ray Vega, trumpet and flugelhorn

19 year alone, some 20,000 theatergoers QTIP’s Director Named Visiting attended the over 450 culturally and ethni - cally diverse programs, including the Artistic Director at LaGuardia Weekend Family Series, the Schooltime Series, the Jazz Jam Series, and the Lunchtime Series. The visiting director comes to LaGuardia with 28 years of experience in theater management, including15 years at QTIP. By Staff When he took on the directorship of the Jeffrey Rosenstock, the executive director performing arts center in 1989, QTIP was of the Queens Theatre in the Park (QTIP) a foundering cultural venue that had fallen who is responsible for transforming the on hard times. Determined to restore the cultural venue into a premiere arts center center’s cultural status in the borough, he in Queens, has been named visiting artis - responded to a request for proposal from tic director of the LaGuardia Performing New York City and was awarded a Arts Center. Mr. Rosenstock will retain grant. With the support of the former his position at QTIP while serving in this Queens Borough President Claire Shulman temporary position. and other key elected officials, he com - “This is an unprecedented partnership pleted a $3 million restoration in 1993 between a public performance arts center and incorporated the theater in 1997. and a college,” said President Gail Today he is overseeing a thriving cultur - Mellow. “We are delighted that Jeffrey is al program that runs on a $2.8 million willing to share his considerable expertise annual budget. In its two auditorium the - to strengthen our ability to serve the peo - ater-- a 476 seat-proscenium playhouse ple of Queens.” and a 99-seat cabaret/blackbox studio-- In this consulting capacity, Mr. the center offers 400 shows annually, Jeffrey Rosenstock Rosenstock will work with members of the including pre- and post Broadway works, college’s performing arts center and presi - the demographics of the student popula - family entertainment, special events and dent’s office to explore ways to strength - tion and asking student groups what cul - concerts, and an annual Latino Cultural en, support, and expand its existing pro - tural activities they would like to see. Festival, which features dance, music, gram that over the years has successfully In another project, Rob Urbinati, QTIP’s film, theater, and art. offered an eclectic mixture of cultural director of Immigrant Voices and New Before coming to QTIP, Mr. Rosenstock events to the residents of western Queens. Play Development Projects, will be a guest held a number of theater management “In addition to the program now in professor in the humanities department. positions including the producing director place,” said Mr. Rosenstock, “LaGuardia He is presently working with the depart - of Theatre By the Sea in Portsmouth, New is interested in seeing what more the cen - ment to discuss ways to link the project Hampshire; general manager of Theatre ter can do to better reflect its vision, fur - with its courses. By the Sea in Matunuck, Rhode Island; ther establish its role in the community, Mr. Rosenstock could not conceal his director of operations for the Charles Ives and better forge its identity with its cultur - excitement when he spoke about planning Center; and acting managing director for ally diverse student population.” future programs for this area of Queens. Edward Villella and the Eglevsky Ballet. One of the projects already in the plan - “Long Island City is the hot area and In discussing the collaboration between ning stage is a “world music series” fea - LaGuardia is in the right place at the right LaGuardia and QTIP, Mr. Rosenstock said turing artists from around the world. “This time,” he said. “I am looking forward to that the two noncompetitive partners, who series will make a very bold statement,” tapping into this population and develop - serve distinct audiences, would both bene - said Mr. Rosenstock. “It announces that ing programming that is a little different fit from this marriage. we are creating a specific program that than what we offer at QTIP.” “For QTIP, the relationship will help fur - celebrates and showcases the ethnic and Aside from programming, the visiting ther its ability to generate funds, grants, cultural roots of our student body and the director will be involved in marketing, and programs, while the college will have population of Queens.” development, and outreach activities. an opportunity to work with a professional To shape the program, which will spot - Mr. Rosenstock will be joining a per - performing arts center,” he said. “We light five to seven international perform - forming arts program that has established each have access and resources that the ances during LaGuardia Performing Arts a solid niche in western Queens’ burgeon - other one does not. The collaboration will Center’s fall and spring season, Barbara ing cultural community, which houses allow us to look at those resources and Carson, the general manager, said that MoMA QNS, P. S. 1 Contemporary Art ultimately decide how best to serve the the college has been closely looking at Center, the Socrates Sculpture Park, and community-at-large.” the Isamu Noguchi Garden Museum. Last 20 www.laguardia.edu