A PUBLICATION OF THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK WINTER 2013 Professors at Work Making the City – and the World – Better for All Page 26 Dr. Jennifer Mangels Belén Carolina Guerra- Dr. Gerard McNeil Kirk Haltaufderhyde Dr. Barbara Zajc Deborah Ayeni Professor, Psychology, Carillo Associate Professor York College Associate Professor, City College Baruch College Baruch College Biology, York College National Science Organic Chemistry, National Science National Science National Science Foundation National Institutes of Foundation City College Foundation Foundation Award Graduate Research Fellow Health MBRS/SCORE Graduate Research National Science Foundation Graduate Research 2009-2012 2012 2010-2014 Fellow 2012 Research Award 2011-2013 Fellow 2012 record 16 outstanding CUNY students in 2012 won “A National Science Foundation awards of $126,000 each for graduate study in the sciences. No other university system in the Northeast won more. Coached by our world-class faculty, CUNY students are winning the nation’s most prestigious awards and continue their research at MIT, Yale and other top graduate schools. Study with the best during the ‘Decade of Science’ at CUNY.” — Chancellor Matthew Goldstein, The City University of New York www.cuny.edu/awardwinners A PUBLICATION OF THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK CONTENTS WINTER 2013 THE FIRST WORD LESSONS IN LEADERSHIP The Chancellor’s Column Martin and Michele Cohen City College 2 36. CULTURES HISTORY LESSON Mexican Institute Cate Ludlam and The Prospect Cemetery 3 38York College SCHOOL TIES FIELD STUDY Carole M. Berotte Joseph Stories Page 20 What Hunter-Gatherers 4From Around 40Really Know About Weight The Colleges Control NEW ON CAMPUS Hunter College TOP OF THE CLASS Carole M. Berotte Joseph Bronx Community College Field Study Swim Champ Alyssa Lubrino Page 40 8Baruch College 20 HEAD OF THE CLASS OPEN FOR BUSINESS Children’s Advocate The New Community College Gertrud Lenzer 10 22 Brooklyn College MENTOR PAGE TURNERS Novelist Joshua Henkin PROFILE Mark Rosenblum Brooklyn College Saxophonist Ray Santos Queens College 42 24 Journalism Dean City College 1 7 Stephen Shepard COVER STORY Graduate School of Journalism GREAT GRADUATES Professors Making the City – BOOKS-AT-A-GLANCE Curiosity’s Joel Levine 26and World – A Better Place Recent Books 18Brooklyn College 44By CUNY Authors Joel Levine CROSSWORD PUZZLE Page 18 45A Brief History of CUNY PHOTO FINISH The Graduate 46City College CAMPUS TOUR Sciences and Math Blossom 48Medgar Evers College THE FIRST WORD Working to Enhance the City salutetoscholars Jay Hershenson • Senior Vice Chancellor his issue of Salute to Scholars offers wonderful examples of for University Relations the University’s multifaceted teaching, research and service and Secretary to the Board of Trustees efforts aimed at advancing New York City’s well-being. Michael Arena • University Director Enhancing the city we serve is the embodiment of the CUNY of Communications & Marketing mission. As our most recent Master Plan notes, among Kristen Kelch • Managing Editor TCUNY’s core values is a “dedication to the needs of the University’s urban setting.” Rich Sheinaus • Director of Design In keeping with that core value, in May the University released “Jobs for Barbara Shea • Deputy Editor New York’s Future,” a report of findings and recommendations from the Neill S. Rosenfeld • Writer CUNY Jobs Task Force I assembled in fall 2011 (www.cuny.edu/jobstask- Cathy Rainone • Writer force). With record numbers of students seeking a CUNY education, and Miriam Smith • Designer an economy still shaken by a deep recession, it is critical that the University Stan Wolfson • Photo Editor closely monitor the local labor market and remain responsive to its evolv- Charles DeCicco • Copy Editor ing needs. Focusing on five key industry clusters in New York City — finance, insur- ance and accounting; health care; higher education; information technolo- gy; and media and advertising — the task force examined drivers and emerging trends in the industries, the workforce skills in demand, and employers’ recommendations to colleges and universities to enhance students’ preparation for a compet- itive workplace. The task force’s research included inter- views with industry experts, including the members of the task force themselves, analysis of labor market informa- tion, and examination of industry reports. (Some of the findings are outlined in my recent editorial in Crain’s New York Business: www.crainsnewyork.com.) “Jobs for New York’s Future” recommends a number of actions that CUNY and other universities might take to help graduates succeed in their fields, including reinforcing meaningful links to industry and business, conducting reg- Matthew Goldstein ular industry scans, monitoring the experience of recent graduates, and expanding student career guidance and job- CHANCELLOR search skills training. Following discussions about the task force’s work with groups such as the Council of Presidents and the CUNY Business Leadership Council, the University is taking steps to respond to the report’s findings. Two important actions are already under way. First, an Office of Workforce Partnerships is being developed in the University’s Workforce Development Division. The office will provide a central point of contact for ON THE COVER: With The City University of New York’s employers wishing to engage with CUNY colleges and help the University dedication to providing an excellent education, stay current with industry changes across the city. accessible to all, it is not unusual that often we see Second, the New York City Labor Market Information Service (NYC and hear about the courses, programs and the LMIS) will join the CUNY Office of Academic Affairs to strengthen the diversity of educational opportunities that our University’s ability to monitor the local labor market. Over the last several students experience. The education of our students years, the NYC LMIS has become an invaluable resource to the city, helping is accomplished by an extraordinary faculty. But that policymakers and organizations make informed decisions about program- service isn’t confined to the walls of the University’s ming. Its research includes annual reports on the state of the city’s work- schools and colleges, and in this issue we our force system and a recent green jobs study. A closer link with the honored to have a chance to present the way that University will enable the NYC LMIS to provide labor market data, reports CUNY professors and researchers, engaging their and analysis to guide CUNY’s workforce preparation efforts. students, serve millions of New Yorkers every day. The University plays an essential role in the New York City labor mar- Professors such as Allan Wernick, who organized ket: it serves the majority of undergraduates in New York City, and 80 per- Citizenship Now! to assist New York’s immigrant cent of its bachelor’s recipients remain in the city after graduation. Just as population, or Mande Holford, whose research with we must ensure that graduates acquire the skills they need for a lifetime of snail toxins led to development of painkillers for learning, so must we understand the industries and economy that will cancer and AIDS, and who now mentors young shape their personal and professional lives. University scientists. And William Solecki, dedicated to building policies that are ensure the sustainability of New York and cities worldwide in the face of so many challenges. In this issue, these are just a few of the professors who you will see at work making our — Matthew Goldstein, Chancellor community better for all. 2 WINTER 2013 INSTITUTE FOR MEXICAN STUDIES Promoting Success and Valuing Hispanic Diversity CUNY ASNIYA SANCHEZ came to the United States cruit and graduate more Mexican students. In Spring At a Glance from Mexico City in 1999, when she was 11 years 2005, Senior Vice Chancellor for University Relations J he City University of old. Her mother, a cashier at a fruit store, and her fa- and Secretary of the Board of Trustees Jay Hershen- New York is the ther, who works at a supermarket stocking shelves, al- son and then-Consul General of Mexico in New York nation’s leading ways told her that if she studied hard, a world of Arturo Sarukhan formed a CUNY Task Force to ex- T opportunities would open up. plore outreach strategies for the Mexican and Mexican urban public university. Sanchez listened to her parents. She graduated American community. One of the outcomes of the Founded in New from Baruch College with a B.A. in economics and is Task Force was the development of a memorandum of York City in 1847 currently pursuing a Masters of Public Administration understanding between CUNY and the Consulate as with a specialty in nonprofit administration at Baruch. General in New York. On September 21, 2005, CUNY The Free But too many Mexican students, who like Sanchez Chancellor Matthew Goldstein signed the memoran- Academy, come to the U.S. with their parents when they are chil- dum of understanding with then-Consul General the University has dren, as well as second-generation Mexican-Ameri- Sarukhan, now Mexico’s ambassador to the U.S. 24 institutions: cans, are not graduating from college or even high In 2007, the Chancellor formed the Working Task 11 senior colleges, school. Force on Strengthening Educational Opportunities for seven community According to census data, about 41 percent of all Mexican and Mexican-Americans and appointed Sen- colleges, Mexicans ages 16 to 19 living in New York City