CM James Comments on Departure of Medgar Evers College President

**FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE**
JANUARY 31, 2013

Contact: Aja Worthy-Davis (212) 788-7081

Council Member Letitia James Comments on Departure of Medgar Evers College President

(New York, NY)— Under the leadership of Dr. William L. Pollard— who became president of Medgar Evers College [of The City University of New York (CUNY)] in August 2009— Medgar Evers College cut back on spending for student services. Specifically, media reports cite that professors stated a writing center for students was eliminated, and tutoring service cut back. The dismissal or demotion of professors was also sharply criticized. This followed a no-confidence vote— made in December 2010— in which a significant number of the CUNY’s tenured professors expressed serious concerns about the state of the college following the elimination of the Center for NuLeadership on Urban Solutions, a think tank run by academically pedigreed formerly-incarcerated experts focused on prison-reform policies.

Council Member Letitia James and other elected officials have supported students and faculty in their efforts to address existing issues with the Medgar Evers administration. In 2011, students presented a petition to the administration. The students were primarily concerned with actions they believed were contrary to “the mission of [the] predominately Black institution of higher learning” and “that seek[ed] to dismantle the college's community-based centers.”

“I am confident that Medgar Evers College will be able to re-focus full attention on providing their students with the tools they need to succeed,” said Council Member Letitia James.

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ATTENTION: Elected Officials & SCA Host MWBE Informational Session; 6/15; Medgar Evers College

Council Member Letitia James, Elected Officials, and the NYC School Construction Authority will host a MWBE Informational Session. Attendees will get information on--

- How to become Certified MWBE
- Current City and State Contracting Opportunities for Minority-Owned, Women-Owned Business Enterprises
- Build Productive New Business Relationships

WHEN: Friday, June 15th, 2012
10:00am – 2:00pm

WHERE: Medgar Evers College
1650 Bedford Avenue (Between Crown Street and Montgomery Street)
Brooklyn, NY 11225

Please RSVP by June 12th to email: infobizdev@nycsca.org or call (718) 752 – 5049.

Deconstructing the Steel Band Panorama at Medgar Evers College

PANEL DISCUSSION TO ADDRESS STEEL BAND PANORAMA
http://events.cuny.edu/EventDetail.asp?EventId=32378

"Deconstructing the Steel Band Panorama"
WHEN: Thursday, April 28
7:00-10:00 PM.

WHERE: Mary Pinkett Lecture Hall
Medgar Evers College

1637 Bedford Avenue

Admission is free.

Central BK Town Hall Meeting for Discussion on NYS Education Reform; 11/9; Medgar Evers College; 5PM

CENTRAL BROOKLYN TOWN HALL MEETING
The New York State Education Reform Agenda Topics:
-High School Graduation Requirements
-N.Y.S. Assessments in grades K – 8 & high school
-Common Core Curriculum and N.Y.S. Curriculum Frameworks
-Race To The Top initiatives

DATE: Tuesday November 9, 2010
Time: 5:00pm– 7:00pm
Location: Founders Auditorium
Medgar Evers College, CUNY
1650 Bedford Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11225-2017

Presenters:
-Dr. Lester W. Young, Jr. Regent At Large, University of the State of New York
-Dr. John B. King, Jr., Senior Deputy Commissioner, New York State Education Department

Facilitator:
-Dean Richard Jones, Jr., Medgar Evers College, CUNY; Adelaide Sanford Institute Board Member

Sponsored by:
NYS Senator Eric Adams
NYS Senator Velmanette Montgomery

NYS Assembly Member Hakeem Jeffries
NYS Assembly Member Karim Camara
NYS Assembly Member Annette Robinson

Adelaide L. Sanford Institute

Please RSVP by Friday, October 29th; you can email messages@sanfordinstitute.org

Things We May Have Neglected To Mention

State Senator Adams 2010 Census Rally

State Senator Eric Adams is hosting a 2010 Census Rally on Sunday, March 14, 2010, 4PM at Medgar Evers College.


Diversity Lens Encourages Students To Embrace Diversity Through Art

Diversity Lens is a pilot program in partnership with the NYC Department of Education placed in seven high schools around New York City. This program, designed to broaden student's eyes to the diversity within themselves and around them, will allow for them to better express the diversity within their communities and cultures through photography and text. The program will culminate with an exhibit exploring the beautiful diversity of New York City. Diversity Lens is part of a larger campaign, Hate Hurts-NY, which was created to encourage to New York City youth to embrace inclusiveness, and understand the negative impact of seemingly harmless hate speech and other acts of hate. For more information, place contact the Jewish Community Relations Council of NY at (212) 983-4800.

City Point Holds MWBE Info Session

Downtown Brooklyn's City Point, a project of the Albee Development, will bring hundreds of apartments and a large shopping center to the eastern end of the Fulton Mall. The development is in Phase 1A of the overall plan, and will consist of a 50,000 square feet, and four-story retail development along Fulton Avenue (the site of the old Albee Square Mall). The upcoming information session will provide the Minority and Women Owned Business (MWBE) contracting community, local workforce and community leaders a briefing on opportunities related to this project and the qualification process. Those interested in bidding on the City Point project are strongly encouraged to attend. RSVP by registering at www.crescentconsult.com.

Things We May Have Neglected To Mention

If You Were Wondering Where Your Money Was

Check out NYCStat Stimulus Tracker to track the City's use of federal stimulus/recovery funds provided through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA); and Council Member David Yassky's ItsYourMoney.com (which simplifies the information the Council provides here).

More Parking Suspension

Alternate Side Parking Regulations Suspended In Parts Of Downtown Brooklyn, Brooklyn Heights (South of Joralemon Street), Boerum Hill, Fort Greene, and Clinton Hill Starting September 8th For Six To Eight Weeks As DOT Posts New, Reduced Street-Cleaning Regulations.

New regulations will take effect in Downtown Brooklyn, DUMBO, Vinegar Hill, Fulton Ferry, and Brooklyn Heights (Joralemon Street and North) starting September 14th.
Suspension is the final of three phases for neighborhoods in Community District 2.

The suspension will last in Brooklyn's Community District 2 for approximately six to eight weeks as the Department of Transportation (DOT) installs some 2,000 signs with new, reduced regulations. This is the third and final phase of the project to change signs throughout the district. (You can read about the previous phases here and here)

The second phase of the sign-replacement project is now complete, with signs in Downtown Brooklyn, DUMBO, Vinegar Hill, Fulton Ferry and Brooklyn Heights north of Joralemon Street having been replaced since July 13th. The newly posted regulations will be enforceable on Monday, September 14, giving residents two weeks to adjust to the new rules.

In the upcoming phase of the sign-replacement project, some daytime residential street cleaning parking restrictions are being reduced from twice a week to just once a week to ease parking for local residents. In other cases, only the time of day of the street-cleaning regulation will change. The new rules were established by the Department of Sanitation at the request of Community Board 2.

Street Cleaning Regulations (all parking signs marked with a broom symbol) will be suspended within the following borders from September 8th until further notice:

North: Joralemon Street (not included) from Furman Street to Boerum Place;
Fulton Street (included) from Boerum Place to Classon Avenue.

East: Classon Avenue (included) from Fulton Street to Atlantic Avenue.

South: Atlantic Avenue (not included) from Furman Street to Court Street;
Court Street (not included) from Atlantic Avenue to Wyckoff Street;
Wyckoff Street/St. Mark’s Place (included) from Court Street to 4th Avenue;
4th Avenue (not included) from St. Mark's Place to Pacific Street;
4th Avenue (included) from Atlantic Avenue to Pacific Street;
Atlantic Avenue (included) from 4th Avenue to Classon Avenue.

West: Furman Street (included) from Atlantic Avenue to Joralemon Street.

As the attached map indicates, Street Cleaning Regulations will be in effect on Joralemon Street; on Atlantic Avenue west of Court Street; on Court Street from Atlantic Avenue to Wyckoff Street; and on 4th Avenue from St. Mark's Place to Pacific Street.

The changes do not affect 8AM to 6PM parking rules or meter regulations, or any other parking rules that are not street cleaning regulations. DOT will give advance notification before enforcement resumes, and the public is encouraged to check the DOT's Web site or call 311.

Upcoming Events

You are invited to attend the 2nd Annual Garden Party Fundraiser for the Center for Law & Social Justice at Medgar Evers College.

Sunday, September 13, 2009
3pm- 7pm
Japanese Garden
931-933 Bedford Avenue (between Dekalb & Willoughby)
Brooklyn, NY, 11205

For more information and tickets call (718)270-6297, or email jgibbs@mec.cuny.edu.

Friends of South Oxford Park present a free Jazzmobile Concert!

South Oxford Street (between Fulton Street & Atlantic Avenue)

Saturday, September 12, 2009
2:30pm- 4:30pm

Come out and enjoy a free concert of America's classical music known as JAZZ, with support from the office of Council Member Letitia James and local restaurant Night of the Cookers.

Things We May Have Neglected To Mention: Upcoming Community Events Edition

Clinton Hill Blog Re-Launches With New Layout

The Clinton Hill Blog relaunched yesterday with some cool new features and a new layout. Check it out.
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The Center for Law & Social Justice at Medgar Evers College presents "Don't Lose Your Vote" Workshop

Wednesday, August 19, 2009
1150 Carroll Street, RM 207-C
Brooklyn, N.Y. 11225
6PM
TOPIC: General Voter Education- How to Protect Your Vote

Topics to be discussed:
- Voting rights for people who were formerly incarcerated
- The 2010 Census
- How to protect your vote in the upcoming local elections
- General voter education
- Other related topics
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Neighborhood Dialogue on Public Schools

Join your neighbors in an honest dialogue on how we can transform the way we educate our young people. Help shape how our education leaders and community think about public school reform!

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Bedford-Stuyvesant YMCA
1121 Bedford Avenue (at Monroe Street)
Brooklyn, N.Y. 11216
6:30PM- 9PM

Sponsors: Education Voters Institute and the YMCA of Greater New York
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Brooklyn for Barack will be hosting a forum for those running for the Office of New York City Comptroller

Thursday, August 20, 2009
Union Temple
17 Eastern Parkway
Brooklyn, N.Y. 11238
7PM- 8:30PM

Questions for the candidates may be submitted to info@brooklynforbarack.org. Questions will also be accepted at the event.