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2 Education update ■ For Parents, Educators & Students ■ June 2008guest EDITORIALCUNY’s Community Colleges Provide Recession InsuranceFLORIDADr. Mayme ClaytonTo the Editor:I am a librarian from Panama, presently workingat Patrick AFB, FL, and think it is good thatpeople know about Mayme Clayton and her familywork and love for preserving the History ofAfrican-Americans. I wish I could be there to helpyou in preserving this bibliographic collection.Miriam Patrick,FLBy Matthew Goldstein,Chancellor, The City Universityof New YorkToday, almost half of all undergraduates inthe United States are attending a communitycollege. Here in New York City, the sixcommunity colleges of The City University ofNew York—Borough of Manhattan CommunityCollege, Bronx Community College, HostosCommunity College, Kingsborough CommunityCollege, LaGuardia Community College, andQueensborough Community College—servenearly 79,000 degree-credit students and almost118,000 adult and continuing education students,the highest level in more than 32 years.These students look to community collegesas pathways to employment, especially as theeconomic climate worsens. New York’s studentsneed “recession insurance,” and CUNY’s communitycolleges offer it, through career trainingprograms, workforce development, careerladders, and a strong academic foundation fortransfer students.However, the 2008-2009 Mayor’s ExecutiveBudget recommends cuts that seriously threatenthese critical educational programs.The Executive Budget leaves our communitycolleges with a $25.7 million shortfall in directoperating support—an 8 percent cut. To managecuts of this magnitude, our colleges will have toeliminate teaching positions and class sections,cut library hours, forego the purchase of labsupplies, and decrease tutoring and advising services.There is no question that such reductionswill have a harmful impact on our students.Our community colleges play an indispensablerole in the economic development of thiscity. Almost 90 percent of our graduates areemployed within six months of earning theassociate degree, and over 94 percent are eitheremployed or enrolled for additional education.CUNY students also stay in New York City; ofthose who are employed, 93 percent work in NewYork City, contributing to the city’s economy.For example, over the last five years, CUNYhas graduated half of all the new registered nursesthat come from New York City-based nursingschools. On the 2007 National Council LicensureExamination—the national certification examfor nurses—six CUNY colleges, including threecommunity colleges, are among the top 10schools in New York State with both the highestpass rates and 75 or more test takers. These ambitiousstudents are the city’s workforce—its talentand its taxpayers.CUNY’s capital program is also threatened bythis year’s recommended city budget. In capitalLETTERS TO THE EDITORTEXASTeacher In Space Candidate CompletesProficiency FlightTo the Editor:I love this article. Ms. Leestma was actuallymy 2nd grade teacher. I was in her class whenshe did the flight. I moved here and I miss her.She was my 2nd grade inspiration. Thank you forthis article. If Ms. Leestma reads this, I miss you!AnnieCarrollton, TXJune 25, 2008The Harvard Clubwww.EducationUpdate.com/awardsfunding, every state dollar spent on our communitycolleges must be matched by city funds;otherwise, we cannot access the state funds.However, city matching funds were not providedfor most of the new state appropriations for thecommunity colleges in the fiscal year 2008-2009State Adopted Budget.This includes funding for critical maintenanceneeds, such as heating and ventilation systems,exterior walls, and electrical equipment. Thestate appropriated $88.9 million for these needs,but the city’s Executive Budget provided noadditional funding to match state funds. Withevery delay, conditions at our community collegecampuses worsen.One of the most serious needs is the replacementof Fiterman Hall at Borough of ManhattanCommunity College (BMCC), which was irrevocablydamaged in the September 11 attacks. TheUniversity has moved forward on a schedule totake down the building and begin constructionby spring of 2009. However, without city fundingto match the $78 million state appropriation,that process will be delayed, while constructioncosts will continue to rise. BMCC, CUNY’s largestcommunity college, was overcrowded beforeFiterman Hall was destroyed and now has anacute space problem that becomes more strainedwith every semester of enrollment growth.As more and more students strive to insure themselvesagainst the economic forces that are mountingagainst them, we must keep open their pathwaysto education, which represent their best insurancepolicy. Only with city support will we be able tocontinue to offer our students and our city the toolsthey need to weather any economic climate.#New York CityTo Moscow State University for St. Tatiana’sDay, the Students’ Holiday!To the Editor:This article was very interesting…I have neverbeen to Russia, but have always wanted to gothere. Ms. Davis made me feel that I was withher and she experienced many wonderful thingsthere.Leslie MillerNew York, NYIn This IssueGuest Editorial ................ 2Letters to the Editor ............ 2Spotlight on Schools ...3, 5-9, 12-14New Jersey News .............. 9Special Education .......... 10, 11Colleges & Grad Schools ......16-19Sports ...................... 18Medical Update ............... 20Books ...................... 21Music, Art & Dance ........... 22Calendar of Events ............ 22Resource & Reference Guide .... 22Movies ...................... 23Education UpdateMailing Address:695 Park Avenue, Ste. E1509New York, NY 10065Email: ednews1@aol.comwww.EducationUpdate.comTel: 212-650-3552 Fax: 212-772-4769PUBLISHER & EDITOR IN CHIEF:Pola Rosen, Ed.D.ADVISORY COUNCIL:Mary Brabeck, Dean, NYU School ofEducation; Sheila Evans-Tranumn, Assoc.Comm. of Education, NYS; Charlotte K.Frank, Ph.D., Senior VP, McGraw-Hill; JoanFreilich, Ph.D., Trustee, Barnard College &College of New Rochelle; Andrew Gardner,Technology Teacher & Advisor, TheSchool at Columbia U.; Cynthia Greenleaf,Ph.D., Director, Partnerships, ChicagoPublic Schools; Augusta S. Kappner,Ph.D., President, Bank St. College;Bonnie Kaiser, Ph.D., Director, PrecollegeProgram, Rockefeller University; HaroldKoplewicz, M.D., Founder & Director,NYU Child Study Center; Ernest Logan,Pres., CSA; Cecilia McCarton, M.D., Dir.,The McCarton Center; Eric Nadelstern,CEO, Empowerment Schools, NYC;Alfred S. Posamentier, Ph.D., Dean, Schoolof Education, CCNY; Adam Sugerman,Publisher, Palmiche Press; Laurie Tisch,Chair, Center for Arts EducationASSOCIATE EDITORS:Heather Rosen, Adam Sugerman,Rob WertheimerASSISTANT TO THE PUBLISHER:Justine RiveraGUEST COLUMNISTS:Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Dr. BonnieBrown, Chancellor Matthew Goldstein,Dr. Carole G. Hankin, Dr. Joan ThomsonKretschmer, Ernest Logan, AlfredPosamentier, Ph.D., Barbara Reuter, KeithSiegelSTAFF WRITERS:Jacob Appel, J.D., Judith Aquino, StevanneAuerbach, Ph.D., Joan Baum, Ph.D., AlbertoCepeda, Dorothy Davis, Gillian Granoff,Richard Kagan, Sybil Maimin, MarthaMcCarthy, Ph.D., Joy Resmovits, EmilySherwood, Ph.D., Marisa Suescun, LisaWinklerBOOK REVIEWERS:Harris Healy III, Merri Rosenberg,Selene VasquezMEDICAL EDITOR:Herman Rosen, M.D.MODERN LANGUAGE EDITOR:Adam SugermanMOVIE & THEATER REVIEWS:Jan AaronMUSIC EDITOR:Irving M. SpitzART DIRECTOR:Neil SchuldinerADVERTISING DEPARTMENT:Martin Lieberman, Manager;Richard KaganINTERNS: Reni ShulmanEducation Update is published monthly byEducation Update, Inc. All material is copyrightedand may not be printed without expressconsent of the publisher.POSTMASTER: Send address changes to:Education Update, P.O. Box 2358,Lenox Hill Station, NY, NY 10021Subscription: Annual $30.Copyright © 2008 Education UpdateEducation Updateis an independentnewspaper