Medgar Evers College?
- THE FACTS -
Presented by the
Medgar Evers College Coalition
for Academic Excellence and Mission Integrity
(aka The MEC Coalition)
In view of the actions listed below, the faculty of the Brooklyn-based Medgar Evers College of the City University of New York (MEC) affirmed a VOTE OF NO CONFIDENCE in the current Administration, and specifically, in the Office of the President, Dr. William Pollard and in the Office of the Provost, Dr. Howard Johnson.
At a meeting held by the Committee of the Faculty of the Whole, 89% of the faculty issued a vote of no confidence.
Under the administration of President Pollard and Provost Johnson, the following have occurred:
1. The administration has violated CUNY Bylaws, union contracts and the Medgar Evers Governance Plan in the non-reappointment of faculty.
2. The administration has disseminated notices of non-reappointment to faculty and staff via campus police, email, and visits to classrooms (in front of students), and offices.
3. The administration has removed the Chair of Education for spurious and unsubstantiated reasons (Per PSC Contract, Chairs in CUNY are elected by faculty, not appointed by President and Provost). The Chair of Education had been elected by the faculty in her department
for a three year term.
4. The administration has reduced support mechanisms and faculty resources which include:
- Elimination of the Writing Center
- Elimination of the Center for Teaching and Learning
- Reduction of tutors in the Learning Center budget
- Reduction of staff in the College’s library
- Reduction of staff in the Student Computer Lab
- Reduction of resources and research opportunities for the Psych Lab
- Blocking of funding supporting faculty/student research and the mission of the College
5. The administration has issued an eviction notice to the Center for NuLeadership on Urban Solutions despite its adherence to the formal application process and subsequent approval by Medgar Evers College’s governing body, the College Council, in accordance with the Policy Guidelines for Centers, Institutes, Consortia and Special Initiatives at The City University of New York (approved by the Board of Trustees, 27 February 1995) and the Medgar Evers College Governance Plan.
6. The administration has not hired faculty positions in academic departments, yet has hired numerous high level administrators and consultants.
7. The administration has withdrawn support for the Medgar Evers College Preparatory School’s Dual Enrollment Program which provides high school students with opportunities to take college level courses while enrolled in high school.
8. The administration has not announced a Master Plan or direction for MEC, after an entire year of governance.
About Medgar Evers College
- MEC was founded four decades ago during a period of institution building by communities of color across this country and in Central Brooklyn, specifically, to address the need for access to higher education, to be coupled with community engagement and development
- MEC has a proud history of leadership and involvement in advocacy that advances and promotes the political, cultural, social, economic and academic power of people of color in Central Brooklyn
- MEC is rooted in the progressive history of Central Brooklyn through its academic, professional, advocacy and civic programs
- MEC has created a culture of academic excellence for students and faculty
- The actions of the administration, as represented by the Offices of the President and Provost, demonstrate a lack of commitment to the “community–oriented” mission of Medgar Evers College and the community stakeholders of Central Brooklyn who helped to birth Medgar Evers College
More About Medgar Evers College…
- Transforms the lives of individuals within their communities and the global world
- Provides students with access to high quality professional degree programs
- Offers 17 baccalaureate and 8 associate level degree programs in the liberal arts, science, health, business, and education
- Provides students who move from associate level to baccalaureate level degree programs with high academic standards
- Maintains a national and international presence through its Centers
- Offers conferences, seminars and workshops that support academic programs and student success
The Students
- Capture first place prizes in prestigious competitions like the Wharton Undergraduate Marketing Conference case competition
- Present their original research and scholarship at conferences across the globe
- Participate and are leaders in national student business associations of NABA (National Assoc. of Black Accountants, AMA (American Management Assoc.), CISTA (Computer Information Systems Technology Association, MECPA (Society of Public Administration), and MIA (Minority Investment Assoc.) which have won numerous awards.
- Are members of honor societies (Delta Mu Delta and Kappa Beta Delta) and participate in national and regional conferences that promote personal and career goals
- Matriculate as the first in their family to pursue higher education
About The Faculty
- Include distinguished scholars, researchers, and former members of the city, state and federal legislatures of the United States
- Are Involved in a range of research and grant activities in their disciplines
- Received numerous awards within their disciplines
- Include Fulbright scholars and a Guggenheim Fellow
- Collaborate with entities such as the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to conduct space science research, which included the launching of a satellite for government payloads
- Are Awarded research grants by the U.S. Air Force’s Office of Scientific Research, the National Science Foundation, and the Department of Education, among others
- Include faculty and directors, who host national and international conferences, including:
- National Black Writers Conference
- Environmental Science Conference
- Social Work Conference
- Diopian Inquiry and Research on Education as Culture Transmission Conference
About The Centers
- Strengthen, enrich and support the College’s academic degree programs
- Serve as vehicles for research, training, advocacy and career development in public service and public policy fields
- Fulfill the College’s mission of communicating the knowledge of tradition, the teaching of scholars and the beauty and profundity of students’ cultural heritage
- Develop non degree and co-curricular cultural programs which serve students and a broad range of community residents
- Fulfill the College’s mission through interaction with community representatives, cultural and public institutions
The Center for NuLeadership on Urban Solutions (CNUS) has operated at Medgar Evers College for the past six years. CNUS provides critical policy research and advocacy training on criminal and juvenile justice system reform issues; develops initiatives, policy recommendations and programs aimed at increasing access, retention, and graduation rates for formerly incarcerated students; and promotes leadership and career development in the fields of public policy and advocacy related to criminal justice and civil rights.
The DuBois Bunche Center for Public Policy (DBC) is a think tank dedicated to forging solutions to the challenges confronting people of color living within urban communities in the United States and throughout the African Diaspora. DBC produces research, formulates policies, sponsors conferences, and produces public affairs media programming that advances economic and social justice.
The Center for Black Literature expands, broadens, and enriches the public’s knowledge and aesthetic appreciation of the value of black literature; continues the tradition and legacy of the National Black Writers Conference and serves as a voice and resource for black writers. It is the only Center devoted to this in the country.
The Center for Law and Social Justice (CLSJ) is a community-based legal organization that specializes in addressing racial justice issues. CLSJ provides quality legal advocacy, trainings, and research services in a personal manner to people of African ancestry and the disenfranchised.
About the Medgar Evers College Preparatory School (MECPS)
- The MECPS was created as a partnership with Medgar Evers College
- The MECPS was cited by Department of Education, College Board and President Obama as an exemplary model of high school and college collaboration
- The MECPS was only one of three in the nation to win a College Board Inspiration Award Winner for helping underserved students achieve equitable access to higher education
- The MECPS ranked as one of the top best public high schools in Brooklyn
- The MECPS offers one of the largest Chinese language programs for students not from a Chinese background in the United States
For more information, visit www.Facebook.com/MEfortheCommunity. You do not have to be a member of Facebook to view this Facebook Page.
Send an email to MECCoalition@gmail.com or call 718.710.4528.
