Minutes of the February 17, 1969 Meeting of the Presidential Search Committee for Community College 7
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BEDFORD STUYVESANT COALITION ON EDUCATIONAL NEEDS AND SERVICES
268 Ashland Place = Room 602 Brooklyn, New York 11217
reel
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PRESIDENTIAL SEARCH COMMITTEE MEETING
February 17, 1969 - 5:00 P.M.
The City University of New York - Graduate Center
33 West 42nd Street, New York City
-
Present: Messrs. Frederick H. Burkhardt, Chairman
Robert Carson
Porter R. Chandler
James O. Lee
Jack L. Pannigan
Herman Patterson
Luis Quero-Chiesa
Joseph Shenker .
Albert Vann
Arleigh B. Williamson
Mmes Almira Coursey
Isaura Santiago
Ella Sease
The meeting commenced after some delay with a registra-
tion of strong protest by the Chairman to the Bedford-Stuyvesant
Committee for lateness on their part, and a request was made to
them for closer attention to punctuality.
Mr. Vann introduced five members of the Bedford~
Stuyvesant Coalition to the Committee, who: were present as
observers. All present were reminded that the names of the
candidates discussed had to be held in complete confidence. A
serious and unfortunate leak in the wast had not caused an easy
situation. . a . . aes
The Chairman summarized the last Committee meeting
ERE OI ORF ARR. tee: pin mn <
and explained the prolonged discussion about Rhody McCoy. He said
that in spite of Mr. McCoy's capability in leadership, in community
affairaete. the Board (Board of Higher Education) felt that he
did not have experience on the college level, no connections within
the academic world, nor administrative experience on the college
level. Also, for a practical reason; as the subject of great
controversy, should he be selected the college would be doing
nothing but fighting and arguing about the Ocean Hill-Brownsville
issue.
The Committee agreed to leave the matter of a final
determination on Mr. McCoy until all other candidates had been
discussed. Evaluations of Messrs. Proctor, Westerfield and Wilcox
continued. |
After the dinner recess a.date was scheduled for the next |
meeting of the Committee and inquiry was made of our position in
regard to Dr. Hugh Smythe. Dean Shenker reported that he had |
written to Dre Smythe indicating that the Committee was having
difficulty picking a date, but would contact him. It was requested
at this time that Dean Shenker contact Dr. Smythe as to his avail-_
ability for interview on February 26th.
During the evaluations Mr. Vann, Chairman of the Bedforde
Stuyvesant Committee, pointed out that he felt more was involved
in chor ecieecicn process than just picking an individual to be
President; how this President would have to relate to a policy
making body had to be considered.
aa 2 Ps
Discussion followed concerning the various aspects of
community control; whether members of the Committee viewed it as
being a relevant aspect of the selection; the makeup of the
“Community; and legal determinations that would have to be made.
professor Hausknecht, member of the Paculty Senate present as an |
s |
observer, explained at this time the traditional rights
(i-@., certain privileges and powers) of the faculty.
A request was made and agreed to that a legal adviser
be present at the next Presidential Search Committee Meeting.
The attention of the Committee was directed to a Public
Hearing of the Board of Estimate on February 25 concerning the
1969-70 New York city Capital ee One of the Items under
discussion was to be an ai Vocscion of $1.5 million to Community
College Number Seven. bscan Shenker said he would research to
find out the oitae of action, if any, for involvement of the
Committee and advise.
The meeting was adjourned at 10:25 P.M.
J. Campbell ©
Secretary
BEDFORD STUYVESANT COALITION ON EDUCATIONAL NEEDS AND SERVICES
268 Ashland Place = Room 602 Brooklyn, New York 11217
reel
|
PRESIDENTIAL SEARCH COMMITTEE MEETING
February 17, 1969 - 5:00 P.M.
The City University of New York - Graduate Center
33 West 42nd Street, New York City
-
Present: Messrs. Frederick H. Burkhardt, Chairman
Robert Carson
Porter R. Chandler
James O. Lee
Jack L. Pannigan
Herman Patterson
Luis Quero-Chiesa
Joseph Shenker .
Albert Vann
Arleigh B. Williamson
Mmes Almira Coursey
Isaura Santiago
Ella Sease
The meeting commenced after some delay with a registra-
tion of strong protest by the Chairman to the Bedford-Stuyvesant
Committee for lateness on their part, and a request was made to
them for closer attention to punctuality.
Mr. Vann introduced five members of the Bedford~
Stuyvesant Coalition to the Committee, who: were present as
observers. All present were reminded that the names of the
candidates discussed had to be held in complete confidence. A
serious and unfortunate leak in the wast had not caused an easy
situation. . a . . aes
The Chairman summarized the last Committee meeting
ERE OI ORF ARR. tee: pin mn <
and explained the prolonged discussion about Rhody McCoy. He said
that in spite of Mr. McCoy's capability in leadership, in community
affairaete. the Board (Board of Higher Education) felt that he
did not have experience on the college level, no connections within
the academic world, nor administrative experience on the college
level. Also, for a practical reason; as the subject of great
controversy, should he be selected the college would be doing
nothing but fighting and arguing about the Ocean Hill-Brownsville
issue.
The Committee agreed to leave the matter of a final
determination on Mr. McCoy until all other candidates had been
discussed. Evaluations of Messrs. Proctor, Westerfield and Wilcox
continued. |
After the dinner recess a.date was scheduled for the next |
meeting of the Committee and inquiry was made of our position in
regard to Dr. Hugh Smythe. Dean Shenker reported that he had |
written to Dre Smythe indicating that the Committee was having
difficulty picking a date, but would contact him. It was requested
at this time that Dean Shenker contact Dr. Smythe as to his avail-_
ability for interview on February 26th.
During the evaluations Mr. Vann, Chairman of the Bedforde
Stuyvesant Committee, pointed out that he felt more was involved
in chor ecieecicn process than just picking an individual to be
President; how this President would have to relate to a policy
making body had to be considered.
aa 2 Ps
Discussion followed concerning the various aspects of
community control; whether members of the Committee viewed it as
being a relevant aspect of the selection; the makeup of the
“Community; and legal determinations that would have to be made.
professor Hausknecht, member of the Paculty Senate present as an |
s |
observer, explained at this time the traditional rights
(i-@., certain privileges and powers) of the faculty.
A request was made and agreed to that a legal adviser
be present at the next Presidential Search Committee Meeting.
The attention of the Committee was directed to a Public
Hearing of the Board of Estimate on February 25 concerning the
1969-70 New York city Capital ee One of the Items under
discussion was to be an ai Vocscion of $1.5 million to Community
College Number Seven. bscan Shenker said he would research to
find out the oitae of action, if any, for involvement of the
Committee and advise.
The meeting was adjourned at 10:25 P.M.
J. Campbell ©
Secretary
Title
Minutes of the February 17, 1969 Meeting of the Presidential Search Committee for Community College 7
Description
On February 17, 1969 the Presidential Search Committee for Community College 7, composed of five City University of New York (CUNY) officials and five appointed representatives of Bedfrord-Stuyvesant community organizations, met to continue their discussions of four candidates under consideration for the presidency of the new college. The meeting was marked by open disagreement between the two contingents over one candidate, Rhody McCoy. McCoy was advanced as a candidate for the presidency by the Bedford-Stuyvesant delegation, but CUNY officials deemed him inappropriate because of his lack of academic credentials and college-level experience as well as being “the subject of great controversy” for his leadership of the school community control “experiment” underway in Ocean-Hill Brownsville. In the coming weeks, McCoy’s candidacy would become a flashpoint for escalating tensions over the Bedford-Stuyvesant community’s role in leading and planning the new college.
In February 1968, the City University of New York (CUNY) announced plans to establish a new “Community College 7 in or near Bedford-Stuyvesant. . . oriented to the Bedford-Stuyvesant Community and operated in consultation with the community.” Representatives of a broad network of Central Brooklyn community organizations engaged in an 18 months-long negotiation with CUNY Board of Higher Education officials over CUNY’s plans for its newly announced “Community College 7,” including discussions about the proposed school’s curriculum, who would lead it, and what role the community would play in the school’s governance. The role of the Bedford-Stuyvesant community in planning and determining the leadership of the college remained a central point of controversy between Central Brooklyn’s educational and civil society leaders and CUNY officials in the negotiations that followed.
Contributor
Woodsworth, Michael
Creator
Bedford Stuyvesant Coalition on Educational Needs and Services
Date
February 13, 1969
Language
English
Source
Donald Watkins Collection (Brooklyn Public Library)
Original Format
Notes / Minutes
Bedford Stuyvesant Coalition on Educational Needs and Services. Letter. “Minutes of the February 17, 1969 Meeting of the Presidential Search Committee for Community College 7.”, CUNY DIGITAL HISTORY ARCHIVE, accessed March 10, 2026, https://stephenz.tailc22a4b.ts.net/s/cdha/item/2036