THE BEDFORD
STUY VESANT

COALITION on
EDUCATIONAL
NEEDS & SERVICES

268 ASHLAND PLACE / Room 602 / BROOKLYN, WN. Y. 11217

NEGOTIATION TEAM

Mr. A. Vann, Chairman

Mr. J. Pannigan, Vice Chairman

Judge T. Jones

Mrs. E, Sease July 1969
Mr, R. Carson

Prof. H. Patterson, Alternate

Mr. Isaure Santiago, Alternate

PROGRESS SUMMARY TO THE COMMUNITY

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Our Progress Summary of March 1969 (which is still
available upon request) defined the origin, structure, and compo-
Sition of the Bedford~Stuyvesant Coalition on Educational Needs
and Services, the Negotiating Team, and the relationship that exists
with members of the Board of Higher Education of The City University

of New York.

This report listed the priorities established by the Bedford-
Stuyvesant community prior to negotiations as well as achievements
gained as a result of the past year's joint meetings with represen-
tatives of The City University. Essentially,
1) changing the concept of Community College Number Seven
so that it will now offer two-year Associate degrees
and four-year Baccalaureate degrees;
2) agreement that the policy-making body for the college
coming to Bedford-Stuyvesant will be determined by

the Coalition in conjunction with members of the Board
of Higher Education;


3) agreement on the interim site for the college; and

4) establishment of criteria, procedures, and a
selection process which would enable us to find the
most. suitable candidates for the Presidency of
Community College Number Seven.

The search for a President began in August 1968 when the
Negotiating Team solicited resumés from noted educators throughout
the country; some resumés were also solicited by the staff of The
City Univereity. Many of the persons contacted submitted their
curriculum vitae while others wrote letters indicating great interest,
but advising of their unavailability. The Presidential Search
Committee (i.e., the Committee composed of the Negotiating Team and
representatives of the Board of Higher Education) reviewed and
¢valuated all of the resumés received and began to categorize the
applicants worthy of an interview. All candidates who were granted
an interview met the minimum criteria established by the Presidential
Search Committee for the Presidency of The Bedford-Stuyvesant College
of Professional Studies*, and were categorized either 'A' ~ outstanding;

or 'B' - to be considered.

During the months of November 1968 through May 1969, the
Presidential Search Committee was involved in screening, inte ‘viewing,
and the selection of hopeful candidates whom they felt could serve
as President of the College.** At a Presidential Search Committee
meeting on January 13, 1969, an evaluation was made of the candidates
who had been interviewed to that date:

"the enmnmnwus being that Rhody McCoy, James Holt Reeves,

*” Age, educational background, and experience.
** Previously referred to as the selection process.

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and Roscoe Brown were in the ‘A' category for the
Presidency."
On January 30, 1969, a second evaluation took place. Dr. Burkhardt,
Chairman of the Committee to Plan and Seek a President for Community
College Number Seven (Presidential Search Committee), reviewed some
of the criteria for the presidency and asked the Committee for the
"front runners...
The names offered were: Roscoe Brown, Samuel Proctor,
Rhody McCoy, James Reeves, Samuel Westerfield, and
Preston Wilcox."
On February 6, 1969, Dr. Burkhardt stated that,
"the purpose of this meeting was to review the
curriculum vitae of the six strongest candidates;
i.e., Samuel Proctor, Samuel Westerfield, Jr.,
James Holt Reeves, Roscoe C. Brown, Rhody A. McCoy,
and Preston Wilcox; and to select, if possible, a
President for Community College Number Seven".
A voice poll of the six candidates was called for
following the suggestion that each voting member
name his three top choices. Messrs. McCoy, Proctor,
Westerfield, and Wilcox were nominated."
During this period, The City University staff was trying to set up
an interview with Dr. Hugh Smythe, at the request of the Presidential
Search Committee. Dr. Smythe was finally interviewed on February 26,
1969, and was evaluated and rated highly by a majority of the

Committee*. His name joined those of the four remaining candidates

as our outstanding nominees for the Presidency.
Throughout these meetings it became Obvious that resistance
* When contact was first made with Dr. Smythe requesting a resumé,

he declined and recommended Dr. Mabel M. Smythe.

one "Fe


to Mr. McCoy had developed. He came to be regarded as the first
choice of the Bedford-Stuyvesant community. Notwithstanding this
resistance, however, Mr. McCoy met all criteria that had been
established and was within the group of the top five contenders.

It was during these negotiations that the Coalition sent five observers
to two meetings of the Presidential Search Committee. The observers
reported that the Negotiating Team was bargaining in good faith and

in the total interest of the Bedford-Stuyvesant community, and acceded

that the Coalition remain solidly behind their Negotiating Team.

Concurrent to these events, the State Legislature projected
a budget cut within the structure of The City University of New York.
The atmosphere was a fearful one. Fear of losing the college, as a
result of the proposed budget cut, was (by design) instilled in
members of the Coalition. The Negotiating Team was under great
pressure to move rapidly toward selecting a President, an interim site,
and a name for the college. In response to pressures and to the
emotional temper of members of the community, the Negotiating Team
compromised its beliefs and submitted the names of Dr. Bugh Smythe
and Mr. Rhody A. McCoy to the Presidential Search Committee as their

first and second choice, respectively, for the college Presidency.

By this time, some of the top contenders had either accepted other
positions or decided to continue in their current status; namely,
Dr. Samuel Proctor, who was the first candidate to be contacted

regarding his availability for the position.

In addition, the Negotiating Team submitted the name of the Long Island
University College of Pharmacy as the college interim site; and

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Martin Luther King, Jr. College as the college name. The Presidential
Search Committee agreed to ask Dr. Smythe if he would accept the
position and the Board of Higher Education gave informal approval

of Dr. Smythe's appointment ~-- pending his acceptance -~ and of the

college name -~- pending approval from Mrs. Martin Luther King, Jr.

With no coherent or definite message having been received by

The City University from Dr. Smythe after several weeks delay, the
Chairman of the Bedford-Stuyvesant community Negotiating Team took

it upon himself to ascertain the feelings of Dr. Smythe in regard to
his acceptance of the Presidency of the proposed college. In brief,
Dr. Smythe said he felt that he could best serve his people in his
present capacity as a member of the U.S. Ambassadorial Corps. This
was communicated by letter to Chancellor Bowker along with his opinion
that the best man for the position, Mr. McCoy, was right in our own

community.

At subsequent meetings of the Coalition, unanimous support
was given to the Negotiating Team via a vote of confidence and total

support of the order of candidates selected by the Team.

At this point, the only candidate left of the top five
people, as categorized by the Presidential Search Committee, was
Rhody McCoy. Mr. McCoy, incidentally, was the community's first
preference and, yet, we had agreed to accept other qualified candidates
before him. This was done under some pressure, but mostly to hasten
negotiations. In spite of this history of events, representatives of
the Board of Higher Education openly refused to recommend Mr. McCoy
to the total Board of Higher Education, in opposition to the strong

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wishes of the Bedford-Stuyvesant community. The Negotiating Team
had played the game fairly, had followed the Sleceiutan Witabli shes
by the Presidential Search Committee, had even made compromises; and
through natural order, our first choice became the logical choice.

He was denied recognition through a flimsy rationale.

Shortly hereafter a letter was received from Albert H. Bowker,
Chancellor of The City University of New York, which was addressed to
the Chairman of the Coalition. Copies of this letter were sent to
isnumerahie community leaders in Bedford~Stuyvesant and to the
Amsterdam News. (Attached is an editorial which appeared in the
New York Post on June 3, 1969 in response to Chancellor Bowker's
letter.) The purpose of this letter was an attempt to discredit the
Negotiating Team, to de-emphasize the importance of the special
category of outstanding Presidential hopefuls, to present Mr. McCoy
as unqualified for the position, and finally to create a schism in
our community by casting doubt, suspicion, and fear. After a year
of "breaking bread" with the distinguished gentlemen of the Board of
Higher Education they had, in addition to tapping our brains, resorted:
to this type of strategy as the means of accomplishing their end, and
were denying the Bedford-Stuyvesant community a voice in naming the

President of Community College Number Seven.

Ironically, this was being done at a time when "a new breed of college
President is being sought throughout the country"*, and being done
with the awareness that the college coming to Bedford-Stuyvesant is

is supposed to be “experimental, innovative, and participated . by

* From an article which appeared in the New York Times on May 8, 1969.

~


community people”.

No doubt, other subdued methods have been employed in order
to bring about division within the Coalition and the Bedford-Stuyvesant ~
community. It is unprecedented that the Coalition and the Negotiating
Team have remained together and on target for some 15 months. This

kind of unity is community strength and community power.

At this very moment, however, this unity and power is being threatened.
A call was received from Chancellor Bowker's office asking that the
Negotiating Team attend a maaedad at which the committee from the
Board of Higher Education will be present, as well as the elected
politicians from the Bedford-Stuyvesant ean, It is the hope of the
Negotiating Team that our local politicians have not been privately
negotiating with The City University; for this would be a classic
example of how to undermine the people who have put them in office.

If our politicians have ignored the community structure that has been
dealing with the Board of Higher Education and The City University in
the planning and developing of Community College Number Seven, then
they will be exhibiting theanepeapdce for Black people that is
commonly associated with white politic’ans, who rarely have any concern

for our communities. It would be a grand sellout.

The position of the Negotiating Team of the Bedford-
Stuyvesant Coalition on Educational Needs and Services is as follows:
A. We have negotiated competently and in behalf of the
interests of our community, Bedford-Stuyvesant;
B. We have functioned within the framework established

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by a committee comprised of members of the Board

of Higher Education and our Negotiating Team (Committee
to Plan and Seek a President for Community College
Number Seven/Presidential Search Committee) ;

C. We made an extensive search for a President for the
college coming to Bedford-Stuyvesant conforming to
criteria, procedures, and practices as agreed upon
by the Presidential Search Committee;

D. All outstanding candidates, as categorized by the
Presidential Search Committee, have either withdrawn,
declined the position, or accepted other positions;
with the exception of Mr. McCoy, who has not even had
the opportunity to accept or decline;

E. Even though Mr. McCoy was our first choice because of
demonstrated ability, be became our first choice,

again, because of the selection process set up by the
Presidential Search Committee. It is now a matter

of principle.

Our community and our elected officials must understand the need for
total support of the Coalition and the Negotiating Team, and the
logical selection of Rhody McCoy as President of Community College
Number Seven. If the community, through its representatives, after
having participated equally in negotiations with the Board of Higher
Education and The City University staff will not have its decisions
respected, then the whole concept of valid community participation
becomes a farce. It means that the proposed college will not have a
chance to even begin to meet the real needs of our young people or
to maintain any semblance of relevancy to our community as a whole.
Without struggle, there is NO progress.

Respectfully submitted,

Albert Vann, Chairman



THE NEW YORK POST

Tuesday, June 3, 1969

On ae Rejection of Rhody McCoy

With a peremptory rejection of Ocean
Bill-Brownsville school administrator
Rhody McCoy as a potential president of
the new community college in Brooklyn’s
Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood, City.
University Chancellor Bowker: has again
shown that even enlightened ‘ educators
have a lot to learn about New York.

' Accordimg tu Bowker, who maintains
that his judgment is shared by a Board
of Higher Education committee, McCoy
“may get high marks ta community iden-
tification and understanding. He cannot
be given the same high marks on his ad-

ministrative experience | in higher. educa-.

tion.”

Is ‘that really the controlling: standard

in this case? Are Chancellor. Bowker’s:

views and those of the committee actually’ |
‘more informed than those of ‘the-commu:=: |

nity spokesmen who recommended McCoy’

—niow the only candidate for. the job? |

What is most needed in this setting—or~

.thodox “administrative” competence - or

sensitive community, understanding and
the quiet dignity McCoy. has 80 often eX~
hibited under fire?

- If the new college is to open next -fall,:

there will-have to be’ forthright answers
-to such -questions. This critical: current
‘issue in urban education cannot be: dealt
_ With wisely if CUNY“ officials insist upon |
ae “the. ‘book,”. the. Bical of the old. _