January 29, 1970 Request for Creation of a Department of Puerto Rican Studies at Brooklyn College
Item
INSTITUTE OF '
PUERTO RICAN STUDIES
BROOKLYN COLLEGE
OF THE CITY UNIVERSITY
OF NEW YORK
BROOKLYN, NEW YORK 11210 |.
TELEPHONE: (212) 780- FAS
January 29, 1970
President John Kneller
Brooklyn College of the
City University of New York
Bedford Avenue and Avenue H
Brooklyn, New York 11210
Dear President Kneller:
At the meeting which you recently had with the Board of
Directors of the Institute of Puerto Rican Studieg at which I
also was present, the Board requested that action be taken to
establish a Department of Puerto Rican Studies. This letter is
by way of a more formal and official request for a Department.
As you know, the problems encountered by an Institute in
trying to develop a curriculum of Puerto Rican Studies without
having the ability to either offer courses or hire faculty, are
overwhelming. It is doubtful that we can succeedein establishing
a permanent and serious academic program if we continue to have
diffic ities in getting courses approved and offered within
SS eet reer In addition, the relationship between
it, and the lines of authority
and faculty ar
A much
I trust that positive action can be taken on this reques®
in sufficient time to allow us the opportunity to develop an
adequate curriculum as a Department, before the fall semester.
If you feel additional discussion will be helpful, the Board
of Directors and I would be eager to pursue the matter with
you at any time.
——f____.
y ara
Préfessor Josephine Nieves
Director
Thank you for your help.
JN/1k
cc: ~Dean Albaum
-Chairman, Board of Directors
Institute of Puerto Rican Studies
Att.
PUERTO RICAN STUDIES
BROOKLYN COLLEGE
OF THE CITY UNIVERSITY
OF NEW YORK
BROOKLYN, NEW YORK 11210 |.
TELEPHONE: (212) 780- FAS
January 29, 1970
President John Kneller
Brooklyn College of the
City University of New York
Bedford Avenue and Avenue H
Brooklyn, New York 11210
Dear President Kneller:
At the meeting which you recently had with the Board of
Directors of the Institute of Puerto Rican Studieg at which I
also was present, the Board requested that action be taken to
establish a Department of Puerto Rican Studies. This letter is
by way of a more formal and official request for a Department.
As you know, the problems encountered by an Institute in
trying to develop a curriculum of Puerto Rican Studies without
having the ability to either offer courses or hire faculty, are
overwhelming. It is doubtful that we can succeedein establishing
a permanent and serious academic program if we continue to have
diffic ities in getting courses approved and offered within
SS eet reer In addition, the relationship between
it, and the lines of authority
and faculty ar
A much
I trust that positive action can be taken on this reques®
in sufficient time to allow us the opportunity to develop an
adequate curriculum as a Department, before the fall semester.
If you feel additional discussion will be helpful, the Board
of Directors and I would be eager to pursue the matter with
you at any time.
——f____.
y ara
Préfessor Josephine Nieves
Director
Thank you for your help.
JN/1k
cc: ~Dean Albaum
-Chairman, Board of Directors
Institute of Puerto Rican Studies
Att.
Title
January 29, 1970 Request for Creation of a Department of Puerto Rican Studies at Brooklyn College
Description
This January 29, 1970, letter, written by Professor Josephine Nieves, Director of the Institute for Puerto Rican Studies at Brooklyn College (BC), makes an official request to found a Department of Puerto Rican Studies at the college. The letter describes challenges and obstacles that hinder the development of a Puerto Rican Studies curriculum within the college. The letter also reveals the distinct role institutes play in CUNY as compared to departments.
This item is part of the Puerto Rican Studies at Brooklyn College (PRSBC) Collection, which covers the largely Puerto Rican-led student movement at Brooklyn College (CUNY) during the late 1960s and early 1970s that fought for the creation of the Puerto Rican Studies Department at the college. The collection includes oral history interviews with pioneering student activists, photographs of participants and their struggles, and other archival materials on the fight to create the Puerto Rican Studies Department drawn from the Archives and Special Collections library at Brooklyn College.
This item is part of the Puerto Rican Studies at Brooklyn College (PRSBC) Collection, which covers the largely Puerto Rican-led student movement at Brooklyn College (CUNY) during the late 1960s and early 1970s that fought for the creation of the Puerto Rican Studies Department at the college. The collection includes oral history interviews with pioneering student activists, photographs of participants and their struggles, and other archival materials on the fight to create the Puerto Rican Studies Department drawn from the Archives and Special Collections library at Brooklyn College.
Contributor
Brooklyn College Library, Archives and Special Collections
Creator
Nieves, Josephine
Date
January 29, 1970
Language
English
Relation
13982
13992
14122
14092
Rights
Public Domain
Source
Brooklyn College Library, Archives and Special Collections
Original Format
Correspondence
Nieves, Josephine. Letter. “January 29, 1970 Request for Creation of a Department of Puerto Rican Studies at Brooklyn College”. 13982, CUNY DIGITAL HISTORY ARCHIVE, accessed March 10, 2026, https://stephenz.tailc22a4b.ts.net/s/cdha/item/2123