Letter to Governor Carey from Peter Roman, Chairman of Hostos Social Sciences Department
Item
Eugenio Maria de Hostos Community College
of the City University of New York
475 Grand Concourse, Bronx, New York 10451 (212) 993-8000
March 30, 1976
Governor Hugh Carey
Executive Chamber
State Capitol
Albany, New York 12224
Dear Governor Carey:
You must prevent Hostos Community College from being closed. There
can be no justification for depriving minority people of one of their most
important and hard-earned gains.
This country was founded on the concept of equality ot opportun
Our history has been a struggle to approach this ideal. ‘This is wha
teach in the Social Sciences Department. Closing Hostos would constitute
a severe setback. If you would permit this to happen you would inalterably
blemish your fine record as a defender of minority rights.
It seems incredible that the two units of CUNY, now apparently the most
affected by the cutbacks, Hostos and Medgar Evers, are the very schools which
were created for minority students and located in their neighborhoods, meeting
a long overdue need. The Hispanic and Black people of New York are the poorest
and most exploited of all ethnic groups in the city. With the budget cuts they
have been the hardest hit in terms of job losses and increased neglect. Closing
their college is the final racist insult. They won't stand for it. We won't
stand fortis You shouldn't stand for jit)
Nobody likes welfare. Nobody really benefits from welfare. To reverse
this financial drain people must be trained for jobs which the community needs.
Hostos provides such training. To close Hostos would not save money. Money
spent for education in the South Bronx is a very productive expenditure.
In fact, Hostos represents a mere one percent of CUNY's budget. With all
the long-term lease committments on its buildings, closing Hostos would actually
save only two million dollars. Of course, the cost per student would go down
once Hostos reached its projected sized of 5000 students.
The money is very well spent. Remediation costs money and by doing it well
we make open admissions work. The English as a Second Language (ESL) program
costs money and together with the many courses offered in Spanish we open the
college doors to the large Hispanic population. The health sciences programs
cost money for equipment and labs and the community benefits.
We have worked hard for five years to make Hostos a decent academic
institution. We passed accreditation with high marks and have improved since.
Teaching at a school like Hostos is not like teaching at Harvard or CCNY.
Nevertheless we have developed teaching strategies that work. To close Hostos
would be to wash this effort down the drain.
a IPO 91 SENAY RIE N ET PRE SRIR WS WNI) H EPP TET METAR EMPAPTRDMTRCEY ER ANCA SN WN aT BE OATES DE UL ANREP RENTON RATATAT TRENT
Please understand. Hostos i, a4 serious college. The subject matter,
reading and examinations in the Social Sciences Department, for example, are
at a university level. We require research paers, term papers and essay
examinations. We have built a decent library to back us up.
The cultural and racial makeup of the student body and faculty enables us
to go beyond the traditional. We have academically excellent Puerto Rican and
African Studies Departments. Within the classroom and through extra-curricula
educational and cultural activities we stress Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic,
Latin America, Black Americans and Africa. Outstanding examples are Puerto Rican
Week, and African Liberation Week.
Merger with Bronx Community College, as has been proposed, is not an acceptable
alternative. A community college must serve its community. Hostos Community
College is located in the South Bronx and just across the river from Harlem and
serves these communities. Bronx Community College neverhas and never will. A
large percentage of our students register by coming in off the street. Many are
working adults whose return to college is made possible only through community
accessibility.
The South Bronx has a chance to thrive. Hostos can be part of the rebuilding
opportunity; closing the college can be a mortal blow. The existence of a college
upgrades the neighborhood and brings business to local merchants. Hostos offers
the community concerts, lectures, art fairs and dances. It provides a free dental
hygiene clinic, health fairs, and a free income tax service.
Hostos Community College and the new Lincoln Hospital were planned to complement
each other through their close proximity, with our students doing their clinical
at Lincoln, The proposal to create a Hostos Health Science Institute at Bronx
Community College would destory this relationship. Lincoln Hospital would suffer.
Our students would suffer, especially the Spanish speaking health sciences students.
Our interesting cost saving proposal is to use the part of the new Lincoln
Hospital which is not schedule to be used. By scheduling classes, laboratories
and clinics there for our health sciences students, Hostos could save rental
money.
The proposal to create a bi-lingual institute at Bronx Community College is
equally inadequate and provides no substitute for a bi-lingual college. The
goal is not to isolate in an institutional "ghetto" the Spanish speaking students,
but rather to have courses taught in Spanish and English in all departments. Thus,
only at Hostos, many of our Hispanic residents can take college courses while
mastering English.
In the New York City budget crisis higher education and minority groups
have been hit disproportionately hard. It is time to draw the line, and the
decision lies with you. We have appealed to the BHE, to the Mayor, to the
legislators and have met with indecision and passing the buck.
In the name of common decency, you must keep Hostos open. In the name of
hope for the future for Hispanic and Black individuals and theircommunities,
you must keep Hostos open. In the name of what the Bi-Centenial should stand
for, you must keep Hostos open.
The time is short and we trust you will act soon. We urgently request a
face-to-face meeting with you to further expound on the above points and to
answer your questions. Yours, truly, 9
UL AOC cerita: gy
We Roman, Chairman
Y Social Science Dept
of the City University of New York
475 Grand Concourse, Bronx, New York 10451 (212) 993-8000
March 30, 1976
Governor Hugh Carey
Executive Chamber
State Capitol
Albany, New York 12224
Dear Governor Carey:
You must prevent Hostos Community College from being closed. There
can be no justification for depriving minority people of one of their most
important and hard-earned gains.
This country was founded on the concept of equality ot opportun
Our history has been a struggle to approach this ideal. ‘This is wha
teach in the Social Sciences Department. Closing Hostos would constitute
a severe setback. If you would permit this to happen you would inalterably
blemish your fine record as a defender of minority rights.
It seems incredible that the two units of CUNY, now apparently the most
affected by the cutbacks, Hostos and Medgar Evers, are the very schools which
were created for minority students and located in their neighborhoods, meeting
a long overdue need. The Hispanic and Black people of New York are the poorest
and most exploited of all ethnic groups in the city. With the budget cuts they
have been the hardest hit in terms of job losses and increased neglect. Closing
their college is the final racist insult. They won't stand for it. We won't
stand fortis You shouldn't stand for jit)
Nobody likes welfare. Nobody really benefits from welfare. To reverse
this financial drain people must be trained for jobs which the community needs.
Hostos provides such training. To close Hostos would not save money. Money
spent for education in the South Bronx is a very productive expenditure.
In fact, Hostos represents a mere one percent of CUNY's budget. With all
the long-term lease committments on its buildings, closing Hostos would actually
save only two million dollars. Of course, the cost per student would go down
once Hostos reached its projected sized of 5000 students.
The money is very well spent. Remediation costs money and by doing it well
we make open admissions work. The English as a Second Language (ESL) program
costs money and together with the many courses offered in Spanish we open the
college doors to the large Hispanic population. The health sciences programs
cost money for equipment and labs and the community benefits.
We have worked hard for five years to make Hostos a decent academic
institution. We passed accreditation with high marks and have improved since.
Teaching at a school like Hostos is not like teaching at Harvard or CCNY.
Nevertheless we have developed teaching strategies that work. To close Hostos
would be to wash this effort down the drain.
a IPO 91 SENAY RIE N ET PRE SRIR WS WNI) H EPP TET METAR EMPAPTRDMTRCEY ER ANCA SN WN aT BE OATES DE UL ANREP RENTON RATATAT TRENT
Please understand. Hostos i, a4 serious college. The subject matter,
reading and examinations in the Social Sciences Department, for example, are
at a university level. We require research paers, term papers and essay
examinations. We have built a decent library to back us up.
The cultural and racial makeup of the student body and faculty enables us
to go beyond the traditional. We have academically excellent Puerto Rican and
African Studies Departments. Within the classroom and through extra-curricula
educational and cultural activities we stress Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic,
Latin America, Black Americans and Africa. Outstanding examples are Puerto Rican
Week, and African Liberation Week.
Merger with Bronx Community College, as has been proposed, is not an acceptable
alternative. A community college must serve its community. Hostos Community
College is located in the South Bronx and just across the river from Harlem and
serves these communities. Bronx Community College neverhas and never will. A
large percentage of our students register by coming in off the street. Many are
working adults whose return to college is made possible only through community
accessibility.
The South Bronx has a chance to thrive. Hostos can be part of the rebuilding
opportunity; closing the college can be a mortal blow. The existence of a college
upgrades the neighborhood and brings business to local merchants. Hostos offers
the community concerts, lectures, art fairs and dances. It provides a free dental
hygiene clinic, health fairs, and a free income tax service.
Hostos Community College and the new Lincoln Hospital were planned to complement
each other through their close proximity, with our students doing their clinical
at Lincoln, The proposal to create a Hostos Health Science Institute at Bronx
Community College would destory this relationship. Lincoln Hospital would suffer.
Our students would suffer, especially the Spanish speaking health sciences students.
Our interesting cost saving proposal is to use the part of the new Lincoln
Hospital which is not schedule to be used. By scheduling classes, laboratories
and clinics there for our health sciences students, Hostos could save rental
money.
The proposal to create a bi-lingual institute at Bronx Community College is
equally inadequate and provides no substitute for a bi-lingual college. The
goal is not to isolate in an institutional "ghetto" the Spanish speaking students,
but rather to have courses taught in Spanish and English in all departments. Thus,
only at Hostos, many of our Hispanic residents can take college courses while
mastering English.
In the New York City budget crisis higher education and minority groups
have been hit disproportionately hard. It is time to draw the line, and the
decision lies with you. We have appealed to the BHE, to the Mayor, to the
legislators and have met with indecision and passing the buck.
In the name of common decency, you must keep Hostos open. In the name of
hope for the future for Hispanic and Black individuals and theircommunities,
you must keep Hostos open. In the name of what the Bi-Centenial should stand
for, you must keep Hostos open.
The time is short and we trust you will act soon. We urgently request a
face-to-face meeting with you to further expound on the above points and to
answer your questions. Yours, truly, 9
UL AOC cerita: gy
We Roman, Chairman
Y Social Science Dept
Title
Letter to Governor Carey from Peter Roman, Chairman of Hostos Social Sciences Department
Description
The chairman of the Social Sciences department at Hostos Community College penned this letter to Governor Hugh Carey asking him to prevent the closure of Hostos and the merger with Bronx Community College. Professor Peter Roman argues that the college is a crucial part of the South Bronx community, that its success depends on its proximity to people who need it, and that a closure or merger will actually create more costs for the city than savings by depriving the most vulnerable New Yorkers of avenues out of poverty and dependency.
In 1975, in response to the New York City fiscal crisis, Hostos Community College was slated to merge with Bronx Community College in order to dramatically cut spending. It was this threat that led to the second iteration of organizing to save Hostos. Determined to preserve Hostos for the South Bronx as a place for students to pursue a bilingual higher education, students, faculty, staff, and community groups joined forces to keep Hostos open for the community.
In 1975, in response to the New York City fiscal crisis, Hostos Community College was slated to merge with Bronx Community College in order to dramatically cut spending. It was this threat that led to the second iteration of organizing to save Hostos. Determined to preserve Hostos for the South Bronx as a place for students to pursue a bilingual higher education, students, faculty, staff, and community groups joined forces to keep Hostos open for the community.
Contributor
Meyer, Gerald
Creator
Roman, Peter
Date
March 30, 1976
Language
English
Rights
Obtained from Contributor - Copyright Unknown
Source
Hostos Community College Archives
Original Format
Diary / Correspondence
Roman, Peter. Letter. “Letter to Governor Carey from Peter Roman, Chairman of Hostos Social Sciences Department.”, CUNY DIGITAL HISTORY ARCHIVE, accessed March 10, 2026, https://stephenz.tailc22a4b.ts.net/s/cdha/item/662