CHASER SHIR PERS 6s fRUFES 5) on AST ATF C
Statement made by Gerald Meyer Pecan ty a the campaign of Hostos United/Hostos
Unido to obtain the 500 Grand Concourse building for the immediate use of
Hostos Community College at a press conference held at HostoS on March 30.
Jostos Community College has the worst facilities of any institution of
higher learntng in the state of New York. Specificly, Hostos has the least

square footage per student; Hostos has no auditorium, cafeteria, gymnasium,

faculty or student longue. Aside from making the day-to-day fulfillment of
Hostos' educational mission most difficult, Hostos' lsck of facilities endan-
gers its programs and the very existence of the coltege. One of Hostos'
outstanding programs, Dental Hygiene, is threatened with toss of accreditation
because of inadequate facilities. The Middle States Accreditation Association
awarded Hosos its accreditation in 1974 with the notation that the skhool‘s
facilities be expanded and improved. Mjddle, States returns to Hosots next
year to review its accrditation.

A coalition--HostosUnited/Hostos Unido_comprised of ‘the Professional
Staff Congress Hostos chapter (AFT), the Student‘Government Organization,
and many student clubs (‘the Black & er Inic the Dominican Student Organi-
zation, the South American Student Organization, the Puerto Rican Student
Organization) was organized this January for the purpose of securing an
immediate remedy for the uniquely negative facilities situation.at Hostos.

Facing Hostos' main building is 500 Grand Concourse. This
building was obtained for Hostos in the spring of 1974 after a campaign
organized by the Professional Staff Congress and the Student Government
Organization. This eight story building contains a cafeteria and sufficient
space to allow Hostos to provide for its students--98 percent of whom are
Hispanic and Black--facilites equal to those obtaining at the other branches
of City University. Nonetheless, this building has been standing idle ever
since it was attained for Hostos.

In order to bring Hosots' plight to the attention of the public, Hostos
United/Hostos Unido sponsored a march of over 1,000 people through the South

Bronx on March 9 and a vigil,which attracted an almost equal number of people,

on March 16. Hostos United/ Hostos Unide has collected over 5,000 names on

a petition demanding that thes facility immediately be made availabbe for Hostos—-



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a petiton whom, among others, Chancellor of the City University, Robert J.
Kibbee signed. In response to Hostos Unitea/ Hostos Unido's plea for help,
numerous political, religious, and civic leaders from the communities Hostos
serves have written to Mayor Koch on behalf of our cause. The Delegate Assem-
bly of the Professional Staff Congress has gone on record in support of Hostos'
right to the immediate use of the 500 Grand Concourse building and the University
Senate (CUNY) is expected:to pass a simi resolution at its next meeting.

All of the above mentioned activities & 3 the widespread media coverage
which they have generated have brought the vac hat Hostos has the worst
physical conditions of any institution of higher 1 arning in the state of New

York to the attention of the powers-that-be. Jloyd Kaplan, special assistant
to Mayor Koch on the question of the South Bronx, and representatisves of
Herman Badillo and Harrison Goldin have visited Hostos and have seen for them-
selves the deplorable--indeed, insulting--conditions which afflict its students,
faculty, and staff.

Despite the fact that these conditions have existed since Hostos opened its>

doors eight years ago, despite the fact that Hostos' situation is uniquely

pad, despite the facta remedy for these conditions ex sts--that is, an empty
puilding which‘is peing held for Hosto fayor Kock insists that Hostos be
subjected to the freeze on new construction for the City University, @ freeze
which is not to be Vifted until the Uni ersity submits a master plan for facil-
jties in the university up through the year 1990. The question of the 500
Grand Concourse pbuilding, however, does not involve construction, it involves
renovation--renovation whdéeh has been held in abeyance for four years. Moreover,
the submission of this master plan may take two or more years.
Hostos:
the only bilingual institution of higher learning this side of El Paso,
a crime-free oasis, 4 constuctive force amidst the devestation and
neglect of the South Bronx;
an institution which attained unconditional accreditation,
a community collge with career and liberal arts programs as fine
as any in the City University,

will not submit to this situation ahy longer.

Hostos United/Hostos Unido is prepared to take whatever action necessary to

ensure that Hostos receivesthe equal treatment whiehbit deserves.