BROOKLYN COLLEGE

oF
THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK
BROOKLYN, N.Y. 1210

JOHN W. KNELLER
PRESIDENT

March 4, 1971

ting to discuss with you the problem of providing adequate
tea are Center. I want to start off by strongly restating
I ing you provide adequate day care facilities for
gee Increasing numbers of people are gaining the chance to
ai posi Cb pine and ever greater numbers of women are developing a
e ciousness about their role in our wining For these reasons
seutial, and you have performed a great service for the college
by providing it. I have supported you by providing facilities, by
alary for your teacher, and by providing some supplies.

Everyone recognizes that O7W is since nie a It is small, unsanitary,
safe. It does not permit the necessary expansion of your program. For
se reasons I instructed college offi ego to find more adequate space and
they have done so. I now offer you a complex consisting of three classrooms,
a kitchen, a washroom, and a concrete play area. This complex will be for
your exclusive use. Room 052 Whitman Hall will be available almost immediately
to you, will the kitchen and washroom, and 055A and 055B will be aioomeg ee
@s soon renovations in the two temporary classrooms are comple
two Art classes can move in (this should take approximately a month eit we
contractors or the union will behave).

informed by several of you that the Day Care Collective
this offer and that you demand the use of the entire temporary building
I want to state clearly that this is impossible for several reasons.
it would cost the college an additional classroom (the temporary bu cept grea
houses four classrooms while we have offered you three in Whitman Ball) @ a
time when the college is severely pressed for space. We have had to take
dramatic measures to gain new space (f or example, the leasing of 210 Livingston
Street) and regrettably we must be very careful about space allocation.
Second, even if it did not cost a classroom it would still be impossible
to | give you the temporary structure. These buildings were authorized by the
2 ap Education for use exclusively as classroom and faculty office
quest was made on that basis and was granted (with some reluct-
2d) on that basis. I simply cannot return to the Board for
authorization to use fees new temporary buildings as space for a Day Care Center.



EONS

these temporary buildings are not owned by Brooklyn College
ng eo Cley University of New York, they are leased for a five-year period,
re we cannot make extensive modifications to these structures.
the Certificate of Occupancy is being issued on the basis that
can be used only as classroom and staff room space.

Several arguments have been put forward against accepting the space
First, it is argued that the new space is not an improvement. This
not true. You are currently gid hp 1,150 square feet. The three

new classrooms in Whitman Hall total 1,950 square feet. The new classrooms
are also laid out in a manner much more conducive to sound education (you will
have three separate rectangular areas). They are also adjacent. to a kitchen

and washroom while the old space is not. The new space has natural light

which the old space doesn't; it also has better storage area, more privacy,
ximity to a play area, and more sinks.

Second, it is argued that the new space is not eligible for funding
city because it is underground. This is not true. I have contacted
icials and they inform me that they have already approved interim
novation and operating funding for O7W provided some renovations are
To repeat, HRA has approved funding O7W, which is under ik deen
wnich is in many ways less satisfactory than the new space we have offe

bs HRA officials inform me, they would approve funding for the new pis
s being underground.

This raises another problem. The city, having approved funding for O7W,
have to conduct another inspection of any new facility you moved into.

Hence, if you choose to accept my offer of more space there must be another

Her

insve

inspection before funds are forthcoming. Every day you delay your decision
means more delay in receiving HRA money and starting forward with your program
I clearly understand that the space I am offering you will not become
your permanent headquarters. This is the basis of the city funding--called
interim funding--you will receive. As soon as we resolve the question of your
location I will instruct college officials to begin searching for permanent
ce e that saree He mea in a, ie cma ini many oe soe know, E have

tion te contalbirte money for a down reat for a building. rf this ee
work out we will try others until we reach a mutually satisfactory a

You have accomplished mich in a short time. You have created a viable
are Center from scratch, hired staff, established a sound program, and
se we funding. You now have an opportunity to move into much
equate spac ad create a truly exemplary program. « Your energies, time,
sources ria be directed toward this end instead of being employed in

*ht which will endanger your funding chances and slow your progress.

HK

fa)

F¢)

You have my promise of cooperation and support in your continued efforts
to grow and provide even better day care services for the Brooklyn College

community.
rere heey ?
VG, Bon, bw. 2)

John W. Kneller