In April 2009, the Association of Latin American Scholars (ALAS) at Teachers College hosted its Seventh Annual Education Across the Americas Conference. The conference, which drew scholars and doctoral students from throughout the country, featured an address by Sylvia Schmelkes, former director of bilingual and intercultural education at the Mexican Ministry of Education.

 

The conference was sponsored by the Institute of Latin American Studies at Columbia University, the Office of Student Activities and Programs, the Teachers College Student Senate, the Latina/o and Latin American Faculty Working Group at TC, and the Working Group on Latin American Migration.

 

Comedian Bill Cosby made a return appearance at Teachers College on March 11, 2009 as part of his ongoing conversation with TC students on issues of race, poverty and urban education.

 

Cosby, who has emerged in recent years as a staunch critic of what he perceives to be a culture of victimhood among African Americans, engaged in a sometimes spirited discussion with fellow panelists Pedro Noguera, Professor of Education at New York University; and Christopher Johnson, Principal of the Benjamin Franklin High School in Philadelphia.

 

More than once, the discussion took on the trappings of a debate, with Noguera arguing that issues of poverty and lack of opportunity extend well beyond the black community. “It’s not a black issue, it’s an American issue,” said Noguera of intergenerational poverty. “There are a lot of white people in this country who also have been left behind…I think we make a mistake of framing it only in racial terms.”

 

Cosby sharply disagreed.

 

“You have to frame it in racial terms,” Cosby said. “I don’t care about white people. I’m aiming at my people. We have a problem. What I am saying is that we are 13 or 14 percent of the population, yet we are No. 1 in what? In people going into prison. It is our problem. I want my people to be able to appreciate each other.”

 

Cosby’s appearance at the Cowin Center was his third since February of 2008—all them discussions about race, poverty and culture. Over the years, the comedian has maintained close ties to TC. His late son, Ennis, was an alumnus of the College, and Cosby was awarded TC’s Medal for Distinguished Service in 1998. The discussion was sponsored by the Office of Student Activities and Programs.

 

 

Teachers College was pleased to welcome the following new employees in January, February and March. Inside will now list new employees as their information is processed and becomes available from the Office of Human Resources. If you are a new employee and are not listed below, please contact the Office of Human Resources, and we will include you in an upcoming issue.

Samira Afzali, Program Coordinator, Office of International Affairs

Inez Alexander, Faculty Associate, Department of Arts and Humanities

Maria Delgado, Program Coordinator, NCREST

Katherine Hutter, Director of Advancement Services, Development and External Affairs

 

Timothy Ignaffo, Program Manager/Field Coordinator, Curriculum and Teaching

Barbara Kantrowitz, Editor, Hechinger Institute on Education and the Media

Monica Marx, Instructor, Department of Curriculum and Teaching

Maeve O’Grady, Academic Secretary, Health and Behavior Studies

Birger Ohlsson, Academic Specialist/Coordinator, NCREST

Lelia Spears, Academic Specialist, National Center for Restructuring of Education, Schools & Teaching

Nicolas Stahelin, Assistant Director, Peace Corps Fellows Program 

Promotions

 

In an effort to recognize employees, Inside will list staff members who have provided 10 or more years of service to the College in an issue following their employment anniversary. Below are those employees with anniversary dates in January and February. If you have 10 or more years of service and are not listed, please contact the Office of Human Resources, and we will include you in an upcoming issue of Inside.

Maureen Horgan, Associate Director of Administrative Services, Gottesman Libraries, 42 years of service

Aida Christian, Secretary, Office of the Registrar, 40 years of service

Connie McQueen, Senior Loan Coordinator, Office of Financial Aid, 38 years of service

Robert Tucker, Director of Academic Administration, Department of Health and Human Behavior, 35 years of service

Dilcia Linares, Library Assistant, Gottesman Libraries, 33 years of service

Roselouise Daly, Library Assistant, Gottesman Libraries, 31 years of service

Robert Schwartz, Assistant Director of the Business Services Center, Duplicating Services, 31 years of service

Carole Saltz, Director, Teachers College Press, 25 years of service

Nadine Boston, Loan Counselor, Office of Financial Aid, 24 years of service

Claudette Chung, Secretary, Office of the Registrar, 23 years of service

Rance Osborne, Painter, Department of Maintenance, 22 years of service

Jennifer Govan, Associate Director, Gottesman Libraries, 22 years of service

Francis Webster, Associate Director, Gottesman Libraries, 22 years of service

Brian Ellerbeck, Executive Acquisitions Editor, Teachers College Press, 20 years of service

Dennis Chambers, Security Officer, Public Safety, 20 years of service

Scott Schnackenberg, Director, Office of Institutional Studies, 17 years of service

James Jimenez, Painter, Maintenance, 15 years of service

Patrice Nichols, Program Manager, NCREST, 15 years of service

Vincent Del Bagno, Director of Capital Projects, Office of Construction Management, 13 years of service

Alex Bass, Custodian, Operations, 12 years of service

Corine Best Campbell, Coordinator, Plant Facilities, 12 years of service

Ivo Antoniazzi, Academic Computing Analyst, Office of Academic Computing, 12 years of service

Maureen Coughlin, Director of Telecommunications and Classroom Technology, Office of Academic Computing, 11 years of service

Seynabou Diop, Program Coordinator, Online M.A. Program, 11 years of service

Patrizia Magni, Academic Computing Analyst, Office of Academic Computing, 11 years of service

Inkyung Pini, Human Resources Assistant, Office of Human Resources, 11 years of service

Jacqueline Diaz, Director of Student Accounts, Office of the Controller, 10 years of service