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Title: Rosemary Sclafoni
Description: Rosemary Sclafoni talks about her experience as an adult Extended Day student at LaGuardia Community College and later career at the college, eventually becoming Director of Academic Computing Timestamped Summary of tape: (00:55) In 1976 Rosemary Sclafoni came to LaGCC as a student to take a few courses in order to obtain employment in the public school system. Was intimidated at first but first name recognition at registration relaxed her. (04:12) Talks about professors that encouraged academically, including Dr. Richard Lieberman, Social Sciences, and Professor Robert O’Pray, Office Technologies (06:13) Sclafoni had stayed at LaGCC for a 2 year degree in Office Technology (Secretarial Science at the time) (06.37) She was asked to help at the “Bilingual Volunteers of American,” a Saturday program for students. Discusses experience. (07:19) Through the Coop program, she had an internship at LaGuardia as a secretary. Later she was offered a CLT position at LaGCC and held that position for about 10 years. (10:25) Sclafoni felt LaGCC was very supportive of her academically and the experience as a student with the counseling staff was wonderful. Compares here experience at LaGCC to that as her later experience at Baruch College. (13:59) Describes the student body in the mid 70’s, where they lived and age groups. “Many of the students that had attend were here at LaGCC learn skills to obtain jobs.” (16:03) As an Extended Day student, Sclafoni had joined study groups and attend her classes but didn’t have time to participate in the social part of the college. Describes the campus as well (22:44) She understood that computing would open doors for everyone and believed it was an important aspect. (23:23) Talks about here academic path (Bachelors and Masters) and creating her position as Director of Academic Computing, felt computing was very important and many students didn’t have computer access. (24:54) In her position of Director of Academic Computing she had to coordinate with the Academic Division in particular and the college community access and opportunity for computer resources and make them available to students. (26:06) She encouraged computing for teaching and learning for faculty. (27:00) Felt having the E building made the college more of a campus and the renovation of the C building made it airy and light and other impressions of the changing campus (pool, library, etc) (31:30) “The most unique thing [about the college] is the people and attitude people take. The attitude of the faculty and staff is supportive and approachable and encouraging.” Ends around 35:00
Subjects: , 25th Anniversary, Oral History, Students, Extended Day, Cooperative Education, Sclafoni, Rosemary
Publisher: LaGuardia Community College (New York, N.Y)

Title: Sandra Watson
Description: Sandra Watson Director of Family Staff (at time of interview) talks about her experience in the Division of Adult and Continuing Education and as a counselor in the Veterans Program (00:46) Sandra Watson spoke about the founding of LaGCC in the early 1970s -- a period when people struggled during the Civil Rights movement and CUNY was in position to respond – at a time for women and people of color wanted to come into the institution -- it was a time after the Vietnam War. (2:23) Goes on to describe the student body (2:47) Talks about her coming to LaGuardia Community college as a vocational counselor for the Veterans Programs. (4:05) Came to LaGCC in 1974 and said it was a very exciting place. Talks about the Great Hall, Leonard Saremsky who would drive up in his motorcycle right up to the door; tennis courts in the back; partitions separating the space, no offices – a feeling of oneness. (4:47) Talks about Joseph Shenker’s age and the overall young staff. (5:43) The Division of Adult and Continuing Education was written in the Governance Plan – the arm to reach out to the community – a community that was very diverse. (6:53) Speaks about Adult and Continuing Education creating programs which would later be turned into degree programs – The Dean of Adult and Continuing Education was Ann Marcus, Sandra spoke about different faculty lines in Adult and Continuing Education and support for President Shenker. (8:18) Sandra said, most of the people in the division ran program areas and knew how to write grants. (8:47) Mentions the Single College Concept (9:38) “We were told we could fail, we could try, we could experiment” (11:22) Discusses the Veteran’s Program and says it was one of the most challenging programs she ever worked in. Talks about how the counseling and workshops were organized (14:14) Mentions that the Veteran’s program was not funded for the first time in 24 years (1996), in her opinion due to the sharp conservative political turn in government (15:11) Talks about how ACE programs were funded, developed and community involvement in the process. Discusses the Deaf Program (17:55) Speaks about Fern Kahn (18:19) Speaks about collaborating with funding agencies and city agencies (19:19) Goes in depth about the Deaf Program and its diversity (22:31) Discusses the continual need for space in the college, the Great Hall, moving offices (25:44) Speaks about changes in the college now and before, and innovation and LaGCC. (30:11) She also discussed changes and development of programs for changes and the community. Sandra spoke about Queens and the development of programs and going to the community – Children’s College was built. (30:11) Mentions the change of the ESL program – credit and non-credit programs. (36:11) She discussed the college and its growing older. (37:04) Sandra says she comes to a place where she works with social problems and social change – happy to be here. The institution is for the students.
Subjects: , 25th Anniversary, Oral History, Watson, Sandra, Veterans Affairs, Adult and Continuing Education, Program for Deaf Adults
Publisher: LaGuardia Community College (New York, N.Y)

Title: Maxine Lance
Description: Maxine Lance was a student in the first graduating class of LaGCC in 1973. She later became a CUNY Office Assistant, eventually working in College Discovery and retiring in 2019. Timestamp summary of interview: (1:05) Maxine Lance said she decided to attend LaGCC because all of her friends were applying to college. She didn’t want to be left out so she applied to LaGCC. (1:53) Talks about meeting people through Student Activities and her major in Data Processing (2:52) Describes the M-Building and Great Hall and how encouraged interaction and impacted student life. (4:15) She discussed prices in the cafeteria for breakfast and lunch and compares them to the present time. (5:16) Talks about being part of the first graduating class (7:01) Talks about her courses, especially in Data Processing and her professors (8:13) Describes how the college and student body has changed since she was a student (having remained at the college as an employee) and how she thinks it has affected student life. (10:32) Speaks about her experience with Cooperative Education and the challenges of attending class and while working. Talks about the different internships she had, including working in the Extended Day department with Ralph Garrett. (14:05) Continued to work at LaGCC in the Registrar office. She said during that time she believed Eileen Murray was the Director and she had also worked in the Adult and Continuing Education Department part-time with Allen Goldberg. She now working at Student Affairs in the College Discovery program and is working there for 13 years. (18:05) Goes on to talk about the Cooperative Education program and the opportunities and skills it builds. (19:23) Lance talks about her work history at the college, working as a hourly for about 10 or 11 years and now she is Civil Service for almost 9 years. (20:01) End
Subjects: , 25th Anniversary, Oral History, Lance, Maxine, Students, Cooperative Education
Publisher: LaGuardia Community College (New York, N.Y)

Title: Max Rodriguez
Subjects: Rodriguez, Max, 25th Anniversary, Oral History
Publisher: LaGuardia Community College (New York, N.Y)

Title: Yosuke Terada 3
Description: A man sitting outdoors at a shoe shine stand reading a newspaper
Subjects: , Portrait photography, Chile
Publisher: LaGuardia Community College

Title: Course Catalog 1982-1983
Description: LaGuardia Community College 1982-1983 Catalog
Subjects: , catalog
Publisher: LaGuardia Community College

Title: Umoja Kwaguvu
Description: Umoja Kwaguvu was the Coordinator of Student Activities, a long time staff member and a Family Institute Adjunct. He was involved in organizing many events in the early college years. Timestamp summary of interview [Follows Gil Muller interview on VHS tape]: (41:37) Professor Umoja Kwaguvu began to work in LaGCC in 1972, starting in the Veterans Program teaching English, and then moving to Student Services in 1974. (43:40) Covers organizing theatre shows, student parties and flyering the college buildings for events (45:03) “The Main building was like a factory and there was a little room there they called Student Activities.” (46:00) Talks about all night movie festivals that were organized, the mix of students and faculty at the events (49:33) “We could do almost anything we wanted to do. Bureaucracy had not set in yet.” (51:12) Describes African American Reading Marathon – President Shenker said we were to do something for the 1976 Bicentennial. The event had people continuously reading from February 1st-8th for 200 hours straight. [Archivist Note: Institutional Archives has photographs of the African American Reading Marathon in the photograph collection] (58:38) Became fulltime Coordinator in Student Activities in 1976. (58:53) Describes organizing trips to: Stratford, Connecticut; Montreal, Canada; Jamaica; Brazil; Europe (London, Paris, Rome). Trips were focused on opening students up to the world, many who never left New York City before (01:02:53) Student Services had a performing arts Marathon in the late 1980s/early 90’s. LaGuardia was a regional representative at the Bob Hope Talent Show in 1977/78 [Archivist Note: Institutional Archives also has photographs of the Bob Hope Talent Show in their photograph collection] (01:05:30) Talks about having prominent figures visiting the college including: the comedian Dick Gregory, Judge Bruce Wright, Yolanda King (Dr. King’s daughter), and Attallah Shabazz (Malcolm X’s daughter). (01:13:29) Direction and guidance for events and programs came from the Director of Student Activities – Leo Newball (01:16:20) Talks about the change of events that happened when Student Activities became Student Life (01:80:00) Describes his experience working with students and the changes in the student body, and political in. (01:21:31) Covers the 1989 student takeover and other protests, where students occupied parts of the campus in protest over rising tuition. Describes the students as militant but non-violent during these events. (01:23:40) He discussed what he thought made LaGCC different – "Students get training fit for work – see them professionally doing their work – anywhere you go you find LaGuardia people" (01:25:10) End
Subjects: Kwaguvu, Umoja, Kwaguvu, Umoja, 25th Anniversary, 25th Anniversary, Oral History, Oral History
Publisher: LaGuardia Community College (New York, N.Y)

Title: Terry Parker
Description: Terry Parker, head of the Library’s Media Center, started at LaGuardia Community College as a student, later working in the Media Center recording events and activities across the College. He retired in 2017. (1:00) Talks about the working in the SETA(?) program at York College, and making the decision to start college, eventually attending LaGuardia in 1976 as a full time student. He describes and his first impressions of the college and thinking it was the airport. (5:50) Said students at the time operated in circles and you only notices who was in that circle. He was in the Student Activities Office. (6:24) Describes the students he attended with, mostly older nontraditional students influenced by the late 60’s and the Vietnam war and self-reliant. (7:41) Describes his Social Science class with Professor Reitano who let students interpret history themselves based on primary documents and how it changed his opinion on learning history. (10:02) Talks about his major, different jobs he had on campus and eventually working in with the Audio Visual person with Student Activities, which became his major. Talks about his AV role on campus. (14:47) Compares evening students with the day students, student clubs and the roles of Student Government and Student Activities on campus and their use of the Student Activities Fee. (19:51) Describes being part of the “student patrol”, which supplemented the professional security on campus. (22:56) The full time person at the Student Activities department had left and Terry had graduated and had filled his position. (23:17) Talks about the 1978-1980 Student Government elections and how voting was organized, initially with their own voting machines and then reaching out to an outside vendor to handle the ballots. (27:33) Started a film program and purchased a lot of equipment and was very pro student. His boss had felt he was too pro student. (30:48) Returns to talking about Student Government (31:57) Talks about the growth of the college, changes in student/faculty relations and the need for more space even after the addition of the E-Building. (34:48) Mentions the institutional support students and staff received in the 1970s and 80’s (36:45) Reflects on his time spent as a student at LaGuardia, how the college helped him create a career, and the gratitude he has towards the people he has worked with. “It is more than just a place where you come to work - it is your second home a lot of times it is your first home.” Total time 43:22
Subjects: Student Activities, 25th Anniversary, Oral History, Parker, Terry, Library, Students
Publisher: LaGuardia Community College (New York, N.Y)