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Raymond Schoenberg
Title
Raymond Schoenberg
Description
At the time of the interview, Raymond Schoenberg was Director of the Registrar Office. He talks in depth about the college’s early years and how the campus developed over the years. Timestamp summary of interview (follows John Hyland’s interview on tape): (45:23) Raymond Schoenberg started at LaGCC in its first semester in Fall 1971. Talks about his career at Hunter College and seeing the sign for Community College Number 9 and his first meeting with Mary Ryan, Assistant to the Dean of Faculty, Freeman Sleeper, Dean of Faculty, Raymond Bowen, Associate Dean of Faculty, and Janet Lieberman, Assistant Dean of Faculty. (47:54) Sees starting at a new college as an opportunity. (48:40) Talks about the Great Hall which had an area to the side for the Registrar Office, it was also used for classes, for tennis and registration, anything that required a large area and it was were all the action was at the college. (50:35) Mentions how faculty would drive their motorcycles into the back of the building and park their bikes in the Great Hall until they left. (51:11) Talks about working during the summer of 1971 and how the Registrar had needed paper. They received paper from the College of Staten Island with the Staten Island logo and had to remind students for several years that LaGCC was not in Staten Island and it was in Queens. (52:38) Says what was unique about LaGCC all the offices would put their feelings and input into the college. Talks about luncheons at a restaurant on Queens Blvd to discuss the policy of the college. (56:00) Mentions that the College Senate was called the Academic Programming Committee. (56:29) Speaks about technology in the workplace and in the Registrar Office at the time and compares his experience to that at Hunter College. (01:00:39) Schoenberg discussed the changes over the years at the Registrar Office. He had left the Registrar in 1983 – he spoke about the functions of the Registrar office. (01:05:06) He also spoke about the college and service with students and the procedures with computers and technology. (01:11:55) Discusses grades and students and the mail and calling systems. (01:12:29) Talks about the college’s need to grow and the different buildings such as the Satellite Building (Sony Building), Center 3 Building, and the L and P Building (01:12:58) He discussed wider CUNY growth in headcount which continuously grows and says there is a tremendous demand on space. (01:20:43) He discusses the importance of Cooperative Education and students. And the word on the street was LaGuardia cared. (01:24:20) Ends on graduation and changes in credits needed to graduate. Schoenberg mentioned technology and student mobility. He also discusses change in later years.
Subjects
, 25th Anniversary, Oral History, Schoenberg, Raymond, Registrar, Great Hall, M-Building
Publisher
LaGuardia Community College (New York, N.Y)
Roy McLeod
Title
Roy McLeod
Description
Dr. Roy McLeod is a “founding” faculty member of the college and Professor of Mathematics. He currently [2019] still teaches in the Mathematics, Engineering & Computer Sciences (MEC) department. (00:55) Talks about the need for a community college for the Long Island City area to help develop economic growth, similar to why Hostos Community College, York College and Medgar Evers College were created. (3:00) Speaks about his earlier career at Hunter College and Nassau Community College and how he came to LaGCC and his excitement about coming to a brand new college and the challenge it would be. (8:20) Faculty did not have an office they just had a desk and a chair and were just excited about starting the college (9:26) The first floor was The Great Hall. Registration and everything was done there in The Great Hall. (10:21) Dr. McLeod said in July, the college had an orientation to get the college ready - that was handled by Dr. Janet Lieberman. (10:53) Dr. McLeod also said they were able to be as innovative as they could. The structure was not rigid, there was creativity. (11:25) The name of the first mathematics course was Symbolic Communication, Dr. McLeod said. He said, we were doing things differently. Dr. McLeod spoke about the grading system he said they call non-cumulative grades and he said they had – E (Excellent) G (Good) P (Pass) and NC (No Credit). (13:05) Shows his first gradebook. (Archivist Note: Dr. McLeod’s gave his first grading book to the Institutional Archives and it is kept with his collection in Division Institutional Advancement) (14:19) The students that attended LaGCC were from around the area, Dr. McLeod said, Astoria, Long Island City. There were about 540 students in the first class. They were excited about coming here. Student were very much on our minds – trying to encourage them. (15:42) During that time there were teams of faculty for advisement, students would talk to them about their classes, Coop, or whatever they needed to address. (16:17) Students felt they could talk to us, Dr. McLeod said, he said it was small so it worked very well. Class size during that time was small from 16-20 students and there was individual attention you couldn’t dream about today – that made a difference, Dr. McLeod said. (21:11) Discusses the split of the Division of Natural Environment into the Mathematics Department and the Division of Natural and Applied Science Department. He had been elected the first Chairperson of the Mathematics Department. Served as Chairperson from 1976 – 1988. (25:48) Talks about the Math Lab and its functions. (26:25) Talks about the Mathematics Department moving around to different locations on campus, Main Building, Sony Building and later the C building. In 1988 became Acting Dean of Faculty (27:37) Dr. McLeod discussed Basic Skills development and assessment tests in reference to remedial courses and the Math Lab. (29:02) Describes the computer courses and the Math Express course (an intensive one week course) and its relation to remedial courses. (31:29) Talks about English Express course that was developed by Professor Daniel Aulicino. (32:29) Discusses the physical growth of the college and challenges the limited space provided such as crowded offices and classrooms. (36:18) “[The college] grew so large so quickly” talks about the attractiveness of the Coop Program and the opportunity to earn income while earning college credit. (38:17) Dr. McLeod also spoke about students coming to LaGCC from many countries and “many come in with extraordinary skills, especially in Math and Science.” (38:57) Dr. McLeod discussed his teaching experiences with students in his classes. (42:12) “What makes LaGuardia special? the way the college started makes the college special – we emphasized on students and focused to be innovative and to have freedom.” He also discussed being a department Chairperson.
Subjects
, 25th Anniversary, Oral History, McLeod, Roy, Math, Engineering and Computer Science
Publisher
LaGuardia Community College (New York, N.Y)
Sandra Watson
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)
Terry Parker
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)
Umoja Kwaguvu
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)
Vincent Banrey
Title
Vincent Banrey
Description
Mr. Vincent Banrey graduated from the college in 1977 and at the time of the interview was Associate Director of the Student Health Office. Timestamp summary [Interview follows the interview with Enock Charlotin on VHS tape]: (22:19) Introductions and discusses coming to the college as a student because of the Cooperative Education Program and his impressions of the college as a student. (24:41) “The college wasn’t very big so there was a sense of people knowing each other” (25:00) Describes the layout of the building, covering the cafeteria, “Sangria Junction,” and the multi-purpose Great Hall. (28:40) Discusses the different faculty and staff that helped him as a student and the counselors the college provided (31:20) Banrey discussed the closeness of the college in the early years and knowing people from different departments (32:53) Covers the Cooperative Education Program and mentions how the Writing for Business and Coop Seminar courses helped him prepare for writing resume and interviews. (36:07) Had an internship at the Brooklyn Navy Yards. He was a Research Analysis Assistant. (37:11) Talks about how internships helped him decide his career path. (40:00) Goes into the growth of the college, construction and the changing physical space of the college and changing administrative structure. (45:12) Covers the different support services and student resources on campus and how they have changed and grown over the years (48:32) Talks about changes in the student body and points out the large number of veterans who attended the college in the 1970’s, coming from Vietnam and benefiting from open admissions (51:35 ) In reference to the question “what makes LaGCC distinct,” Banrey said, “The slogan that was used – LaGuardia Works – because it cares about the people.”
Subjects
, 25th Anniversary, Oral History, Students, Great Hall, Cooperative Education, Banrey, Vincent
Publisher
LaGuardia Community College (New York, N.Y)

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