Nexus - Nassau Community College

Mary A. Adams, chair ofthe Nassau CommunityCollege Board of Trustees,was this year elected presidentof the New York CommunityCollege Trustees (NYCCT)Board of Directors. The Albany, New York-based NYCCT is avoluntary nonprofit consortium of community college trusteesestablished to strengthen the effectiveness of New York’scommunity college trustees. It strives to be an active force inthe development and implementation of public policy impactingcommunity colleges. NYCCT represents the appointed boardmembers who govern the 30 community colleges in the StateUniversity of New York (SUNY) system and the six communitycolleges in the City University of New York (CUNY) system.With nearly 300 members, the consortium focuses on the legal,fiduciary and governance responsibilities of being a trustee.Nassau Community College Board ofTrustees Chair Mary A. Adams ElectedPresident of the New York CommunityCollege Trustees Board of DirectorsIn addition to her duties as president of the NYCCT board, Adamswas asked by SUNY President Nancy Zimpher to be part of astatewide 18-member Strategic Planning Steering Committee,which will play a pivotal role in shaping the development ofSUNY’s new strategic plan.Appointed by former New York State Governor Mario Cuomo,Adams has served on the NCC Board of Trustees for 14 years. Shewas recently reappointed by Nassau County Executive Tom Suozziand the Nassau County Legislature. Prior to serving on the Board,Roosevelt resident Adams had a long and distinguished career ineducation. She taught mathematics and was an assistant principalin the Bellmore-Merrick Central High School district. AmongAdams’ many affiliations have been serving as the vice presidentand then president of the 100 Black Women of Long Island, andbeing a member of the National Association of University Womenand the Roosevelt/Freeport branch of the NAACP.Let them eat cupcakesOver 1,000 celebrate Nassau’s 50 th Birthday PartyThe over 1000 students, faculty and staff who attended Nassau Community College’s 50th birthday party on October 27 weretreated to a sea of blue and orange frosted cupcakes (the colors of the college), a cake baked and frosted to look like thetower building and lunch. Everyone—president Dr. Sean Fanelli, local legislators, faculty, staff and students—had a terrific timeeating, listening to music played by a DJ, dancing and enjoying each other’s company. Held in the College Center Building, thehistoric event was very successful, as was a similar event held for evening students. The parties were sponsored by the StudentGovernment Association, the Programming Board, the Evening Activity Hour, the NCC Foundation and J&B Restaurants.Nassau Community College began in 1959 with a little over 600 students. Today, there are nearly 23,000 full- and part-timestudents and almost 15,000 continuing education and professional studies students. In terms of number of students, quality of staffand being a resource for the community, Nassau is currently one of the most successful community colleges in the country.2 nassau Community College - Nexus Fall/Winter 2009-2010

Nassau Community College OpensNew North Annex BuildingNCC’s North Annex Buildingopened this semester.The new NCC North Annex building opened this semester adjacent to the campus, near the Endo Boulevard entrance.According to Joseph Muscarella, Vice President of Administration and Planning, “This new facility provides desperatelyneeded state-of-the-art classroom space within easy walking distance of the campus. The design of these rooms serves as amodel for future improvements to NCC’s many academic buildings so that we can better serve our students.”The North Annex is a two-story building of approximately 27,000 square-feet. It includes 13 classrooms, 11 offices,a computer lab and a student learning center/lounge. All of the classrooms have smart boards and natural lighting. Thebuilding interior is entirely new and handicapped accessible. There is ample parking around it. The North Annex is part ofthe college’s continuing efforts to maintain and improve our campus.Prof. Alfredo Mellace instructsa chemistry class in the NorthAnnex Building.Fall/Winter 2009-2010 nassau Community College - Nexus 3

FACULTY/STAFF HIGHLIGHTSRob Baranello, a tutor in the Writing Center,was awarded first place by the Long Island PressClub (a chapter of the Society of ProfessionalJournalists) in the Magazine Features/Lifestylecategory for an article he wrote entitled “ChuckClose—The Pleasure is in the Process” inDistinction magazine.Dr. Robert Costello, Chair of Criminal Justice,recently gave a presentation at the University ofCambridge in the United Kingdom. He spokeabout the Rockefeller Drug Laws, which wereadopted in New York State in 1973 and gaveNew York the distinction of having the mostpunitive drug laws in America at the time. Thelaws ended in April 2009. The Institute ofCriminology at the University of Cambridge,the first criminological institute in Europe, hasexerted a strong influence on the developmentof the discipline. Prof. Costello also presentedpapers at the annual conference for the JusticeStudies Association, Northeastern Association ofCriminal Justice Sciences and Dowling College’s4 th Annual Research Symposium. Finally, hisbook review of Delinquent Girl will be publishedin the April 2010 edition of Youth Violence &Juvenile Justice.Prof. Richard Delbango, Library, spent twomonths this summer working as the Ship Librarianfor the State University of New York MaritimeCollege’s training ship the Empire State VI. Over700 people and Prof. Delbango sailed 12,000 milesaround the Atlantic Ocean and the MediterraneanSea, traveling to the Azores, Gibraltar, Morocco,Iceland and Northern Ireland, crossing the ArcticCircle on the way. The trip was Prof. Delbango’ssecond stint as Ship Librarian.Prof. Susan Dooley, Chair of Art, and SusanKravitz, Dean of Arts and Humanities, werefeatured this fall in a show at fotofoto gallery ofHuntington. Their paired series “Counterpoint”was comprised of photos taken during DeanKravitz’s visit to Argentina and Prof. Dooley’stravels in China, Europe and the U.S.Dr. Mark Halfon, Chair of Philosophy, wasinterviewed by Mark Schwab of WTAM, theradio station of the Cleveland Indians, about hisbook Can a Dead Man Strike Out?.Prof. Jack Mandel, Marketing, Retailing andFashion, appeared on a News 12 LI segment onthe back-to-school Long Island economy. Earlierthis year, Prof. Mandel was asked to host the“Grace’s Marketplace ‘Flavor of Love’ SinglesNight” in Greenvale. Over 150 people attendedthe event. He also wrote a column for the fallissue of Aspire magazine about developing yourpersonal success contract. Finally, under theguise of Prof. J M Love, Prof. Mandel writes amonthly column for the Queens Courier as itsroving singles editor.Dr. Julio Marzán, English, was featuredrecently in Columbia, The Magazine of ColumbiaUniversity, on account of his being the poetlaureate of Queens. Dr. Marzán, who graduatedfrom Fordham University, received his MFA fromColumbia. A Queens resident for 38 years, Dr.Marzán has published two books of poems, anovel, numerous essays and a work of criticism.As poet laureate, he has done readings at venuesthroughout Queens.Dr. Kumkum Prabhakar, Biology, attended aworkshop on “Case Study Teaching in Science”at the National Center for Case Study Teachingin Science at the University of Buffalo. She alsoconducted an interactive workshop and presented“Teaching Botany in the Liberal Arts Curriculum”at Botany & Mycology 2009, an internationalconference of four professional societies inSnowbird, Utah.Dr. Anne Romano, Sociology, was honoredby the St. Mary’s Feast Society and the RhodeIsland Italian American Historical Association inCranston, Rhode Island. The event was a kickofffor an annual feast honoring La Madonna dellaCivita, the patron saint of the city of Itri in Italy.Dr. Romano’s book Distant But Loyal: Cranston’sItalian Americans, traced the immigration of mostof Itri’s residents to Cranston.Dr. Rick Santos, English, gave a lecture this fall atYale University. His talk, “Conceição Evaristo andthe Oral Tradition in Afro-Brazilian Literature,” wassponsored by Spanish and Portuguese departments.It also featured Afro-Brazilian writer ConceiçãoEvaristo, whose work Dr. Santos translated intoEnglish.Prof. Rosanne Scarpelli, Marketing, Retailingand Fashion, received the distinction of beingnamed to the 2008 President’s Higher EducationCommunity Service Honor Roll for herextraordinary and exemplary community servicecontributions. Prof. Scarpelli and her interiordesign students renovated Mommas House, whichprovides deserving young mothers aged 17 to 21and their children with a nurturing home for up totwo years.Prof. Patti Tana, English, was selected by theWalt Whitman Birthplace Association as its 2009Long Island Poet of the Year. Prof. Tana is authorof several books of poetry and editor of others.Reginald Tuggle, Associate Vice President forMarketing and Communications, was honoredfor lifetime service by ProjectGRAD Long Islandat the Achieving Dreams Seminar.Dr. Joseph Varacalli, Sociology and director ofthe Center for Catholic Studies, was featured intwo articles in The Long Island Catholic. One wason the upcoming 10 th anniversary of the Center andquoted then NCC President Dr. Sean Fanelli;Dr. James Polo, Associate Vice President forAcademic Affairs; and Dr. Phil Nicholson andMarynita Anderson, both of History. The otherarticle covered the Center for Catholic Studies’“Youth and the Future of the Pro-Life Movement.”Note: All members of the college are invitedto send articles pertaining to professional andcommunity activities for inclusion. To do so, callMarketing & Communications at 516.572.9634 ore-mail marketing-communications@ncc.edu.NassauCommunityCollege ReceivesPerkins Grant ofOver $500,000Nassau Community College has beenawarded a $525,359 Perkins grant.The grant serves career and technicaleducation students, as well as two localWorkforce Investment Boards in NassauCounty. The NCC Foundation andFinance Departments will be responsiblefor the fiscal management of this project.Perkins grants are awarded to developmore fully the academic, vocational andtechnical skills of secondary and postsecondarystudents who elect to enrollin vocational technical education by, forexample, building on the efforts of statesand localities to develop challengingacademic standards; promoting thedevelopment of services and activitiesthat integrate academic, vocational andtechnical education; and increasing stateand local flexibility in providing servicesand activities designed to develop,implement and improve vocational andtechnical education.The Perkins Project at NassauCommunity College is directed by theOffice of Sponsored Programs andResearch.Fall/Winter 2009-2010 nassau Community College - Nexus 4

Nassau ExcelsMore Students taking honors classes at NCCProf. Dale Stanley (center) teaches an honors general biology class about mammalian anatomy.Nassau Community College has one invited to take honors classes.of the largest honors programs Honors courses are enriched versionsin the SUNY system. Its continuedgrowth over the course of its 28 yearsof the regular sections of the same subject.They have one or more of the followingin existence has made it a top choice of supplemental components: differenthigh school graduates. In fact, this fallmore students are taking honors coursesat the college than ever before, accordingto Carol Farber, Associate Vice Presidentfor Academic Affairs, founder of theprogram. Approximately 400 students areenrolled in honors classes this semester.“Academically successful students realizeNassau’s Honors Program offers thema solid liberal arts foundation and thenseamless transfer to almost any four-yearschool. The enriched curriculum enablesstudents to excel in all areas of study,” shesaid.Students are invited to participatein the program if they have completedthree years of regents English, regentsmathematics, sciences and social studiestextbooks and outside readings, differentassignments and projects, more in-depthdiscussions and a demand for moreabstract thinking.Not every course taken by students inthe honors program is an honors course.Students may elect to take certain subjectsonly out of the 50 or more honors sectionsoffered each semester during the day andevening. All honors courses fulfill therequirements for any associate degreeoffered.Honors students have several perks,including priority registration, personaladvisement and special scholarships. An“honors” designation next to each courseappears on students’ transcript.Articulation agreements with mostwith an average of at least 87 in each four-year institutions—including suchsubject. Current NCC students who haveachieved a GPA of 3.4 or better are alsolocal schools as Hofstra, C.W. Post,Adelphi and Dowling—facilitates thetransfer process.In addition, theHonors Office offerstransfer advisementand letters ofrecommendation.Students haveopportunities to puttheir learning intopractice through theHonors Club. Theclub sponsors tripsand speakers, as wellas outreach programsto local elementary,junior high and highschools and thecommunity at large.Some examples arethe Adopt-A-Classprogram, where aclass is brought tocampus to participatein art, science andtheatre activities; theSelected ScholarsPrograms, in whichhigh school juniorsand seniors areinvited to attend academic presentationsby NCC faculty; the Arts and Science Fair,where competitions are held in science,art, music and theatre for 6 th through 12 thgrade students; and special programs, suchas the Honors Colloquium, where chosenstudents present papers; and publicationof art work, poems, plays and researchpapers in the Honors journal, VERITAS.Students also conduct charitable fundraising activities.High school students who meetthe criteria have the opportunity to takeHonors courses through the HonorsConnections Program and get a jump-starton their college education. Overall, theHonors Program at Nassau has proven tobe successful for three decades, servingthe Long Island community.by Carol Farber, Associate VicePresident for Academic Affairs5 nassau Community College - Nexus Fall/Winter 2009-2010

One Education DriveGarden City, NY 11530-6793www.ncc.eduA unit of the StateUniversity of New YorkNon-Profit Org.Bulk RateU.S. PostagePAIDGarden City, N.Y.Permit No. 71PresidentPublisherEditorWriterLayout/DesignSupport StaffPrincipal PhotographyProductionDr. Donald P. Astrabreginald Tugglealicia Stegergail MattimoreMary-Jeannette FloratosKathleen JohnsonWilliam Bakerthomas ConigliaroThis newsletter is published by:The Office of Marketing & CommunicationsTEL: 516.572.9634FAX: 516.572.7497E-mail: marketing-communications@ncc.eduRegistration & Application informationWinterim 2009-2010Mini-SemesterDeadlines & DatesSpring 2010 SemesterDeadlines & DatesSpring 2010 SemesterWinterim 2009-2010Mini-SemesterClasses MeetDecember 28, 2009 to January 15, 2010Last Day to Apply for AdmissionDecember 15, 2009Last Day to Register forWinterim for All StudentsDecember 24, 2009www.ncc.edu/winterimDay Classes MeetJanuary 25, 2010 to May 23, 2010Evening Classes MeetJanuary 28, 2010 to May 23, 2010Weekend Classes MeetJanuary 29, 2010 to May 23, 2010Last Day to Apply for NEWStudents January 5, 2010Last day to Register for AllStudents January 15, 2010www.ncc.edu/registration