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MONTHLY UPDATE
UPDATE CONTD 1
UPDATE CONTD 2
UPDATE CONTD 3
UPDATE CONTD 4
UPDATE CONTD 5
UPDATE CONTD 6
UPDATE CONTD 7
STUDENTS SPEAK
QUALIFICATIONS
EVALUATION FORM
LINKS
MEMOS
May 23 1994
Sept 6 1995
March 20 1997
April 3 1997
Jan 5 1998
March 31 1998
Sept 15 1999
May 17 2000
Sept 11 2000
Oct 16 2000
Nov 14 2000
Nov 15 2000
Feb 10 2001
March 15 2001
March 19 2001
June 9 2003
April 17 2006
Sept 18 2006
Sept 27 2006
Oct 23 2006
Dec 9 2007
Dec 16 2007
| Students Speak Out |
| Student Views on LaGuardia's Failures as an Institution of Higher Education |
) THE ADVANCED CRAYOLA LAB AT LAGUARDIA Please scroll down. This page contains a brief selection of letters written by students. RECEIVED APR. 2, 2003 I think this is such a great web site. It points out all what's going on at LaGuardia and out loud. I personnaly have suffered a lot with this school. It is so hard to transfer credit from LAGCC to another 4 year college or a university. I think I made a mistake by choosing LaGuardia, because these people who are managing it are racicsts and in some cases morons, excluding some professors and faculty that I deeply respect. well, I hope things change as soon as possible. whoever is now studying here is now lost and don't know where to go because of this lousy reputation lagauardia has either locally or even nationally. Sincerly, from Alfred Moreno *************** RECEIVED DEC. 11, 2002 While I choose to remain anonymous to protect myself, I hope this information helps enhance the experiences of other students and professors at LaGuardia Community College. Choosing to attend LaGuardia Community College before completing my education at a four year school was a decision that I made for a specific reason. Despite the fact that I graduated High School with high honors, and was accepted into all my four-year college choices, I chose to attend LaGuardia because they have one of the best paramedic programs for credit in New York. Being an Emergency Medical Technician, I wanted to upgrade my certification to Paramedic, the highest level of pre-hospital care, before transferring and continuing my education. Of course, I expected the workload and quality of education to be slightly less than that of a four-year institution. However, I feel short changed by my current experience at the school. While the courses related to my major were what they should be, many liberal arts courses were severely lacking substance. Prof. Millman refused to fall prey to this corruption at what I now loosely call a school. Though mathematics has always been a weak subject for me, Prof. Millman's knowledge and teaching ability made the class worthwhile. From having to use a less than effective textbook, and teaching a watered down course, Prof. Millman ensured he explained the course material as meticulously as possible. By the end of the term, I actually took a liking to the course matter. I am only one person, but I'm sure my experiences are similar to many other students as well. I can only hope that the school will take some radical actions to weed out instructors who are incapable of teaching. Had more of my professors been as well educated and willing to teach as Millman, my scholastic experience would have been drastically different. I encourage all students who have had as positive an experience with Prof. Millman as I have, as well as with other educators of his caliber to come forward, so their efforts can be recognized. *************** RECEIVED OCT. 16, 2001 The following letter is from one of Prof. Millman's New York University students. Prof. Millman teaches one large lecture section in the Math Department at NYU each Fall in order to remind himself that he is still an educator. To the Administration at LaGuardia Community College: After reading Prof. Millman's statements and message boards, it is apparent that you are a bunch of racists, and you do not belong in charge of a great institution like LaGuardia Community College. You should be embarrassed that one of your faculty devoted the time to create a website to recognize the corruption at your institution. Millman is one of the best professors in the Math Department at New York University and it is ridiculous, after all the years he spent at LaGuardia College, that he has not been promoted to a higher position. The dramatic decline in the number of Jewish professors in your Math Department proves that you are racists, and this hatred for minorities should not exist in today's society. The reason why this city and this country are so great today is because of their ethnic diversity and understanding for others' backgrounds. Unfortunately, your institution does not recognize the fact that "all men are created equal". By ignoring this fact, you are ignoring our Constitution, and this "administration" you call yourself is corrupt and should not exist. I have formed a coalition of students and faculty who support my ideas and we have gone ahead and wrote letters to the city and state. And soon, the administration at LaGuardia Community College will be out of jobs. ALL OF US SUPPORT PROFESSOR MILLMAN! Robert Matalon *************** RECEIVED OCT. 6, 2001 Hello LaGuardia Students, My name is Paris Themmen. It happens that I will be familiar to many of the readers of this excellent page because as a child I portrayed the role of "Mike Tee Vee" in the film "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory". I mention this fact to provide some frame of reference and hopefully some sense of identification between the reader and myself. Dr. Millman was a teacher of mine between 1972 and 1975 at a public learning institution named the Leonia Alternative High School. Dr. Millman and four of his colleagues created this school from pure dust in the town of Leonia, NJ as an alternative to the stilted, conformist high school that existed in that town at that time. To the many students who attended L.A.H.S. Dr. Millman was nothing short of a hero! Many of the students who came from creative backgrounds (in my case, the upper west side of Manhattan) were dismayed by the conservative, limiting, bigoted learning environment that existed at Leonia High School. Thankfully, through the efforts of Dr. Millman and his colleagues, for a brief time a splendid, freeing, multi-faceted, all-inclusive educational enclave came to be. This Alternative School has had a profound effect on my life and that of so many others who were fortunate enough to have attended there. Predictably, this jewel was eventually swallowed up by the larger and corrupt system from which it sprang. But while it lived it shone ever so brightly. I eventually received a degree from New York University. Though I have had many teachers both before and after Dr. Millman (indeed I myself have taught), none has had so great an effect on my character and my sense of self as has this exceptional man. The other day, after several years of absence, I decided to call Dr. Millman up just to touch base. During that call he suggested that I visit this website, which I have now read completely. I am tremendously gladdened to find that his sense of Justice has not been diminished over the years, that he continues to speak out for what he believes is right regardless of personal consequences. His courageous nature in this regard can be traced back at least as far as the pivotal role he played in my life. He is, I am proud to say, still tilting at windmills! And like Quixote, though he may be ultimately unable to rescue your school from the depths of corruption to which it has apparently fallen, it is the fight that matters. His continuing ability to positively influence those around him is an end unto itself. Though I am not directly involved at CUNY nor subject to the particular intrigues described on this website, I feel compelled to leave my mark on this page as a testament to Dr. Millman's impeccable character. I wish to lend my support, my applause and my admiration. Fight the good fight! As one of the thousands of students whose lives beloved Martin has shaped, I am Yours truly, Paris Themmen *************** RECEIVED JUNE 14, 2001 The following is a copy of an E-mail submitted by Justin Agbata, a thoughtful and courageous student who has completed two years at the College. We reproduce it here as a scathing indictment of the inferior education available at LaGuardia, of the epidemic of cheating that the Administration (and many Faculty) chooses to ignore, and of the low esteem in which LaGuardia is held by prospective employers. This hardly sounds like the "best community college in America", which the new President, motivated either by ignorance or guile, has absurdly proclaimed! Prof. Millman regularly observes cheating (and instructors looking the other way) just by walking down the hallways and glancing into classes taking tests. Faculty failure to curb cheating is another unfortunate manefestation of the "don't make waves" policy espoused by the College (see MEMOS). (Incidentally, Prof. Millman gives a grade of F in the course to any student caught cheating. If other faculty adopted similar measures, the cheating problem would be quickly resolved). Here is the E-mail: I sent this little point of view to "The Bridge", LaGuardia CC newspaper, for it to get publicized. I hope it will. Since I want my voice to be heard I submit it in this web page hoping it will be read by more people. CUNY or, LaGuardia Community College is what its faculty members, professors, and students have made it to be. Far from my country, I registered at LaGuardia Community College to get an education, to get an American Degree for a price I could afford. Wasn't I happy when I have discovered that I could get a "good" education for that price! But I soon found out that I was at the wrong place to get what I was looking for: a good education! I soon realized that you get what you pay for. I was disappointed when I have come to know that CUNY or LaGuardia Community College is not what I had expected. A DEGREE EARNED FROM THAT INSTITUTION IS ALMOST WORTHLESS. Here are some facts: An overwhelming majority of students come to the college not for an education. They come for a Degree, a paper; a paper that would allow them to get to the work place and seek their chance to make a fortune. Most of them do get that chance. But how do most of them get out? Among this overwhelming majority, a huge number of them get out by cheating on tests and other exams. Frustrating isn't it? Of course there are also some honest students in there. These honest ones should join me to express our frustration. I have been there for two years but I have not found a class in which all students take pride in their personal effort for their grade. Very often after tests, I tell my friends that one has to take pride, or be ashamed in his failure and understand that that is what he has worked for. That is what he deserves. A failure should be an alarm to let one know that he is not doing the right thing. College is not made for everyone and some people could succeed better in life even without going to college. Where I came from, it is shameful to cheat especially in school. But here at LaGuardia, it is almost normal to get a high grade by "collaborating" on tests. I have made enemies because I have refused to collaborate on tests. I have found out that I was at the wrong place because out of CUNY, or LaGuardia Community College, I will not be seen when I will exhibit my degree. Out there almost everyone knows what is going on at LaGuardia. At job interviews, I would have to prove what I learned in school before I get hired. That is normal. But then, I first need to be given the chance to prove what I have learned. MOST EMPLOYERS WILL NOT EVEN GO THROUGH MY RESUME AS SOON AS THEY SEE LAGUARDIA COMMUNITY COLLEGE. Or, in the other case, those who have cheated will be my competitors even though I deserve what is on my resume. One professor said that he does not show LaGuardia Community College on his resume for reference purposes because his resume would lose value. But I do not have a choice. What should I do? I cannot do anything else but express my frustration through writings like this. Thankfully there are programs to pick good students for their good academic standing. But is the College a sorting place? If that is the case we need good professors to allow a good sorting. One behavior calls for the other. It is probably because of the students' behavior that some professors do not show any concern about students' success. They simply don't care. NOTE: Justin Agbata was elected President of the honor society Phi Theta Kappa in 2002. *************** RECEIVED MAY 12, 2001 The following is a copy of a memo written by a student in Prof. Millman's Statistics I class (Spring 1, 2001) and signed by every member of that class. It refers to the regrettable fact that the College supplied no qualified substitute instructor during Prof. Millman's recent illness, which lasted FOUR weeks (see also MONTHLY UPDATE, item #8). This shameful lack of concern for students is typical of LaGuardia. The memo was sent to Vice President Bihn by the students, who explicitly requested a reply. (Don't hold your breath on this one kids; this guy is as compassionate as a worm). To: Vice President John Bihn From: Ms. Valdiva G. Da Silva Date: May 10, 2001 Subject: Missed classes for MATH 120.6602 Dear Mr. Bihn, I have currently transferred to your school this spring semester. One of the courses that I am taking now is the class shown above. Since April 3, 2001 our Professor, Dr. Millman, had become ill and was not able to attend his class. Dr. Millman was finally able to return on May 8, 2001. During the time of his absence little or nothing was done to accomodate my classmates and my needs to substitute for Dr. Millman. At various times we contacted the Math Department with the intention to find a solution to our problem. Countless times we visited the Math Department to find out the status of our class, but nothing was done except a tutor was sent. During this period, out of nine classes, consisting of two hours each, the tutor (Alex) was only sent at four occasions and little or no new material was shown to us. Alex did the best he could to accomodate our needs under the circumstances. However, all of us were very dissatisfied with the response of the Math Department. They never found time to come and talk to us nor to find a solution. Now, since Dr. Millman has been back, because no progress was made during his absence, he felt compelled to omit a couple of chapters from this course due to the fact that there isn't enough time remaining to consume so much information. The concern of many of my colleagues is that, as you may be aware, they will have to move on to a higher Statistics course, but due to the missed classes most likely they will not be able to understand the new class. Our other concern is that some of us who do not have to take the next Statistics class feel cheated out of our paid tuition because we did not get the full value of this course. As students at your college, we know we have certain responsibilities to fulfill both in and out of class. Yet shouldn't staff members in this college do the same? The school should be responsible and find a solution for cases such as these in order to achieve safer and smoother operations. Therefore we ask for your cooperation to resolve this ongoing problem. We would also like to receive a response to this letter as it clearly affects our educational progress. Below you will find the signatures of all the students belonging to this class who agree with this statement and would like some sort of solution in response to all of our needs. Thank you, Valdiva G. Da Silva cc: Dr. Jorge A. Perez |
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