Many at SUNY Cobleskill dispute the charges brought by former dean Thomas Hickey in his lawsuit against the college.
Students and a few staffers deny Dr. Hickey’s accusation of racial hostility on campus and his claim that the college is taking advantage of African-American students.
Filed in US District Court November 23, Dr. Hickey’s suit is against the college, President Don Zingale and Provost Anne Myers. He charged that the college lowered its standards to accept normally non-qualified students––especially African-Americans––to take their tuition money in order to make budget.
Dr. Hickey, who left the college last July after being there three years, described the college as having “a racially hostile environment.”
Not so, said Joe Robustelli, director of SUNY Cobleskill’s Educational Opportunity Program. For nearly 26 years, Mr. Robustelli’s led EOP, which works with financially and academically disadvantaged students.
“Over the past two or three years, there have been no incidents of racial conflict,” Mr. Robustelli said.
Because of its agriculture programs, the college draws many students from rural areas, but it also attracts students from inner cities. Mixing those two drastically different cultures is a delicate––but beneficial––process, Mr. Robustelli said.
“It’s a great time for the students to learn about one another,” he said. “It doesn’t always go smoothly. When it doesn’t, we don’t ignore it, we try to address it.”
A professor who asked to remain anonymous agreed, adding he had seen little or no racial tension on campus during his years there.
Students questioned while going to classes also agreed. Senior Turmaine Glenn, an African-American from Syracuse, came to Cobleskill in 2003, left and then transferred back two years ago.
“There’s no racial hostility at all,” Mr. Glenn said. “I wouldn’t have come back if there was.”
Two others walking together, one white and one not, described the college as “a very welcoming place.”
And Zach Vanderhoof, a white student from Westport, said the atmosphere is the opposite of hostile.
“I’m on the swim team, played soccer and will be on the track team,” Mr. Vanderhoof said. “We have many ethnicities, and we all get along, all hang out together.”
Only one student out of about a dozen mentioned racial tension. He’s an African-American from the Bronx.
“There’s a little racism,” he said. “I was surprised to see the Confederate flag so much here.”
Dylan Chapell, a white junior from Saratoga, admitted that “race is involved, but it’s not nearly as racist as people think it is.”
Asked about racial hostility, Mr. Chapell responded, “That’s bull.”
Lowering standards for purpose of taking students’ money doesn’t happen, nor does the college retain students just for their tuition, Mr. Robustelli said.
And, he added, SUNY Cobleskill doesn’t target African-Americans for financial gain.
His EOP program has equal numbers of white and non-white students, and Mr. Robustelli recruits from urban and rural areas.
“Cobleskill is no different than other schools like us,” he said. “We may not get high-end students. We get C-plus students who may have never reached their potential in high school.
“It’s so difficult to predict who will make it and who won’t based on high school grades.”
The desire to keep them in school isn’t rooted in money, Mr. Robustelli added.
“We want them to succeed,” he said. “That’s where it comes from. I’m proud to have these students in my program and at this college.”
The anonymous professor pointed out that marginal students aren’t forced to come to Cobleskill or to stay there.
“If they want to pay and try to succeed, why deny them the chance?” the professor asked.
The professor also noted that not all students come to Cobleskill for high-level academics.
“Although we’re a four-year college, we also strive to be a community college,” the professor said. “Some people view us that way, and we should offer them a chance to succeed.”
Students generally agreed that their struggling classmates should have that chance, and several pointed out that on-campus programs exist to help.
“People 18 or 20 might not be ready for college, but give them a chance,” Mr. Glenn said. “Nothing wrong with that.”