Letter to campus regarding SEEK Program
March 2, 2000
As many of you know, the SEEK Program (Search for Education, Elevation, and Knowledge) was established by the State of New York in 1966 to advance the cause of equality of educational policy and opportunity in CUNY and SUNY for New York State high school graduates (and those who have earned an equivalent diploma) who are economically and educationally disadvantaged. The statutory structure for this program was incorporated in the New York State Education Law in 1970.
For over thirty years Brooklyn College has strongly supported the SEEK Program and the services it has extended to thousands of students who might otherwise not have had the opportunity to pursue a baccalaureate degree and to achieve their full potential. As we begin the new millennium, the College reaffirms its commitment to the success of the SEEK Program which continues to provide personal and academic counseling, tutoring, and financial assistance to eligible students.
As mandated by recent University policy and confirmed by the New York State Board of Regents, Brooklyn College can no longer offer remedial and developmental courses toward the baccalaureate degree (effective January 2000). Enhanced instructional support is still available to SEEK students through summer and intersession non-credit immersion programs and in credit-bearing compensatory courses during the academic year. The compensatory courses are to be given in academic departments (English, Mathematics, Speech Communication Arts and Sciences) where, as the experience of senior colleges such as Queens and Baruch demonstrates, students progress at a faster rate, and graduate in greater numbers, when assimilated into the general student population. The SEEK program itself will provide tutors, mentors, and workshops to supplement these courses.
The Brooklyn College administration and faculty, including the Professional Staff Congress, remain firmly committed to upholding the mission of the SEEK Program. Our goal is to provide SEEK students with opportunities, support, and assistance that will enable them to succeed in their educational aspirations. The Brooklyn College administration will continue to work with the central administration in CUNY to ensure and to strengthen the ongoing support of the SEEK Program by the New York State legislative and executive bodies.
