Achieving the Dream

Men of Color committee meeting

August 31, 2006 – Minutes

Those present at today meeting are Dean Primus, Jose Velez, Bryan Lewis, Carlos Castillo and Dwayne Brewington.

  1. Chair Update
  2. Bryan was designated as this weeks minute taker
  3. Carlos will provide the minutes for the July 20 meeting to Dean Primus
  4. Calls were made to 220 Black and Latino males who were not yet registered for the fall 06 semester. There was a mixed bag of results. Some students planned on registering, some were unaware of what there status was at the college and others indicated that they would not be attending for a variety of reasons.
  5. Ad hoc report on placement testing was discussed. A large percentage of Black and Latino males are testing one or two levels below college level courses. Hassan Babatunji will be invited to the next meeting to discuss the placement test results.
  6. The Black and Latino Men’s committee with funding from ATD will be hiring a part time Education Assistant. The educational assistant will be working 10-15 hours a week to assist in the retention efforts of Black and Latino males. Dean Primus will develop a job description.
  1. Reception
  2. The committee reviewed invitations that will be handed out to Black and Latino males informing them of the September 14 reception. The manner in which the invitations would be distributed was discussed. The committee recommends distributing the invitations in class to Black and Latino males who are taking developmental courses.

b. Marie Bache will also be invited to the next meeting to discuss the way in which the Learning Center markets itself to Black and Latino males.

  1. Topics to be discussed during the reception include how to be more comfortable within the classroom, being a man with a plan and financial aid.
  1. Men’s Center
  2. Dean Primus is working on acquiring space (500-600sqft) for a men’s center.
  3. The committee recommends the name Black and Latino Men’s Resource Center.
  4. A sub-committee was formed to organize this year’s Men of Color conference. Jose will chair the committee and Bryan and Carlos volunteered to be members. The Conference has a tentative date of March 30th, 2007. Dean Primus and Carlos will contact possible speakers for the event. Bryan and Jose will contact Leighton Thompson and Anthony Grady to ask their participation.