The Core 100 program invites students and faculty from the College to join us for our weekly lecture series. Each week, all of the first-year students participate in lecture-discussions with about 400 of their classmates. We have space in the Center for the Arts (Building 1P) Williamson Theatre to accommodate individual guests and can have as many as two additional classes at each of the lectures. No permission is needed for classes to attend, but please notify Donna Scimeca (718.982.3405) if you plan to bring a class. Please note, Saturday lectures meet in the smaller lecture hall and have limited space.

The lectures are 50 minutes and are all in the Williamson Theatre, except for the Saturday lecture, which meets in 1P-119. They meet on the following days/times: Wednesdays at 11:15am; on Thursdays at 8:00am, 10:10am, 4:40pm, and 6:30pm; on Saturdays at 10:10am.

The focus of the Core Lecture Series this semester will be to directly link the program’s curriculum to current events. The Thursday 4:40pm lecture will be playing “Corelandia” this semester.

The Lecture Series Schedule for the Week of Apr. 30, 2018:

Wednesday, May 2:

-11:15am:  “The United States, Iran, and Foreign Policy,” presented by Robert Grosso

This lecture will explore U.S. diplomatic efforts, discussing how the government operates on a global scale in terms of foreign policy. Of particular note will be an examination of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (U.S./Iran nuclear deal) of 2015 as a primary example of U.S. foreign policy, and the growing presence of the U.S. in a globalized world.

Robert Grosso has been teaching with the Core Program since 2014. He also teaches at Union County College in New Jersey, mostly on the subject of Western civilization.

Thursday, May 3:

-8:00am and 10:10am:  “Janus v AFSCME and the Future of Labor Unions,” presented by Michael Batson

On February 26, 2018 the Supreme Court heard oral arguments on Janus v. AFSCME, a case that will have widespread implications for labor unions nationwide, particularly those representing public sector employees. The Court is currently deliberating the case and will make a ruling in May or June of 2018. The Court will likely rule in favor of the plaintiff, Mark Janus, who sued to not be required to pay agency fees to the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees, the union representing employees at the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services where he works as a social worker. Such fees are required by law to cover a union’s expenses for collective bargaining and worker representation. In return, unions must represent all employees in a workplace where they are, whether an employee is a union member or not. A ruling in favor of Janus could seriously weaken public sector unions by depriving them of revenue and power. At the heart of the case is a dispute between the “free rider” problem and the issue of “free association” or free speech. The “free rider” problem occurs by allowing people to benefit from the organizing of and protections provided by the union without financially contributing to it, while the issue of “free association” (or free speech) arises when someone is compelled, as a condition of employment, to contribute to an organization that takes positions or funds causes with which they might disagree. A 40-year-old Supreme Court case currently stands as an uneasy compromise between those two issues. Will the current Supreme Court Justices uphold or strike down that precedent?

Michael Batson is a Lecturer in the History Department and Core 100 Program and has served since 2009 on the Executive Council of the Professional Staff Congress, the union representing CUNY’s 27,000 faculty and staff.

-4:40pm: Corelandia, presented by Victor Miller and Vincent DePaolo

Last Week in Corelandia:  Corelandian’s will now debate which system of economics will be most beneficial to our young nation-state. After reading Marx, Mills, and Smith, the factions will have to come up with solution to foster economic growth, raise the GDP to bring revenue into the Corelandian Treasury, and determine which laws need to be instituted to protect workers. Will they decide on a Free Market Capitalism, Communism, or a Mixed Economy?

This week in Corelandia: Corelandian’s now, after having a very heated debate, will come to a resolution on which system of economics will be most beneficial to our young nation-state. We will discuss the experience overall and see why after forming a Communist government things started to fall apart. Why they had to rebuild the civilization from the ground up. We will discuss what may have been done differently to have the government function. What have we gained from this experience in our new country Corelandia?

Vincent DePaolo previously was an Adjunct Instructor at Long Island University-Brooklyn Campus in the History Department, teaching introductory World History Survey courses. He received his BA in History and MS in Social Science with a concentration in History, and Advanced Graduate Certificate in United Nation Studies at Long Island University-Brooklyn Campus. He has also received his MSEd in Secondary Social Studies from the College of Staten Island-CUNY.

Victor Miller earned a BA in History at the College of Staten Island in 2005 and an MS in Adolescent Education in 2008. He has been an Adjunct of Core 100 since February 2012 and currently also works in the Center for Advising and Academic Success. Victor is the of author of the “Summer of ’87” Reacting to the Past classroom simulation and also recently served on the Core 100 textbook editing committee.

-6:30pm: “The Evolution of Our American Healthcare System and How It Impacts Our Lives, Our Economy, and Our Future,” presented by Anthony Casella

This lecture will take a look at the evolution of our healthcare system and analyzes how well it provides healthcare to our citizens. In addition, Professor Casella will examine the Affordable Healthcare Act’s financial cost and how that cost impacts our economy.  Finally, Professor Casella will take a look at the Affordable Healthcare Act and analyze its pros and cons, and discuss, if replaced, with the American Health Care Act, will it provide better, cost-effective healthcare to all Americans?

Anthony Casella has been a member of the Core faculty since 2009. He received both a BA in History and an MS in Science in Education from St. John’s University. Professor Casella also received an MA in Administration and Supervision from CSI/CUNY.  He is currently an Assistant Principal at PS 25R South Richmond HS on Staten Island.

Saturday, May 5:

-10:10am: “Core Students Speak Out on Core 100!”

To mark the end of the Spring 2018 semester, student representatives from each of the Core sections take the stage to share with the Core faculty and the program’s coordinator, what worked and what didn’t this semester, and offer suggestions on how the program can be improved.

The discussion will be moderated by Donna Scimeca, Coordinator of the Core 100 Program.