It is with deep regret that I announce the passing of William Birenbaum, former President of Staten Island Community College, one of our predecessor institutions.
President Birenbaum’s tenure at SICC was from 1968 to 1976. During this time he helped design and implement open admissions at The City University of New York and authored two books, Overlive: Power, Poverty, and the University, first published in 1969, and Something for Everybody Is Not Enough: An Educator’s Search for His Education, first published in 1971. Early in 1973, after relations were restored with the People’s Republic of China, he led the first U.S. mission to China, having persuaded their ambassador at the United Nations that the College of Staten Island was a “peoples’ college.”
President Birenbaum enjoyed a lifelong career in education; he transformed many lives and institutions. We are proud of his legacy on Staten Island, and he will be greatly missed by many faculty, staff, and faculty emeriti at CSI. I extend my deepest condolences to his family.
-Tomás D. Morales, PhD
