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.

The lectures are 50 minutes and are all in the Williamson Theatre. They meet on the following days/times: Wednesdays at 11:15am and 1:25pm; 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 Lecture Series Schedule for the Week of Sept. 30, 2019 

Wednesday, Oct. 23:
-1:15am and 1:25pm: “Perceptions of Media Bias in the United States,” presented by Robert Grosso

Professor Robert Grosso looks into the perceptions of media bias in the United States. This includes the historical roots of media bias, the rise of penny presses, and the modern usage of manufactured news, along with the growing use of social media that exacerbates our own bias further.

Robert Grosso has been teaching with the Core Program since 2014, and has lectured on numerous topics in history, civics, and economics for the program’s lecture series. He also teaches at Union County College in NJ, primarily teaching the history of Western civilization.

Thursday, Oct. 24:
-8:00am and 10:10am: “Civil Rights: [A Woman’s] Right to Privacy,” presented by Rosemary McCall

In the 1960s and ’70s, the “women’s liberation movement” helped create worlds of possibility for education, sports, working women, arts, and the sciences. One goal of the movement, women’s autonomy, was advanced with the SCOTUS landmark decision, Roe v. Wade, which affirmed abortion as a Constitutional right. However, achieving the goals of equal opportunity and control of women’s lives is a continuing battle. This lecture will present an overview of SCOTUS’s abortion and reproductive rights decisions and their impact in the pro-choice/pro-life issues from Roe (Jan. 1973) through the recently heard arguments in June Medical Services v. Gee (Oct. 2019).

Rosemary McCall is a graduate of Brooklyn College, CUNY. She holds advanced degrees from University of South Carolina and GWU National Law Center.

-4:40pm: “What’s Wrong with Equality,” presented by Patrice Buffaloe

The phrase “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal” appears in the second paragraph of the Declaration of Independence, written in 1776. This concept was further extended with the creation of the Constitution. However, in the 21st Century, the United States still grapples with the notion of equality. Today’s lecture aims to address the essential question: To what extent did the Movement for Equality lead to inequality for some? This lecture will examine the need for equity versus equality.

Patrice Buffaloe is a proud graduate of the College of Staten Island. In 2003, she earned her MA in Liberal Arts and 2005, her MS in Adolescent Education. Professor Buffaloe holds New York State certification teaching licenses in Special Education, Grades 7–12; Social Studies, Grades 7–12; and Elementary Education, Grades 1–6. She has had the pleasure of teaching EDS 201 and EDD 602 the Social Historical Foundation of Education to pre-service teachers with a focus on urban education and the effect of social, economic; and political conditions on the public education system. However, Professor Buffaloe is most proud of the work she does with the students in the Core 100 classes.

-6:30pm: “Gun Control in America,” presented by Michael Matthews

This lecture will examine the second amendment and the concept of gun control in the U.S.

Michael Matthews earned both his BA and MA degrees at Brooklyn College/CUNY. He also has an MBA from Fordham University.

Saturday, Oct. 26:

-10:10am: “Title VII and LGBTQ Rights,” presented by John Lentine

Title VII of the Civil Rights act of 1965 was designed to end discrimination in the workplace in provide redress for American citizens who were facing known discrimination at the time. As times changed, we see how this law can apply to the LGTBQ community as well. This lecture will provide the facts to engage the audience in a discussion about the upcoming Supreme Court decisions regarding LGBTQ workplace discrimination.

John Lentine graduated from the Pennsylvania State University – Capital College, with a BS in Public Policy and a MPA in Public Administration. Studying just outside the State Capitol, he had the distinct honor of working for two of Pennsylvania’s State Representatives. Upon his return to Staten Island, he worked on a City Council campaign management team. He is currently working on his MS in Education at the College of Staten Island and is teaching at New Ventures High School.