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 (no permission needed) and can have as many as two additional classes at each of the lectures. Permission is not necessary for classes to attend, but please notify Donna Scimeca at 718.982.3405 if you plan to bring a class.
The lectures are 50 minutes in length and are all in the Williamson Theatre. They meet on the following days/times: Wednesdays at 12:20pm and 3:35pm, and on Thursdays at 8:00am, 10:10am, 4:40pm, and 6:30pm.
In the fall, the Saturday 10:10am lectures are held in the Williamson Theatre, but due to space limitations, we unfortunately cannot accommodate additional classes.
The Lecture Series schedule for the Week of Feb. 22, 2016 is as follows:
Wednesday, Feb. 24:
12:20pm: “The U.S. Constitution- A Product of the Enlightenment,” presented by Willy Fallon
This lecture will focus on The Constitution of the United States- its components, its purposes, its limitations, and its philosophies. The U.S. governmental structure set forth in the Constitution will also be discussed, as well as an examination of judicial review, with a look at Marbury v. Madison.
William Fallon received his Master’s degree from the College of Staten Island in January 2014. His focus is U.S. history, specifically 20th century and foreign policy. This is William’s second semester teaching Core 100.
Wednesday, Feb. 25:
8:00am: “Natural Law and Willowbrook State School,” presented by Jack Gordon
The lecture will briefly look at what we mean by the term “natural law,” the important part the concept has played in U.S. history, and why it is so important to hold on to the concept in an increasingly secular society on behalf of our most vulnerable population, the disabled.
Professor Gordon is a proud graduate of CSI’s MALS program (2001) and a recovering New York City Public School teacher.
10:10am and 4:40pm: “Articles of Confederation, Constitution and the Bill of Rights, and the Gideon Case,” presented by Rosemary McCall
Dr. McCall opens the lecture with the first “weak” constitution that the newly formed Republic has in place. In those early years after the Revolution, it’s clear that the Founding Fathers as well as the congressmen and the 13 individual states didn’t trust concentrated power or each other. The lecture shifts to the Constitution framers’ activities in Philadelphia in 1787. She presents some general information regarding the integral players (Madison and Washington; Randolph and Hamilton; Gov. Morris) and their roles in usurping and rewriting, rather than “tweaking,” the Articles.
Rosemary McCall received her Juris Doctor at the National Law Center of GWU. Her master’s work was funded by the NSF and was completed at the University of South Carolina. She graduated cum laude with Honors in Geology from Brooklyn College just as the last Ice Age ended.
6:30pm: “Court Case: Marbury v. Madison (1803),” presented by Anthony Casella
This lecture will provide an in-depth look at the Supreme Court case, Marbury v. Madison (1803) and the impact it has had in affording the Supreme Court with the power of judicial review. Also, because of the untimely passing of Justice Antonin Scalia, we will examine the process of how a person becomes a Supreme Court justice.
Professor Casella has been a member of the CORE faculty since 2009. He holds a BA and MS degree from St. John’s University, in addition to a Professional Certificate in Administration/Supervision from CSI/CUNY. Professor Casella has worked for the Department of Education since 1992 and is currently serving as an Assistant Principal at South Richmond HS.
