Krzesinski to ECC City Campus: Drop dead!

WOW!!! It has been awhile since I have researched employment policies. There used to be a strong commitment that community colleges served a vital role as an alternative to youth more bent to a vocational career. With such high unemployment rates among Buffalo youth, it seems like an incredible opportunity for ECC to aggressively position itself as a trainer for these youth. The idea that youth who frequently lack access to automobiles would have to overcome even more obstacles to get this training is a shame.

Young Citizens for ECC should be commended for their articulate effort to make vocational education possible for all residents of Erie County.

ECC: "Welcome to 1965!!!"

We've all prospered so much since the exact same decisions as this one were made back then!

No offense to some of you out there, but Suburban Baby Boomers ruin everything.

are you SERIOUS?

this is practically sabotage, and to think that it is board-driven.

i smell a dereliction of duty lawsuit.

Yesterday reports were that ECC was to consider moving additional classes downtown, and now this crazy women wants to close the campus. Unfreakinbelievable.

I believe it was Sam Hoyt and Mark Gristanti who said they would prevent the state from funding it's portion if this was built in Amherst. It's probably no coincidence that Krzesinski drops this bomb the day after Hoyt's resignation.

Not to slander, but I had this woman as a high school social studies teacher and it was rumored that she couldn't be the dean anymore because of some while-on-the job behavior... She IS THE SHINING EXAMPLE of MONEY HUNGRY CONSERVATIVE POWER. All she used to talk about is how great her "open-floor plan" home in Amherst was and how great the Republican Party is... and it was an Economics class.. taught my class and I that everyone is a democrat until they grow up and need more tax breaks..
shame, shame.

Well, it's more juice for the oncoming lawsuit(s) that's for sure.

What a knuckleheaded op-ed!

This behavior from a board member can only help the case.

THANK YOU for publicly letting everyone know how behind the times and inefficient ECC is.

In that case, maybe they should stop using the Old Post Office building on all of their marketing materials. It seems to be their unofficial mascot.

Patricia Krzesinski sounds like a real jackass!
Great leadership!..I'm sure all the city campus students appreciate her dedication to "community education"

Giambra was a republican and a conservative. He was also a champion for the city with many great ideas unfortunately he had his problems and his ideas were little more than test balloons.

This woman is a nutjob who knows nothing about business or economics or job growth. Her failings come from the insular heiarchical world of teachers unions and school buracracy.

The #1 job growth in Buffalo is coming out of the Center for Excellence (COE) in Life Sciences...and thats where ECC should be located. In fact, Buffalo needs more COEs in different areas: Banking&Finance, Data&Voice&Ecommerce, Material & Nanosciences, Power Generation&Distribution&Mgmt, as well as, International Trade & Transportation &Distribution & SupplyChain&Warehouse-InventoryMgmt. These are the top 5 in addition to Medical Sciences...that could create jobs if funded.

Someone in the northern suburbs has the choice of NCC and someone in the eastern suburbs has the choice of GCC. Its the city that is poorly served and centrally located.

Oh Buffalo, just when I think you have gotten your head out of your arse...someone stands up and shoves it right back in

I can only hope that the next generation of leadership makes as much sense as Bernice does and that they come to power in time before we screw things up even more.

What a lack of leadership in this community. Thank God there is movement going on in this city despite it's leaders.

Who's appointee is she? The governor appoints 4, and the county exec appoints 5 (with legislature approval). When is her term up?

The only way to REALLY affect change at ECC is to change the board.

Community Colleges were created to help people without peak educational opportunity. Interesting, then, that Patricia Krzesinski thinks the mission of ECC is best served by her proposal. I, personally, hope more sound minds prevail on this one.

That was the kinder me. Here's the me as I feel, not as I think:

Patricia Krzesinski: Go Ef Yourself....after all, some people don't deserve respect.

The 'leaders' (that term is loose at best) in this area need to get over themselves. Take your dolly and go home.

Thank you all for showing your support on this issue. It is very important that we continue to put pressure on ECC about the proposed health and science building before it's too late.

Here is the link to our blog and petition.
http://youngcitizensforecc.blogspot.com/

It is amazing that ECC is taking a position like this so publicly after saying somewhat the opposite just yesterday. What does this suggest about their long range planning and the methodology they use for determining capital investments and educational strategy.

Very dissappointing from the chair of the Board of Trustees of a COMMUNITY college.
Community colleges are not supposed to be involved in revitalizing communities?
Of course they are!!!

You think this would be a "no brainer" situation, on just a basic level (no geo-politics required)... UB, and other public and private institutions are building an incredible science and research corridor along Main Street. I am amazed that the board of trustees have such a lack of foresight (and boat loads of free time and taxpayer money to waste) to realize that they just might want to build a science or technology building in or near this corridor in order to capitalize on potential strengths and opportunities it will bring to the area.

One thing that makes Buffalo special is its history, culture, architecture and amenities.

If Patricia Krzesinski wants to bottom dollar everything then why not build a trailer park on the many empty city blocks. that would be cheap...and get rid of all the political patronage jobs for which ECC is rife. Infact there are plenty of cities and towns run out of office trailors...perhaps she should move there.

But Buffalo has these magnificent buildings like the Post Office that require a government or municipal agency to own otherwise they will not survive.

This is politics...because no one could be so insane to the realities of our city.

I said just a couple of days ago that the ECC board can care less about expanding in the city because they're in it for money and notr benefiting th community. Fortuntely, these people can be voted out if the school is applied with enough pressure.

I said just a couple of days ago that the ECC board can care less about expanding in the city because they're in it for money and notr benefiting th community. Fortunately, these people can be voted out if the school is applied with enough pressure.

there is growth happening at the top of the City Campus, literally! Maybe this would be a job for the flunky Jane Corwin...directing the city folk the Republican Party is so very fond of.

The world might take the millennial generation more seriously if these 20 somethings actually acted like adults instead of retarded adolescents. Move out of your parent's house, get a job and your own insurance, stop living in a dream world where you are coddled and supported through every mishap or problem in your life. Too many millenial children are still living in a fantasy world, and we shouldn't make critical decisions based on their opinion of what this fantasy should look like. Let's see how this same demographic thinks when they hit their 30s and have kids of their own. Will they still want to live in the cities? My generation thought the same thing until we grew older and left the lofts for the burbs. I don't expect that the next generation will be any different regardless of what one survey and a poorly written Wall Street Journal article may claim.

>Lashing out against criticism . . ."closing. . .our City Campus."

Wow. A thoughtless way to respond to prominent leaders, sincere students and the community. A horrible, immature way to express anger. A quick apology, retraction and explanation by tomorrow morning would show Ms. Krzesinski's desire to continue in this position.

>Krzesinski to ECC City Campus: Drop dead!

Better headline: "Krzesinski to ECC City Campus: I AM GOING TO KILL YOU!"

I am a Professor at ECC city campus. Many of the students who attend the city campus walk, bicycle and bus it to school.
It is sad that Ms. Krzesinski doesn't realize the value to these students (and the long term financial benefits for the county) that providing opportunities to these particular students provides.

It is clear that ecc is on the defensive now... Just like Larry quinn was when bass pro started to go south. I don't understand the medical campus is good enough for UB but not ecc. You would think that ecc would want to band together with UB.

maybe we should burn down the northern and southern campuses. Show this bitch we mean bizniz

Please tell Chairwoman Krzesinski how you feel!

Her e-mail is PKrzesinski@ecc.edu
Even if it's a short message, let her know! If you don't tell her, she'll keep thinking she's right.

The chairwoman reminds me of the numerous suburban troglodytes that used be quite vocal during the white flight exodus of the 60's, 70's and 80's.

It's really shocking that someone of her stature would actually make threats to close down a campus merely because she is getting heat from political sources. I hope the community reacts strongly and fiercely.

How can she be removed? Who placed her in that position? She needs to feel real heat and get recalled.

This woman sounds like a complete moron. WHY is she even in charge????? Get rid of her.

Why should any County be running a college? Close and sell the property: City, North and South. Same for housing projects: close and sell.

WHY DOES BUFFALO SUFFER? It is a question I am sure we have all asked ourselves.

Nothing ever seems to change does it? Sometimes I think Buffalo needs a political revolution more than any Middle East country.

I still see hope for Buffalo. The economic downturn is forcing more 20 somethings to stay in the region. With that brings a fresh vitality of new ideas and energy that Buffalo has been sorely lacking the last 30 years.

So yes Skybox, 20 somethings are young. They don't necessarily have the perspective that you reach when you hit your forties or beyond. But they have an energy and optimism that Buffalo needs. Let us not deride it, let us harness it. The future of Buffalo is, after all, their future and they should have a say in it.

As for myself, I just bought a house on the west side for 8 thousand dollars. When I am done renovating it, I will have a house that has been completely rewired, re-plumbed, insulated and NO MORTGAGE! A pretty sweet deal for an individual of any age!

The story behind the story is follow the money. As it was with UB building a mega-campus in the swamps of Amherst as opposed to downtown Buffalo finally prevailed because of what politicians/appointees were purchased by a group of developers.

Who owns the property where the expanded new north campus would be built? Who owns the surrounding property to be developed for the new student consumers? How much have they contributed to political coffers on both sides?

Expose the facts behind the above and embarrass them in the mainstream press and you may have a chance to get a campus downtown if not, well its Erie County as usual.

I am a current student at ECC City campus. Look through the booklet of classes in which we can sign up for and youll see the listings for classes in both North and South campus crush the amount of options available here. I just took a math course in summer session and it had at least 20 students complete it ... We all now have to take the second part of this math class in North Campus because it IS NOT being offered here at City. My point is, offer more classes at City and WE WILL be there. Closing this school would leave me and countless others with no other option for education. You would think ECC would embrace the growth theyve been talking about, biggest student increase at city campus, most applications theyve ever had etc. Hell they put student housing here and as far as i know the lofts at 106 or w/e number it is, is packed. This board needs changes, and I will be emailing this woman. Again, SMH. That is all

I was out on the boat last night with two friends who teach at ECC, one teaches math and the other teaches in the nursing program. We talked about the article in the Buffalo News and the comments by Patricia Krzesinski. Both said they are not surprised and that most of their colleagues support her opinion that the city campus should be closed. They state that the biggest issue with the city campus is safety. My one friend had his car broken into several times while parking in a paid parking garage downtown. They rifled through his glove box and stole his registration and insurance card that has his home address on it. The parking lot owner tole him coldly that this happens every few days and to just get used to it. He called Buffalo's finest who told him they could send a car out to take a report in 3 - 4 hours. Thanks but no thanks, he now teaches exclusively at ECC North. This may be why the second level class is only offered at that campus. My other friend in Nursing told a story of a colleague who is continually harassed on her way to the metro stop when leaving class in the late evening. She also refuses to teach in this section of the city and has bought a handgun for personal protection as a result of her experience.

My friend also said that she has no problem working at the Medical Campus because it is well patrolled by Roswell and Buff Gen security. The same is not true just a few blocks away.

The point of this is the quality of life and safety continually come up in conversations about the city. When is our elected government going to wake up and realize that this is a problem? We could potentially lose the expansion of the city campus due to the concerns at the lower end of Maslow's pyramid. Address those and we might have a chance at getting the things closer to the top.

How hypocritical if any who've ever demanded in comments on this blog that ECC should close its North/Amherst largest most popular campus are now among those flipping out about them even pretend-considering closing the city campus.

If 3 is really too many campuses and that's supposedly the main issue, why not consider all possibilities with neutral criteria?
This could including defining a 'campus' - why would multiple ECC buildings spread apart in the city all count as 1 campus if it's really the count that matters most?

Sam Hoyt was just self-silenced on this issue by accepting a Empire State Development Corporation job. He doesn't even know what he will be doing yet (see WIVB interview). His silence is now purchased with a cushy NYS Cuomo patronage job at our expense. Wow the developers standing to make a bundle off of a new North ECC campus have made the right campaign contributions and in the right amounts.

The argument is weak. By this thinking, we should close County Hall and move to cheaper space per square foot in the suburbs. I guess City Hall could operate cheaper if they operated from an office park instead of a 1920s tower. And UB would be best served if it moved from the city to cheap swampland in Amherst. Oh, wait...

I was just recently accepted into the Emergency Management Program @ City Campus. Would it be more convienient for me if this class was offered at North Campus? Sure. As I'm a Generation Y'er who ran to suburbia from my abode in the City.

I think what they need to do is specialize the campuses. I believe with the abundance of Hospitals, Specialty Medical Facilities, etc; City Campus should be become a medical school with LPN, Nursing, Emergency Medical Services,Emergency Management,and other medical related fields.

Right now someone can take EMT-Basic at all three campuses,Advanced EMT at North or South Campus, and lastly Paramedic at South Campus. The reasoning for the last is stricty, in my opinion, convienience for staff only.

I believe the closure of ECC City would be wrong, and another bonehead mistake for our region.

As to the people who posted somewhat off topic about living in the city, raising there families in the city, I applaud you. However I will say, as a 31 year old who lived in the city for over 10 years with my wife and 2 children, your perspections will change. My wife and I were in the same belief of walking the kids to Delaware Park, the museums, the Elmwood Strip, etc. However, as we learned, city schools WILL NOT CHANGE. The problem is the bureaucratics of the system, contracts dating back to post Civil War days, the bussing of your children all over the city. We ended up starting our daughter off in an Amherst pre-K program for two years and she has since attended private school & excelled(and my wife and I are blue collar working stiffs). Would she have had that same reinforcement in public? Knowing the children in the old neighborhood...no.

Besides, just because someone has moved to the suburbs doesn't mean they are evil and anti-city. I still follow city politics more than I do my own town's. I still take my kids to Squaw Island Park, Bird Island Pier, Central Wharf, Outer Harbor, and museums too. I'm quite tired of the villianization of people who have left the city.

WOW. Where did this power delusional woman come from? It's bad enough that we live in a community with a brain dead, do nothing, obstructionist mayor and political structure, but now the chair of a third(?) tier community college is going to push around the idea of closing access to an education for the city's youth is unfathomable. Where in the world is this woman stuck, 1955? My fantasy is that she is an out of touch, suburbanite (sorry suburban people I know you are all not right wing only do what's good for me types) with some latent racism thrown in. She is supposed to represent the best interests of our community and it's students, isn't she? Get rid of her!

For the record, a million thumbs down to Ms. Krzesinski’s slap-shot to close the downtown ECC, just in case she relapses from her rescission of the arrogant remark.

Some have already alluded to this. Just who attends and from where? If the city schools are as dreadful as purported on this very site and in the News, why expand in the city? I get it that it would be a real boon to the repopulating and revitalization of the downtown area, but who is being most served? Most of the readers in this forum do not remember when the debate ensued over UB going to Amherst, but I do. It was overwhelmingling applauded as the right choice. That is where the boomers were. Not south, not east, but north. And at that time, the exodus out of the city by families was a tidal wave. I am not justifying the move, just reporting the tenor of those times. Buffalo was overcrowded, filthy and the schools were dreadful even then. I had to attend PS 65 for part of 6th grade when my family was between houses and it was singularly the worst year of my life. Some of the kids from the Ontario Street projects were 15 and still sitting in that classroom as if there was any hope for them. Those were the times! But those teachers had my respect! Dead aims with a chalky eraser!

Respectfully submitted with the facts!

A few facts and anecdotes from recent interviews with Pat Krzesinski and Jack Quinn.

- Nearly 49% of all ECC students attend the Amherst campus (per interview with Pat Krzesinski on WBEN, July 1, 2011).

- ECC has spent nearly $80 Million dollars on City Campus improvements over the past 10 years, while they have spent nearly nothing on the North Campus in that same period of time.

- ECC City Campus is undergoing a $9 Million dollar mortar and roof repair project.

- A poll of ECC students in 2009 revealed that the majority of students chose to attend classes in Amherst over the other two classes.

- Erie County loses $8.3 Million each year in chargebacks to Niagara County for Eric County students who attend NCCC. This is a required payment that must be made for all students attending classes in another county. Erie County would receive a similar payment for attracting students from other counties.

- According to Jack Quinn, "Parking is a major problem with the City Campus" he stated that students cannot afford to spend $6 - $10 per day to park in the city, and cannot always afford to metro card either. Parking in Amherst is ample and free.

- According to Jack Quinn, (paraphrased) 'ECC is very interested in building in Downtown Buffalo where it makes sense to the community and students, we have neglected the other campuses to renovate the city campus ad it is time to shift our focus to create a world class college system'

Wow, that's amazing that someone with that kind of mind set and mentality could ever have been voted on to the board of directors. I vote that she be immediately terminated.

Do these urban street urchins really need this campus? I mean really, if one does not go to a top school what future is there for that person anyhow? We need more trade schools for these hooligans, do you know how much they charge me to open and close my pools every year?