@John Jay
News and Events of Interestto the College Community
November 18, 2009
Worth Noting
November 18-22
8:00
PM
Il Furioso: e Birthof Modern Justice
A dual-language adaptationof Aeschylus’ “Eumenides”
Presented by the Department of Communication and eatre Arts withsupport from the Department of African American StudiesGerald W. Lynch eater
November 19
10:00
AM
2009 Annual Career Fair
Sponsored by the Office of Career Development ServicesGymnasium, Haaren Hall
November 30
5:30
PM
Tattletales and Victims:Rethinking Police Use of Confidential Informants
Presented by the Center on Race, Crime and Justice
Delores Jones-Brown, Director, CRCJ Jon Shane, e Police FoundationRoom 1311, North Hall
December 2
6:00
PM
Moot Court in Forensic Computing
Sponsored by the Master’s Programin Forensic ComputingRoom 230, Haaren Hall
“We should feel confident that workingtogether…we can move the world. Let’s getstarted.”With these words, John Jay President JeremyTravis concluded his annual State of the Collegeaddress on October 21, in which he spoke ofcreating a vision for the College for the next fiveyears, as John Jay approaches its 50th anniversaryin 2014.The master plan that Travis called “John Jay @50,” which he hopes to produce by the end ofthe academic year through a collaborative effort,will address questions surrounding the core issueof how John Jay will be different in 2014 whileremaining true to its mission of “Educating forJustice.”Travis launched his address with a review ofthe “simply breathtaking” changes that haveoccurred in the past five years to create a “re-vitalized” John Jay. Among those he cited were:• A 40-percent increase in the size of theentering class of baccalaureate freshmanstudents, to 1,657;• A 33-percent increase in the size of theCollege’s full-time faculty, with 50 percent ofthose faculty members having been hired in thepast five years;• Creation of educational partnerships withcommunity colleges to provide joint associate-baccalaureate degree programs through whathas been called the CUNY Justice Academy;• Development of new undergraduate majorsin English, Economics, Global History and GenderStudies, and graduate programs in ForensicMental Health Counseling and InternationalCrime and Justice, with several more bachelor’sand master’s degree programs “in the pipeline”;• Creation of a First-Year Experience programto enhance student success;• Redesign of the Honors Program, the scienceand math curriculum, the general-educationcurriculum and several existing baccalaureatemajors;• Significant improvements in technologicalinfrastructure, internal and external communica-tions, and fundraising from government andprivate sources;• The “emergence of the John Jay research juggernaut,” with grant receipts more thandoubling in the past four years.“No other institution in the world can claimthat its faculty are so deeply involved in so manypressing issues of justice and injustice,” Travissaid. “As we move forward to John Jay @ 50,
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we should ensure that the College remains an‘institution of consequence’ — that we partnerwith agencies and individuals who would benefitfrom the expertise of our faculty, the passionof our students, and the independence of anacademic institution.”In looking ahead, Travis conceded anuncertain future that could include a weakenednational economy, depressed tax revenues andunprecedented shortfalls in government budgets.Nonetheless, he reassured the audience in theGerald W. Lynch Theater, “my top priority will beto sustain our forward momentum…. We mayneed to tighten our belts and slow the pace ofchange, but I am confident that we will continuemoving forward toward a shared vision of theJohn Jay of the future.”The development of a new Master Plan forJohn Jay is poised to expand its imprint onthe uppermost echelons of the U.S. JusticeDepartment, with the announcement by theWhite House that President Obama plans tonominate Distinguished Professor James Lynch asDirector of the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS).If confirmed by the Senate, Lynch would joinEllen Scrivner, former director of the John JayLeadership Academy, and alumnus BenjaminTucker (BS, 1977) in the Obama Administration.Scrivner has been appointed as Deputy Directorof the National Institute of Justice and Tucker hasbeen tapped as Deputy Director for State, Localand Tribal Affairs of the White House Office ofNational Drug Control Policy.According to President Jeremy Travis, “Whilethe College will miss Dr. Lynch, we are honoredthat a highly regarded member of our faculty hasbeen nominated to such an important positionin the Obama Administration. He brings to theposition a wealth of knowledge and practicalexperience that will be invaluable to the Bureauof Justice Statistics and the nation.”Lynch, a member of the Department ofCriminal Justice, is a widely acknowledged experton crime statistics and victimization surveys.He previously served on a National Academy ofSciences panel that evaluated BJS programs. He isthe current vice president-elect of the AmericanSociety of Criminology and co-editor of the
Journal of Quantitative Criminology
.Scrivner, a police psychologist, is “a nationallyrecognized authority on community policing aswell as one of the leading experts on a widerange of policing issues, including recruitment,hiring and training,” noted Travis, who served asdirector of NIJ, the Justice Department’s researcharm, during the Clinton Administration.Scrivner said joining the Obama Administrationwill allow her to “help advance the agenda ofthose who value criminal justice research andevidence-based practices.” She is no stranger tothe National Institute of Justice, having servedas an NIJ Visiting Fellow studying police use ofexcessive force.Tucker, a retired New York City police officer,has served in numerous government positions,including Deputy Director for Operations of
Lynch Leads John Jay Parade of Obama Appointees
State of the College Address Cites ‘Breathtaking’ Changes
President Travis Calls for New Master Plan to Carry John Jay to 50th Anniversary in 2014
the Justice Department’s Office of Community-Oriented Policing Services and Executive Directorof the New York City Commission on HumanRights.
Distinguished Professor James Lynch
John Jay comes as the College is about to beginthe multi-year process leading to reaccreditationby the Middle States Commission on HigherEducation, and launch an initiative to increaseretention and graduation rates. Travis said theMaster Plan will be the result of a series of“robust discussions” including forums, focusgroups, town hall meetings, surveys and “ideawalls,” all leading to a document “that reflectsour best thinking, our high hopes and ourcommitment to excellence.”[For the complete text of the President’sState of the College 2009 address, go online towww.jjay.cuny.edu/Stateofcollege.pdf. To viewthe five-year “road map” of milestones for theMaster Plan, Middle States reaccreditation andretention initiatives, go to www.jjay.cuny.edu/ StateoftheCollege_Roadmap.pdf.]More than 300 supporters and friends of JohnJay College joined members of the college com-munity on October 29 for the annual “Educatingfor Justice” Gala, where Herb Sturz togetherwith Lynn and Jules Kroll were honored for theirlifelong contributions to public service and civicbetterment.The gala raised a record-breaking sum inexcess of $550,000, including a generous contri-bution of $50,000 by Dick Tarlow, a member ofthe John Jay College Foundation Board. The pro-ceeds of the evening will benefit various studentinitiatives.A former New York City deputy mayor andcreator of such programs as the Vera Institute forJustice and The After-School Corporation, Sturzreceived the Award for Social Entrepreneurship.In presenting the award, Jack Rosenthal, Presi-dent of The New York Times Company Founda-tion, described Sturz as “the most imaginativeand effective public policy innovator of ourtime.”John Jay President Jeremy Travis said:“Throughout his career, Herb Sturz has embraceda philosophy he calls ‘double or triple socialutility’ — working to help one population whilehelping another. He wrings optimal benefit fromevery investment of time, money and talent.”Award-winning journalist Ken Aulettapresented the Award for Civic Leadership to Lynnand Jules Kroll for their deep and enduring com-mitment to philanthropy and public service. JulesKroll is a pioneering figure in the modern corpo-rate investigative and security industry, while hiswife, Lynn, is a veteran leader of numerous non-profit institutions, including the UJA-Federationof New York and the Jewish Board of Family andChildren’s Services.“Jules Kroll has drawn upon his vast experi-ence in his role as chairman of the John JayCollege Foundation, providing superlative leader-ship for the board and the John Jay community,”Travis said.The gala featured entertainment by Lin-Manuel Miranda, the Tony Award-winningcomposer and lyricist of the Broadway hit “In theHeights,” and Henry Butler, the legendary NewOrleans-based jazz and blues pianist.
Leading New Yorkers Saluted at Annual ‘Educating for Justice’ Gala
President Travis (right) enjoys a moment during the “Educating for Justice” Gala with (from left) presenter Jack Rosenthal,honoree Herb Sturz, presenter Ken Auletta, and honorees Jules and Lynn Kroll.
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