Letters to the editor.

To the Editor:

I was deeply disappointed by your October Story on the CHA's Service Connector program.

First of all, it is insensitive of your reporter to diminish the value of an entry-level job for people who have never worked before. Given the skill-level of many of the people we're serving, even low-paying jobs represent progress and a first step to a higher-paying job.

Second, I have always said that the Service Connector program, in partnership with other City and community agencies, has "helped" over 2,500 CHA families find jobs. (Today, in fact, we're over 3,000). The Service Connectors alone are directly responsible for about half of them. If this statement seemed ambiguous, it was unintentional. The fact is, Service Connectors are part of a system of social resources that help our residents find employment. The fact that Service Connectors directly placed more than 1,200 CHA residents in jobs is hardly something we wish to obscure. Just the opposite: We believe this figure provides compelling proof that Service Connectors is working. It seems that The Chicago Reporter missed this point because it was looking only for things that we might have done wrong.

Third, it is misleading to compare a Service Connector's caseload to a social worker s caseload. A Service Connector might spend an hour a month referring an individual client to needed social services, while a social worker might spend an hour a day providing those services. They are entirely different functions.

I could quibble with the rest of the piece, but it's clear that The Chicago Reporter is only interested in bad news. Your readers also deserve good news, which is that over 12,000 residents are enrolled in the Service Connectors Program, accessing services that are helping them become lease-compliant and more financially and personally stable.

In its zeal to cast the Service Connector's progress in a bad light, The Chicago Reporter is missing one of the biggest stories in the history of Chicago, and perhaps even the nation: the remarkable transformation of decaying, unsafe public housing developments into healthy, mixed-income communities that offer children and families a better quality of life and our seniors a comfortable, dignified place to live.

Because of the dedicated efforts of our administration, our many community partners and the residents themselves, good things are happening to CHA residents throughout the city of Chicago. If you dedicated just a fraction of your energy to uncovering their stories, you will be doing a real service to your readers and the community.

Terry Peterson

Chief Executive Officer

Chicago Housing Authority 

From the Editor:

When stating the number of families it has helped find jobs, CHA officials acknowledge this number actually refers to job placements, many in high-turnover industries. As our article stated, officials do not know how many residents are still employed. We also noted that, while the lobs were an improvement, many disagree with MR. Peterson's optimistic assessments. The Reporter's coverage of this issue reflects concerns expressed and recommendations made by Service Connector staff private developers, the Mid-America Institute on Poverty, other community organizations and many CHA residents, who argue that the program remains understaffed and underfunded.

Alysia Tate

Editor and Publisher

To the Editor:

I am writing in response to the article, "Minority Faculty Finish Last on Tenure Track [November 2002]," written by Rupa Shenoy. As vice president of student affairs at Northeastern Illinois University, and as an African American, I am pleased that The Chicago Reporter has investigated the challenges which minorities face in higher education and in life. However, I would like to clarify some key issues reported by Shenoy.

The article points out that Northeastern puts resources into programs that benefit the whole student body, and the school receives federal and private grants because it has a high Latino population. Northeastern is proud of its status as the only four-year, public Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) in Illinois. Being an HSI makes some new resources of grant funds available. Those funds are intended by the funding agencies to enhance the entire institution, which includes the 25 percent Hispanic student population.

The overall resources of the university are already educating Hispanics because they are enrolled here and earning degrees.

In addition, if the HSI university meets other criteria such as numbers of students in low-income status, the University becomes eligible for application for various grants from [the] federal government (That is why we are eligible to apply for Title V funding to build our Center for Teaching and Learning in the University Library).

You should also realize that no legislature--city, state or federal--appropriates dollars by ethnic affiliation. Our status as an HSI allows us to reapply for grants.

At Northeastern, however, we have been leaders in allocating funds to support diversity through access and affordability of tuition. That is why there are specific programs designed to support Latino access and success at Northeastern. One example, in teaching alone, [is that] at El Centro, the NEIU campus in Logan Square, this fall and spring, there is an increase of $80,000 in the budget. In this difficult budget year, this is an increase that is noteworthy. Moreover, we are in a partnership with ASPIRA at El Centro that will support increases in college enrollment by Latinos.

You should also be aware that we have systematically recruited Latinos to Northeastern Illinois University through a program called Proyecto Pa'lante, as well as El Centro, for over 25 years.

It should also be known by your readership that, during her tenure both as the president and in her past position as provost of Northeastern, Dr. Saline H. Steinberg has in practice contributed to the hiring, retention and promotion of minority faculty, staff and administration. Furthermore, individuals of color occupy several key and highly visible positions of leadership at Northeastern. Additionally, Dr. Steinberg has been a strong advocate for the professional development of minority faculty and administrators.

Also, I noticed the assumption throughout the article that the percentage of faculty of specific ethnic origin should equal the percentage of students of that origin. Does this mean that an all-white student body should be taught by an all-white faculty? I certainly do not think so. It is important for all students to be taught by faculty and to interact with persons from cultures other than their own.

I would like to point out that NEIU was featured recently in Black Issues in Higher Education as being one of the leading U.S. universities that awards baccalaureate and master's degrees to students from diverse ethnic populations. This is quite encouraging since some of these very students will move on to doctoral programs. I see Northeastern doing its part in educating and training individuals who may eventually enter academia to teach the next generation.

I share your concern, however, about the number of minority faculty teaching at the college level in general. The solution to this problem must involve all of us. In addition, it takes readers of newspapers like The Chicago Reporter to become encouraged to go to college, pursue advanced degrees and teach.

Melvin C. Terrell

Vice President for Student Affairs Northeastern Illinois University