Resolution receives unanimous support to relocate MCC’s downtown campus

ROCHESTER, N.Y. –Jan. 31, 2012- The student government at Monroe Community College’s Brighton Campus unanimously passed a resolution this afternoon in support of relocating MCC’s downtown campus to properties currently owned by Eastman Kodak.

The Student Government Association’s (SGA) action marks the second such endorsement by a student organization after the MCC Board of Trustees’ vote on Dec. 10 that recommended to Monroe County Executive Maggie Brooks that a permanent downtown campus be established on properties at State Street and Morrie Silver Way in the City of Rochester. On Dec. 16, the Student Events and Governance Association at MCC’s Damon City Campus unanimously passed a resolution in support of the trustees’ recommendation. The matter is now in the hands of Monroe County, which, as MCC sponsor, owns property for the college.

“As student representatives, we are very excited about this site selection. It’s promising for the students because of the potential expansion of the college with more courses and more extracurricular activities for students to engage in, which will create a better college overall. Having a downtown campus will really get back to the idea of having a college within a community,” said Michael J. Gray II, SGA president. “As someone who has visited DCC many times and worked with fellow student leaders on the campus, I am ecstatic to see that students may have a new downtown campus that they can truly call their own.”

The Brighton Campus student leaders’ resolution is as follows:

Resolution of Support regarding the recommended site of Monroe Community College’s new downtown campus

Whereas, on December 10, 2011, the Monroe Community College Board of Trustees unanimously passed a resolution of recommendation concerning the relocation of Monroe Community College’s downtown campus, and

Whereas, the Monroe Community College Board of Trustees recommended that Monroe Community College’s downtown campus be moved from the current location on Main Street to properties at State Street and Morrie Silver Way currently owned by Eastman Kodak Company, and

Whereas, the Monroe Community College Board of Trustees’ action marks the culmination of a deliberative search process focused on balancing the needs and interests of students, taxpayers, and local employers that rely on and benefit from the college, and

Whereas, the most important economic benefit of the recommended site is the development of students into a strong workforce for the region, and,

Whereas, owning a downtown campus is a more responsible investment of taxpayer funds than continuing a lease for a downtown campus; and

Whereas, Monroe Community College is faced with an increased demand for an expanded facility that provides an improved environment for the students, and

Whereas, the Kodak property has the greatest potential to become a learning environment to provide access to high quality education and training programs to a diverse community, and

Whereas, the recommended site for the new downtown campus will enable Monroe Community College to fulfill its mission, therefore be it

Resolved, that the Monroe Community College Student Government Association (Brighton Campus) firmly believes that the recommended site of Monroe Community College’s new downtown campus is in the best interest of the students, and finally be it

Resolved, that the Monroe Community College Student Government Association supports the recommendation made by the Monroe Community College Board of Trustees.