Roseanna Vitro isn’t short of accomplishments. This sultry jazz vocalist has a discography that dates back to 1985, holds a spot in the Arkansas Jazz Hall of Fame (where she’s from), and is a former U.S Jazz Ambassador — and somehow still somehow finds the time to be a mom, tour the world and teach at New Jersey City University, all while recording album after album.

Music wasn’t something Vitro happened upon by chance. From her childhood days in Arkansas, where her father had a nightclub in the ‘50s, the young talent was always surrounded by music: gospel, rock, R&B and classical.

And although Vitro had her heart set on being a rock singer, it wasn’t until the ‘70s when she was living in Houston that vocal coach Ray Sullenger took notice of her powerful gift and introduced Vitro to the world of jazz.

Vitro is still making waves in the industry. Her most recent release, “The Music of Randy Newman,” received critical praise — and garnered a 2012 Grammy nomination for Best Vocal Jazz Album.

We were curious how Vitro, a woman who does it all and does it so well, was feeling about her latest bit of success — which we’re sure won’t be her last.

JCI: How does it feel to be nominated for a Grammy in the Best Jazz Vocal Album category?

Roseanna Vitro: It feels pretty amazing. I’ve been singing jazz with a passion since the late ’70s, so you could say I’ve put a little time into my craft. I’m very grateful to be acknowledged by my peers in the industry. There was a New York City Grammy party [late last month], honoring all the nominees that live in the New York area. What an incredible feeling to have my photo taken with all of them and to be in a group with Tierney Sutton, Kurt Elling and Karrin Allyson. Terri Lynn Carrington couldn’t make it. Those are all the individuals in my category.

JCI: You pretty much have the liberty to live and work anywhere in the world. What makes you stay in New Jersey?

RV: I actually live in Warren, N.J., but I have been teaching at New Jersey City University for fifteen years. Ed Joffe, who is head of the Jazz Department, has built a program with a high level of integrity and musicianship. Catch one of the concerts at NJCU and you’ll see what I mean. Arturo O’Farrill was just there in concert and it was fantastic.

JCI: What do you get more pleasure from, performing or teaching?

RV: I love teaching and passing on the tradition of jazz singing. Knowledge of our history affects our future. I am honored when I see my students get major record deals and perform locally in the New York area and around the world. It’s very gratifying.

I also love to perform. I plan on singing and touring as long as I can sing an in-tune note and please an audience. I love what I do and I’m very lucky to still be doing it.

JCI: What advice would you give your students who wish to have the kind of success you have?

RV: I advise them to remember they are giving a “gift” when they perform. Each artist should do their best to work hard, handle criticism as best they can, learn from their mistakes, stay humble and grateful. Know and honor our musical history and when you think you’ve given all you have to give, just know that you’ll have to give more. Never give up.

JCI: What do you make of the current state of music education?

RV: New Jersey is a great state with many excellent musicians and teachers hailing from Jersey. The current leadership in Trenton is gutting our education system and the arts are always taken for granted. We need support for more arts classes in our public schools and state colleges. Every voting-age citizen should get involved and vote. Music is a universal language and it can be used in so many ways to teach academic subjects.

This is an issue of importance to me and to the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark (NJPAC) where I teach in the Jazz for Teens program on Saturdays. New Jersey City University is struggling with budget cuts, but we have a great music program lead by Dr. Ed Joffe and Donna Connolly and Dr. Min Kim. You will always see and hear a vibrant jazz concert or play presented by our dedicated students, teachers and touring artists.

JCI: Did you ever think your career would take off the way it has with so much longevity?

RV: Araceli, I have been a very focused and driven artist since I first knew I would be at singer at 4 years old. My entire family sings and I had the bug from that moment onward. I followed my heart and my dreams, ignoring anyone who told me that my dreams were impossible. I’ve had some amazing successes and experiences in my 30 years as a performer. I’ve also had some unbelievable mistakes and heartbreaks and somehow, I dried my tears and started over again each time. At my age, I would never have dreamed that I would be nominated for a Grammy. This has been an unforgettable ride and an honor to be recognized by my peers in the music industry. I feel for my life’s work, I just received an A-plus and it feels great. I am totally re-inspired.

JCI: If you had never become a jazz singer, what do you think would have been your path?

I’m not sure what I would have done because I never had any other desire. I do know that I love being a mother. I love cooking and I love teaching. When one of my students gets a record deal, like Melissa Morgan on Concord Records, or say my latest star Vanessa Perea who graduated from NJCU last year and is gigging in New York City and garnering rave reviews, or Brittany Henderson from my NJPAC Jazz for Teens program was accepted to Berklee College of Music — I feel very satisfied that I am making a difference. What better can we do with our lives than to help others and enrich the planet? Life is good.

JCI: What’s been your most important highlight in your career thus far?

RV: I’ve had many highlights. It’s too long to tell! This Grammy Nomination is the highlight.

JCI: You’ve accomplished so much in your career, what’s next on your horizon?

RV: My next horizon will be to improve my musicianship, work on new compositions and improvisation. And to plan my next recording. I’ve got several ideas and one is the Ballads of Charlie Parker with the NJCU Big Band.

The Grammy Awards are this Sunday, Feb. 12.

Images of Roseanna Vitro (second from right) and the Randy Newman Project band courtesy of Roseanna Vitro.

The Actors Shakespeare Company of New Jersey City University will be screening iconic Japanese director Akira Kurosawa’s aptly-titled and “Macbeth”-inspired Throne of Blood on February 12, at 3:00pm in Room 144 of NJCU’s Grossnickle Hall (2039 Kennedy Boulevard). The screening comes ahead of ASC’s staging of “Macbeth,” which will run from March 16 – April 1 at NJCU’s West Side Theater.

“Akira Kurosawa used film to introduce to the world the noble culture and history of Japan,” said ASC resident artist James Rana, who will be on hand to discuss the film. “His second masterpiece “Throne of Blood” — I consider “Seven Samurai” to be his first — is one of the most powerful interpretations of “Macbeth”.

“The mission of Shakespeare on Screen is to share Shakespeare as interpreted by internationally renowned filmmakers with the public,” said Rana, who produced the series. All screenings are free.

For more information about “Shakespeare on Screen: Throne of Blood”, call ASC at NJCU at 201-200-2390 or visit www.ascnj.org.

NJCU’s Grossnickle Hall is located on Kennedy Boulevard near Culver Avenue, just minutes from Routes 440, 1-9 and 78. Parking is available in the University’s lots and on Kennedy Boulevard.  Public transportation is available by Red & Tan bus 99-S from Port Authority Bus Terminal in New York City and bus 10 from Journal Square in Jersey City; and by Hudson-Bergen Light Rail to West Side Avenue.

Former State Senate Candidate from Jersey City Arrested on Charges of Witness Tampering, Making Terroristic Threats: A former state State candidate from Jersey City has been arrested for the second time in one week, this time after he was accused of intimidating a witness in a case against him, police say.

Former Jersey City Official Jimmy King Spared Prison Time in Corruption Sentencing: Former Jersey City Jersey City Parking Authority Executive Director James “Jimmy” King — who ran unsuccessfully for the City Council in 2009 — was spared time in prison when he was sentenced yesterday afternoon on a corruption conviction.

Trial to Start for Jersey City Man Charged with Killing Girlfriend’s Daughter, Setting her on Fire: The trial of a Jersey City man charged with murdering his girlfriend’s daughter and then setting her on fire to hide the crime will get under way today with jury selection.

Proposed State Legislation Would Help People Born in Hudson County Before 1965 Receive New Birth Certificates: A Hudson County state legislator is hoping his rise in stature on the state Assembly’s budget committee will help him reverse a state regulation that requires many people born in Hudson County to head to Trenton for new birth certificates.

Presidential Search Committee Named at New Jersey City University: A presidential search committee has been appointed at New Jersey City University to find a replacement for President Carlos Hernandez, who is retiring at the end of the school year, the school announced this afternoon.

Clothes Dryer Fire Caused Damage to Jersey City Apartment: A clothes dryer fire caused minor damage to a Jersey City apartment before firefighters were able to douse the flames Monday afternoon.

Crime Blotter: Mercer County boy was sold stolen car in Jersey City for $1K, police say; A Jersey City gas station attendant was robbed of $500 at gunpoint in the Lafayette Section Saturday night, officials said Monday; Jersey City police doing surveillance at a known drug trafficking area in Greenville arrested two felons on drug charges Friday afternoon.

Today’s Best Bets:

Kanibal Home will host a craft class dedicated to making electronic covers (or cozies) for electronics. The $25 fee includes materials and refreshments (7:30 pm).

It’s Open Mic Wednesdays at Boca Grande, a free, friendly open mic for musicians hosted by Nick Ciavatta (8:30 pm).

In Statewide News:

Gov. Chris Christie Wants all Tax Brackets Cut by 10 Percent: In the 2012 State of the State address yesterday, the Governor proposed that all New Jersey income tax brackets should be cut 10 percent, saying the state is on the comeback trail due to harsh budget measures taken last year. Full text of the speech can be read here.

Racing Vet to Steer New Jersey’s Formula One: Motorsports veteran Tom Cotter has been named president of the group managing New Jersey’s first-ever Formula One race, which will take place at Port Imperial in Weehawken and West New York in June 2013.

New Jersey Sports Authority Contracts Reveal Millions in Secret Rebates to Promoters of Meadowlands Acts: The New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority kicked back millions of dollars to the nation’s largest music promoters over the last five years in an effort to lure top acts to the Meadowlands.

Like boxing king Manny Pacquiao, Jersey City is punching above its weight class — the list includes cultural centers New York, San Francisco and Los Angeles. So how did Jersey City, population 250,000 — a city without a museum, music venue or dedicated bookstore — manage to edge out the likes of Boston and Philadelphia?

Richard Florida, the senior editor of The Atlantic, used data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey to rank cities based on the number of artists who live there compared to the overall population.

“We wanted to examine which metros have the largest concentration of artists relative to their population,” Florida notes. “We use a measure called a ‘location quotient,’ or LQ, which is basically a ratio that compares a region’s share of artists to the national share of artists.”

Jersey City’s LQ is 2.256, which means the city has roughly twice as many artists as the national average.

“It’s time to get over the notion that only large urban cities like New York or LA can make it as artistic centers,” says Florida. “While it’s true that large cities and metros dominate in terms of sheer numbers of artists, smaller communities are home to vibrant artistic communities as well — many with national and international reputations and reach.”

Despite bleak economic realities and a lack of financial infrastructure in place to nurture, support and sustain arts venues, Jersey City residents frequently get together to run galleries, organize shows and display artwork. They transform ground-floor apartments, glass factories and garages into exhibition venues. Notable institutions include New Jersey City University’s Visual Arts and Lemmerman Galleries, 58 Gallery, _gaia, Jersey City Art School, Curious Matter, WOOLPUNKstudios and STUDIO III VII I, to name just a few. And they are why Jersey City came out a winner.

But while many artists took pride in the news, others were skeptical.

“We don’t even have a museum anymore,” says Hiroshi Kumagai, who has a solo exhibition on now at 58 Gallery. The Jersey City Museum went into foreclosure in July of this year and remains closed pending a possible sale to the Jersey City Medical Center, whose CEO has said he would reopen the museum in some form if the sale goes through.

“Local government is neither friendly nor supportive of the scene,” says Kumagai. “I don’t expect Jersey City to be artistic anymore.”

Christine Goodman, the founder and head of Art House Productions, disagrees. “We have our own Division of Cultural Affairs which a lot of cities don’t have,” she says, “and the Special Improvement Districts are providing programs like Groove on Grove and the Central Avenue Mural Project. Local businesses exhibit art. There’s a new wave of dance, music and theater programs for youth and adults.”

Although Goodman did rattle off a list of reasons why Jersey City deserves to be on the list, she is still not satisfied. The city, she says, needs to grow. “The question becomes: where do we go from here?” she asks. “How do we ensure its survival? Where are our theaters, our museums, our art centers, our cinemas? How do we take this to the next level?”

Michelle Mumoli of Pop-UP Art is also looking to the future. “I can only speak for myself when I say that I would like my art organization to be a bridge to the Manhattan market and the New York art buyers,” Mumoli says. “The time has come for the buyers and collectors across the Hudson, to start taking that 10- to 20-minute train ride into Jersey City, and even Newark, to start buying up-and-coming work from talented, dedicated artists who are busting their rumps to make a living doing what they love.”

Performance artist and Jersey City native Nyugen E. Smith feels that artists are living here because of cheap rents, not because of a supportive environment. “[Artists] are staying probably because of the space they have to work for less money, close to NYC,” he wrote in an email.”DEFINITELY NOT because we have financial or exhibition opportunities for artists.”

Proximity to New York seemed to be a common factor in Jersey City’s success among many artists we interviewed. Eugene Lemay, the CEO of Mana Contemporary Art Center, says he has noticed many artists moving their studios from Manhattan, Brooklyn and Long Island City.

“They are drawn to the sense of community we are able to provide,” he says. “By having all of the services artists and art collectors need under one roof — studios, framing, shipping and storage, for example — we’ve created an ideal working environment for artists. And there’s no big warehouse space like this left in New York City, so we have an advantage by being off the beaten path.”

Dancer Megha Kalia, who founded the Indian performing arts company Sitarrey, jumped the fence from Queens to Jersey City this past year because of the commercial spaces the city offered to the creative community.

“Residents can find anything from Indian arts to photography clubs and guitar classes in Jersey City,” Kalia comments. “There are studios for bands that provide space to rent that is a very important resource for aspiring artists.”

Painter Jon Rappleye, who currently has a solo exhibition at NJCU, appreciates the “cheap rent” in Jersey City, as well as the “peace of mind” the city provides its artists.

“Also the fact that it is more isolated,” says Rappelye, “I personally find it helpful to be away from the distraction of the city.”

Poet Jackie Clark, author of the chapbooks Office Work and Red Fortress, agrees. “Being so close to New York is great, but it is also great to leave the city and get some perspective on things, and as a writer, perspective is important,” says Clark. “There is still a sense that you are leaving ‘the city’ when you head home to Jersey City, even though my commute is quicker than certain friends of mine who live in Brooklyn.”

Plus, says Clark, “There isn’t the same kind of competitiveness that haunts indie/arts events in Brooklyn.”

Photographer Karina Aguilera Skvirsky, who recently organized the community-based art project Ask Me: Tell Me at Lucky Laundromat says she was “in shock” that Jersey City made the list.

“When I ride the PATH I always feel like the majority of Jersey City residents work in business contexts. Clearly what I seem to see tells me nothing,” observes Skvirsky. “It actually makes sense that artists would make Jersey City their home. While Jersey City is not NYC, it has a decidedly urban sensibility and I believe that appeals to artists.”

Artist Tom McGlynn, who began showing his work at Jersey City Museum prior to its move from the main branch of the Jersey City Public Library in 2001, noted that even with the absence of the museum, the arts in Jersey City are thriving.

“The Jersey City Museum closing was a real loss to the community,” says McGlynn, “but it’s interesting how resilient the community remains nevertheless.”

Dr. Carlos Hernández, NJCU President, said, “Success in the STEM fields is critical to our nation’s future. This groundbreaking grant will allow NJCU to make a tremendous leap forward. It will provide community college graduates who hold associate’s degrees in the sciences with an innovative approach to learning that will enable more of them to earn baccalaureate degrees in STEM degree programs. That is an important goal for NJCU as an Hispanic-Serving Institution.”

Part of the grant will go directly towards helping transition associate-level degree holders from the area’s community colleges to a baccalaureate degree at NJCU. As part of this effort, Hudson County Community College will enter into a joint program with NJCU, called “Opening the Gate: Improving Mathematics Success for STEM Careers,”

“It is significant that this grant will enable the University not only to graduate more Hispanic scientists but to enhance its offerings in science and math for future generations of students,” said Ruddys Andrade, associate vice president for academic affairs and project director of the grant. “The improvements to the science infrastructure on campus and the increase in the University endowment will benefit students for years to come.”

For more information, read all the details on the NJCU website.

Films will be shown at the New Jersey City University screening and a select number will also be included on the 50-screening nationwide tour of universities, museums and libraries.

For more information, visit Black Maria Film Festival.

Deadline date November 26, 2011
Entry Fee: $35.00. For works up to 21 min $45.00 for works 21 to 60 minutes
Send to: Black Maria Film Festival
C/o Dept of Media Arts, NJCU
2039 Kennedy Blvd. Jersey City, NJ 07305

All of this combines to make Jon Rappleye’s new exhibition, “Land of Promise,” the must-see show of the fall.

Midori Yoshimoto, director of galleries at New Jersey City University, says Rappleye is one of the most exciting artists currently living and working in Jersey City.

“I didn’t know of his work until I saw his solo show at [Jersey City Museum] several years ago,” Yoshimoto says. “I was awestruck then to find such a gem in [Jersey City].

“Rappleye’s paintings of constructed nature are fantastic and fairy tale-like, but at the same time, contain contortions, tensions, and suspense as if something horrifying were to occur.”

Rappleye’s paintings read like fables on acid.

In his painting, “In the Land of Promise, In the Land of Famine,” a proboscis monkey is caught between two worlds as it crouches in the mouth of a tree. In the foreground, a throng of animals – both real and imagined – encircle the monkey in seeming chaos. At the perimeter, anthropomorphic shapes and neon flashes explode like psychedelic patterns in a kaleidoscope. In the background, a bucolic landscape is revealed, which features pale blue skies and pristine mountain peaks.

Minute details appear throughout the work; the scenic vista in the back is as clear and precise as the figures in the front, while the bark of the tree and the wrinkles on the monkey’s face have been finely rendered.

In “Sheltered in Nature’s Benevolence,” (seen at left) a baby gorilla embraces its mother as they sit in the nook of a tree. To the left and right, butterflies and birds flutter against open skies. The picture brings to mind Renaissance altarpieces of the enthroned Virgin and Child. As we look closer, the mood turns darker. Like bookends, two skeletons sit on either side of mother and baby, their heads cocked to the side as if in conversation. In the distance emerges a confluence of storm clouds. Like memento mori, Rappleye’s work reminds us of our mortality and of the brevity of life in the face of God and nature.

Rappleye draws inspiration from his native Utah, with its lunar landscapes and atmospheric light. His other muses come from art history, photography, the Internet and literature. Like the Flemish Renaissance painters Rogier Van der Weyden and Jan Van Eyck, the hallmarks of his work include attention to detail, craftsmanship, and inventiveness. Though his work appears deliberate, Rappleye allows for intuition and spontaneity to help inform his imagery.

If you go to one exhibition this season in Jersey City or New York, make it Jon Rappleye’s “Land of Promise” at New Jersey City University’s Harold B. Lemmerman Gallery.

Details:
Jon Rappleye
: Land of Promise

November 2 – December 14, 2011


Artist’s Reception: November 10, 2011, 4:30 – 7:30 pm
Artist Talk: November 10, 2011, 5:30 pm (in the gallery)



Photos of “Astounding in Infinite Awe and Wonder” and “Sheltered in Nature’s Benevolence” courtesy of the artist.

In the suit, Andes alleged that as a Filipino, he was the victim of discrimination by NJCU’s promotion committee. He also claimed he was retaliated against because of his friendship with William Dusenberry, a retired NJCU sociology professor and longtime critic of university president Carlos Hernandez.

Just before the start of the five-day trial, Hernandez, 62, made statewide news when he announced he would resign from his position July 1. His departure will cap a career of 38 years with the university, the last 18 of which he was president.

A university spokeswoman denied there was a connection between the trial and Hernandez’s resignation. But during the trial, Hernandez conceded he had falsely claimed earning a master’s degree from the City University of New York. He had cited this degree — a master’s in philosophy — as he sought the university presidency, as well as a prior post, vice president of academic affairs, under his predecessor, William J. Maxwell. While Hernandez did earn a doctorate in philosophy from CUNY in 1988, falsely claiming a degree is a violation of New Jersey state law.

The degree controversy is a fact Dusenberry tried to publicize previously and had complained about to the state since at least 1996. State education officials confirmed knowledge of the degree issue in 1998 but so far have only forced Hernandez to remove any reference to the master’s from school records without pursuing further sanctions.

Andes’ trial afforded one of the biggest arenas where the president would have to account directly for his actions.

The issue arose in the trial because Andes alleged he was denied a full professor post in part because Hernandez knew he and Dusenberry were good friends — a claim the president denied.

“I do believe our efforts persuaded President Hernandez to finally step down in July because of the degree controversy and given the timing,” says Andes.

But Andes contends he did not receive a fair trial because, he says, the state took steps to assure an all-white jury.

“Had there been some minority representation,” he says, “I believe the process would have been fairer, because, as a colleague told me, it’s tough to convince an all-white jury that a Puerto Rican president discriminated against a Filipino.”

In the trial, Andes alleged that Hernandez deliberately limited the university’s normally seven-member promotions committee — which scores applications — to only five members. This, Andes says, to try to keep his cumulative score down compared to other applicants and limit his chances for advancement.

And Andes claims two committee members who had first stated they did not review his application changed their stories on the witness stand.

“The college’s witnesses changed their testimony from what they had stated in their 2009 depositions backing my charges, and I suspect they were coached to do so by the college,” Andes says. “If they had read the original depositions, they could not have reached the conclusions they did.”

The SAG’s legal team was aided by Albert Ramey, NJCU’s executive assistant to Hernandez, who was hired for his current position from the SAG’s office (where Ramey had served as a deputy attorney general before retiring in 2006 and moving to another paid position at the university).

Dusenberry, who was not a party to the civil suit, says the trial further strengthens his notion that the state attorney general’s office, which defends state universities named as plaintiffs in civil cases, cannot be trusted to independently investigate wrongdoing at those institutions.

Leland Moore, a spokesman for the state attorney general’s office, denies this, assuring “a firewall” exists between the two divisions which consult state agencies and conduct criminal probes against them.

Yet since the two divisions ultimately report to the governor’s office, Dusenberry contends this “firewall” is nonexistent.

“The state is a powerful entity to go up against,” says the former professor, who retired to Oklahoma three years ago. “When you have a former deputy attorney general (Ramey) take another job with benefits at the university, after retiring from his prior post in Trenton, and while continuing to help the state apologize for Dr. Hernandez’s academic fraud, something is definitely wrong.”

He says he remains frustrated by a system that he says has protected and even rewarded Hernandez, despite his misrepresentation of his academic credentials.

Moore declined to comment further, referring JCI to NJCU spokeswoman Ellen-Wayman Gordon.

Ramey and Hernandez both have declined requests to be interviewed, also referring JCI‘s inquiries to Wayman-Gordon.

“The university’s position was that the employees claims were without merit and that no violation of Title VII [of the Civil Rights Act of 1964] had occurred,” Wayman-Gordon says.

“The plaintiff had the opportunity to present his proof to a jury of eight. The jury issued a unanimous verdict that the university had not violated Title VII… the university’s contention all along.”

Further, Wayman-Gordon asserts that Hernandez’s retirement announcement coming as it did just before his testimony regarding his false degree was strictly coincidental.

“Dr. Hernandez has served NJCU since 1973 with distinction,” she says. “His decision to retire was a personal one and is in no way related to the master’s degree issue previously addressed by the NJCU board and the Commission on Higher Education years ago, or to his Sept. 21 testimony.”

Hernandez has historically maintained his false degree claim resulted from a misunderstanding over the City University of New York’s graduate program requirements dating back to 1980.

Though actual degrees are almost always presented to those receiving them, often during graduation ceremonies, Hernandez has said he thought he had attained the degree without possessing it.

Under questioning from Andes’ attorney, Evan Goldman of Hackensack, Hernandez testified he publicized having the master’s for “perhaps a year, maybe two,” even though the false master’s remained in periodic university catalogs for 18 years, from 1980 to 1998.

“We did raise the degree issue, in part to question Dr. Hernandez’s credibility,” Goldman says. “But the state successfully swayed the jury that it was not the issue in this case.”

Andes’ attorney adds he would likely recommend his client not appeal as it is extremely difficult to overturn civil jury verdicts. Unlike his client, he made no mention of concerns over jury selection.

“I felt Judge [Peter] Sheridan made every effort to be fair to our side, and, while I disagree with the verdict, I felt the jury did its best to consider the facts,” Goldman says. “And I do believe Dr. Andes will eventually receive the promotion he is seeking at some point.”

Photo of NJCU campus by Stepanstas; photo of Hernandez at a 2010 City Council meeting by Steve Gold

Solis will give the keynote address at the free event; she is expected to discuss the importance of Latinos in the workforce, underscoring the important contributions of the more than 50 million Hispanics who provide much to the economic, cultural and political vibrancy of this country.

Menendez will also be joined by state Assemblywoman Nellie Pou, who will emcee the event, as well as other distinguished Hispanic elected officials and community leaders. The event will also feature musical guests and performers showcasing Latino culture and tradition. Immediately following the program, there will be a reception open to all attendees.

The event is free and open to the public, but space is limited and RSVPs are required. To reserve a spot, call 973-645-4623 or register online here.

THE DETAILS

Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration; Sunday, October 2 from 4:30 to 7 pm; at NJCU, 2039 John F. Kennedy Boulevard.

Hernandez cited the degree – a master’s in philosophy from the City University of New York (CUNY) — as he sought the university presidency, as well as a prior post — vice president of academic affairs — under his predecessor, William J. Maxwell. While Hernandez did earn a doctorate in philosophy from CUNY in 1988, falsely claiming a degree is a violation of New Jersey state law regarding “Fraudulent Academic Degrees.” State education officials confirmed knowledge of the degree flap in 1998, but thus far have only forced Hernandez to remove any reference to the master’s from school records. The university also has not pursued any further sanctions.

The outgoing president’s admission that he never earned the master’s is part of a controversial discrimination and retaliation lawsuit, filed by NJCU assistant sociology professor Fred Andes after he was denied a promotion to full professorship, which began Monday in U.S. District Court in Trenton.

In a sworn February 2009 deposition taken by Andes’ attorney, Mitchell Goldstein, Hernandez admits he never received a master’s, despite the fact that he had claimed to have the degree in various school materials as he rose through the NJCU ranks from faculty member to president.

“Did you receive a master’s degree anywhere?” Goldstein asked Hernandez, according to a transcript of the deposition obtained by JCI.

“No,” he replied.

Hernandez refused to answer five of our questions on this matter, referring all queries to university spokeswoman Ellen Wayman-Gordon. Saying she couldn’t comment “on matters of litigation,” Wayman-Gordon offered a brief statement validating the NJCU board’s 2007 resolution that found it couldn’t confirm the false-degree reports and gave Hernandez a vote of confidence.

That measure said that the board had “ongoing confidence in and support of” Hernandez’s “administration and leadership of the university under the board’s supervision.”

The resolution, which was signed by chairman Rafael Perez, said the board “considered all the factual circumstances” and determined there was “no basis to substantiate these allegations against the university president.” Two years later, Hernandez would provide such a basis in his own testimony, yet he was not punished in any way.

The allegations of fraud against Hernandez have long been pushed by retired NJCU sociology professor William Dusenberry, who has been complaining to state authorities about the issue since 1996. His persistence got the state’s now-defunct Commission on Higher Education (CHE) to admit in 1998 that Hernandez did indeed violate state law by claiming the master’s.

“CUNY officials explain that he had completed all academic requirements and was eligible to apply for a master’s in 1980 but apparently did not do so,” CHE’s then-deputy executive director wrote in a letter to Dusenberry. “NJCU reports that the error in the university’s catalogue has been corrected.”

But Dusenberry, a 40-year NJCU veteran who has since retired to Oklahoma, maintains Hernandez’s actions in the degree matter raise serious questions over the president’s credibility, as well as that of the university and the state agencies overseeing higher education.

“I tried blowing the whistle, but because of the way the state’s higher education system was reorganized, there’s no one to blow the whistle to,” says Dusenberry. “When the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office tells you they can’t help you because they’re required to defend state university officials against misconduct, where do I go?”

State officials, however, have insisted to Dusenberry in a number of letters that forcing Hernandez to strike the false degree from his personnel records is a sufficient sanction. Dusenberry says he has learned the state law allows imposing a $1,000 civil penalty — if law enforcement had acted years ago – but regardless, officials seem reluctant to pursue that avenue.

State higher education officials confirm they only require college administrators caught using invalid degrees to strike them from school records. Office of Higher Education spokesman Alan Guenther quotes part of a March 2008 letter sent to Dusenberry in detailing the policy.

“Our policy when confronted with an accusation of false credentials is to investigate the claim with the degree-granting institution, notify the accused and inform them they must stop using the credential,” it reads.

“The [NJCU] administration now cites the Ph.D. he earned in the same field,” Guenther says. “The Board of Trustees is fully aware of the situation.”

While Dusenberry says the state’s efforts in the Hernandez degree matter “amount to a total whitewash,” Guenther says officials have acted properly.

“Charges of academic fraud are always taken seriously,” says Guenther. “In fact, the commission responded to Dr. Dusenberry four times dating back to 1998.”

As Hernandez leaves the university, he is credited with its massive expansion, as he ushered in the NJCU era, attaining university status in 1998 and leaving behind the old Jersey City State College name. The 11th president is also praised for increasing academic offerings via diversification and expansion; adding three colleges including the William J. Maxwell College of Arts and Sciences; expanding degree offerings, including two new doctoral programs in 2012; and initiating “a major facilities master plan” which saw construction of three new academic buildings, important renovations and land acquisitions which will eventually double NJCU’s physical space.

“During my tenure as president I have tried serving to the best of my ability to lead us toward realization of our very important mission,” Hernandez, 62, says in statement released Tuesday. “The coming calendar year will mark my 39th year here, and 19 of those have been as president. They have been intellectually stimulating and personally and professionally rewarding.”

Perez, who did not return a call to JCI on the degree controversy, hails the president’s overall service in the university’s Tuesday release.

“As president for the past 18-and-a-half years, Dr. Hernandez has provided leadership of the highest caliber,” he says. “He is a respected leader who has served with distinction at NJCU and made many contributions to this university. President Hernandez has represented this institution in extremely well in our community, in Trenton, and on many boards on local, state and national levels.”

Photo of Hernandez at a 2010 City Council meeting by Steve Gold