New York Congressman Charles Rangel, the powerful chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, may not have done much for Guyana but he has done a lot for City College where tens of thousands of Guyanese graduated and where hundreds of Guyanese have been enrolled every year since the late 1970s. Mr Rangel is now in political trouble and has been forced out of his powerful position in Congress with possible repercussions for funding for City College, which has been so kind to so many Guyanese who were lucky to be educated at this distinguished institution that has produced many Nobel Laureates and patent holders.
City College falls in the heart of Mr Rangel’s constituency and he has been in the forefront in lobbying to get funds for the college from city, state, and federal government, and from private donors and foundations. Rangel appreciated the ethnic mix of the campus which was home to so many students from the Third World. He was open to funding so everyone could benefit, because he felt everyone deserved the opportunity of a college education. Those of us in the know of college politics knew of Rangel’s clout and what he could deliver to the campus. Tons of money came in for various projects. And Rangel has made City College the home for the deposit and collection of his political papers since he entered politics over 40 years ago. Money keeps coming in for his library collection, separate from the college library with all students being potential beneficiaries. I first met Rangel, who likes to be called Charlie, at CCNY in 1978 and several times thereafter when I was elected to student governments during my undergraduate and graduate studies. The student governments would invite Charlie to deliver speeches at Finley Student Center in the Fall during election campaigns, as well as in the Spring when we celebrated Harlem Renaissance week every year without fail. Rangel and Assemblyman Herman (Denny) Farrell, the powerful chairman of the Ways and Means Committee of the State Assembly, would come appealing for votes and funds for their campaign. Others who visited CCNY included former Mayor David Dinkins and the late Percy Sutton, who served as Manhattan President before Dinkins. The four, plus Basil Patterson, the current Gover-nor’s father, were a team and were regular visitors to the college. I am told they still make appearances to this day.
Rangel is under Congressional investigation for alleged ethical misconduct including ironically lobbying for funds for establishing his personal library at CCNY, running afoul of gift rules, fundraising and belated reporting of the money, and accepting corporate money to attend two Caribbean conferences. Rangel publicly acknowledged he made errors, blaming them on accountants. He accepted that he would be a political liability to the Democrats in November’s elections and has stepped aside from his powerful position.
I hope the Congressman will not be discouraged from further helping City College and that he will not abandon plans to have a library on his political life established at the university. Guyanese students have a lot to benefit from his presence in Congress and as a representative of the Harlem district.
Yours faithfully,
Vishnu Bisram
