benefits-fund

Kofi Boateng, the first executive director of the West Harlem Development Corporation, is leaving the organization, according to a statement released by the WHDC on Nov. 20. WHDC board member and treasurer Zead Ramadan will serve as the interim executive director while the board searches for a permanent one.

Bearing the names of two Harlem-raised Columbia College alumni, the Thompson-Muñoz Scholars program embodies Columbia’s commitment to invest in first-generation and low-income students from local communities. Between 2016 to 2019, only 5 percent of the program’s cohort was accepted into the Columbia College and the School of Engineering and Applied Science from open-admission public schools, according to public data.

As Aline Estefam, a graduate student in urban planning, approached 125th Street and Broadway, she immediately noticed the contemporary architecture of The Forum at Columbia University. With wide windows and sharp white edges, it stands in stark contrast with the surrounding gradient of brown brick buildings.

The Housing Equity Project (HEP) hosted a paneled town hall on gentrification which incited conversations about Columbia students’ roles in holding Columbia accountable for its Manhattanville expansion, and the impact it has on the community of West Harlem.

For many local residents in West Harlem who hope to find a job in construction—either as newcomers or as long-time workers looking for opportunities—one of the most prominent jobs in the area remains out of reach.

Members of a local New York City advisory board representing Morningside Heights discussed concerns regarding underutilized community services provided by Columbia University, including undergraduate scholarships and the employment center for local residents, at a meeting on Tuesday.

Despite receiving millions in funding from Columbia, the West Harlem Development Corporation continues to face difficulties in creating and preserving affordable housing in the area, largely due to a lack of vacant land in District 9, according to the organization’s second three-year strategic plan.

As Columbia is in the midst of developing its $6.3 billion expansion into Manhattanville, questions have arisen over how the University will effectively address issues of affordable housing, employment, and education in its coexistence with the Harlem community.