To all concerned parties,
We, the undersigned, write to communicate our dismay and
incredulousness at the lack of communication between the New York City
Teaching Fellows Office, Hunter College, and us and at the admission
process for Teaching Fellows at Hunter College.

Several fellows received news that they lack 12 to 24 credits
in the liberal arts that they will have to fulfill in addition to
their regular coursework. These fellows are not isolated individuals.
Many, but not all, are business majors, and their number represents a
disturbing pattern.

These fellows have moved to New York City from other states, sold
homes, resigned great jobs, taken out loans, and separated from
partners because they so strongly desire to teach New York's children.
In giving up all these things and changing their lives for this
program, they were never told it might be significantly more
challenging and expensive, if not impossible, for them to complete the
program due to the nature of their undergraduate major. No mention of
a possible conflict was announced until the first day of training,
long after we had committed ourselves.

We ask now that you as institutions make the same commitment to us
that we have made to this program.

This news has greatly shaken our morale and our confidence in the New
York City Teaching Fellows. We have seen how talented and dedicated
these fellows are. If this program was not created for THEM, so that
their talents and energy can reach our children, then we do not know
for whom it was created. We demand that these fellows have the
opportunity to participate in the program and be given reasonable requirements for doing so. We are confident these fellows are excellent candidates and that there is a REASONABLE solution that would allow them to remain in the program.

We expect to continue in conversation with both Hunter College and New York City Teaching Fellows.

Thank you for your urgent attention.

Update: We have received conflicting information regarding the steps Hunter College and the New York City Teaching Fellows Office have taken to address the issue. We were told that Hunter reviewed the credits and that nothing could be done, and contrarily told that the NYCTF Office was meeting with Hunter's Dean of Admissions and the state.

We expect to be NOTIFIED of all steps Hunter and the NYCTF Office are taking to amend the problem and DEBRIEFED on any actions taken.