Letter to Air Force Secretary Donley

Letter

Today, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer announced his push to allow Columbia College to reopen classrooms to civilians, veterans, and military personnel on the Hancock Air Force base. After thirty-seven years of serving Central New York at Hancock, Columbia College was forced to close its classroom doors to all students without high-level security clearance. The college, educating 1,000 in-seat students just last spring, was located on a section of the base that was made off-limits to students without the proper security clearance.

After closure, the school has continued teaching about 40 military personnel in the classroom, and has stayed afloat by offering online courses to those who are barred from attending classes on the base. If the school isn't allowed to rebuild on the base in the near future, it could close altogether. Closure would end online programs for hundreds of Central New Yorkers, including some veterans attending classes on the post-9/11 GI Bill, as well as the roughly 40 students attending classes on the base. In order to build and reopen on the base, the school needs permission from the Secretary of the Air Force in Washington D.C., which it does not currently have. Schumer called on the Secretary of the Air Force to approve Columbia's plan to rebuild their facilities on a less security sensitive portion of the base as quickly as possible to prevent the cancellation of another in-seat semester and a potential closing.

"For decades, Columbia College served thousands of our men and women in uniform, veterans, and civilians alike with a convenient spot at Hancock Field that is now off limits due to new operations at the base," said Schumer. "But there is an easy solution: move the school to a less security-intense part of the base, which is why I'm strongly urging the Air Force to help Columbia College find a new spot on the site that they can once again call home. We have a chance to bring them right back here to the base, and to swing open the doors to hundreds of students and dozens of teachers who are eager to get back in the classroom. Many of the students that attended classes here were studying thanks to the post-9/11 GI bill, and it's just flat out wrong to keep those students, our veterans, members of the Air Force, and civilian students out of the classroom."

Schumer was joined by Dr. Scott Vinciguerra, Director of Columbia College, Hancock Field staff, and students from the school as he announced his push to allow Columbia College to reopen classrooms located in the 174th Fighter Wing that were recently closed due to changing missions in the wing.

Columbia College had been located on Hancock Field for thirty-seven years, and is currently pursuing a 3-year lease extension in order to relocate its classrooms to a non-classified wing of the Air Force base, so that civilians, military personnel and veterans on the Post-9/11 GI Bill can continue attending college courses in Syracuse. If the pending lease is awarded by the National Guard Bureau and the Air Force Real Property Agency, the College will invest $2 Million on the site to construct an 11,000 square foot modular facility. This modular site would hold in-seat classes and would also allow the College to continue its online courses. Without the lease, Columbia College has already been forced to cancel its current academic session, which would have begun October 24th.

Schumer noted that for over thirty years, Columbia College has developed a unique model that unites civilian students, with military personnel and veterans, which hinges on its location at Hancock Air Force base. This long-standing and successful tradition has been beneficial to the community and students alike, and Columbia College's proposal and lease extension at Hancock Field are widely supported by the Syracuse community. In addition, Schumer pointed to the critical fact that Columbia College employs 10 people and 100 faculty members at its Syracuse campus. These jobs could be at risk if the lease is not extended by the Air Force.

Columbia College, headquartered in Columbia Missouri, currently serves more than 30,000 students in 35 campuses nationwide. One campus is in Syracuse at Hancock Field, home to the 174th Fighter Wing of the National Guard. The college has been in Syracuse for over 37 years. At maximum enrollment, Columbia College's campus in Syracuse reached over 1,000 students, which has dropped to only 40 students that still have access to the classroom.

A copy of Senator Schumer's letter to Air Force Secretary Donley appears below:

Dear Secretary Donley:

I write today to request that you expedite the approval of an application submitted to the Air Force by Columbia College, located at the 174th Fighter Wing, Hancock Field, in Syracuse. The college, which has occupied space at Hancock Field for over 30 years, was asked to find another location due to security concerns associated with the base's mission. Columbia College, with the approval of local Hancock Field staff, selected a new site outside of the more highly secure perimeter.

The college filed a formal application, one that would grant them permission to secure a temporary three-year lease on the base and resume Hancock Field Campus operations. The Hancock community is supportive of this arrangement and some of the 174th Fighter Wing service members are enrolled as students. In addition, Columbia College has secured roughly $2 million dollars to build a new 11,000 square foot facility on the Western portion of the base. The location meets security standards and includes its own entrance.

Approval of this three-year lease is critical to ensuring that students, both military and civilian can have access to the classroom. Moreover, students receiving educational benefits as part of the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill are seeing their benefits change. Students who once enjoyed on-site classes are being moved online, adversely impacting their finances.

Again, I ask that you give Columbia College's lease application your full consideration, particularly in light of the strong local support for the college. This college has spent 37 years serving civilians, veterans, and military members. I hope its great tradition and service can continue. If you require any further information, please do not hesitate to contact me or a member of my staff.

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