The New York State Senate last week approved the appointment of a restaurateur and staunch defender of Christopher Columbus, Angelo Vivolo, to the CUNY Board of Trustees after Governor Andrew Cuomo nominated him last weekend.
Vivolo was interviewed on June 7 at the Senate Confirmation Hearings, where he was admitted to the six-year term. The Board of Trustees is the university’s governing body that makes decisions on behalf of the universities, for example on tuition fees.
“My position on Columbus is very simple: Education,” said Vivolo The New York Post. “The best way to deal with Columbus is to provide education, impart knowledge, and convey the truth. I hope the controversy does not prevent me from being a trustee on the CUNY board of directors. Columbus is someone Italians look up to. There are critics. But I’m here to serve everyone’s interests – not just Italians. I am only a voice. “
Best known for his vocal opposition to New York Mayor Bill de Blasio’s decision to change Christopher Columbus Day to Italian Heritage / Indigenous Peoples Day on the city’s calendar, Vivolo regards himself as an activist for the Italian community.
De Blasio himself is Italian.
Vivolo is the president of the Columbus Heritage Coalition and the National Columbus Educational foundation, an organization that works to ensure that Columbus Day is not deleted from the annual calendars in the USA
“Italian-American history and heritage are the pillars of culture in so many coast-to-coast American cities,” says part of the coalition’s About page. “The achievements of the Italian-American community continue to have a profound and lasting impact on the country and our collective identity. Italian-American history is the story of immigration, a story so many can relate to. The pride of Italian Americans in their heritage is the pride that every immigrant community possesses. For this reason, we stand together to show our solidarity with the Italian-American communities across the country and to support the celebration of Columbus Day, including our successful fight to preserve the Christopher Columbus statue in New York’s Columbus Circle. “
As New York City drifts away from the days when Columbus was hailed as a cultural savior and sees the Italian explorer in a mixed light, Vivolo firmly believes that Columbus doesn’t deserve to be portrayed negatively.
He also firmly believes that educating people about what Columbus really did in life is key to stopping the attacks on the explorer, who is often mistakenly referred to as the first person to discover America.
“The key to future success is education,” Vivolo was quoted in an article by We the Italian. “For too many years the Italian-American community has not denied the false story about Columbus and others define who he was. It is extremely important to have an open dialogue with people who have opposing views. The press has turned this into a battle between the legacy of Christopher Columbus and indigenous peoples. We strongly support a special day for tribal peoples, but not as a substitute for Columbus Day. It is important that we meet those who are against Columbus Day. We also need the support of other ethnicities who immigrated to the US and we appreciate that Columbus was the first immigrant and shows us all the way to come here and thrive. “
Although Vivolo is known for his role as an advocate for the Italian community of New York City and a supporter of Columbus Day on Indigenous Peoples Day or Italian Heritage Day, Vivolo has some background in education.
The 74-year-old went to Long Island University for his undergraduate degree and then attended Hunter College and Brooklyn College for his degree in education. His brother and sister attended City Technical College for their associate degrees.
Apart from the personal experiences of his family at CUNY, Vivolo is also connected to the training through his lectures at City Tech.
He also worked as a high school teacher for schools in Far Rockaway and South Ozone Park, Queens, and Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, before becoming dean of “a special intervention program for academically ill-prepared, high-risk teenagers.”
Vivolo is also the University Curator of the John Cabot University in Rome.
The new trustee also supports the education-related organizations of the Partnership for Inner-City Education, the Futures in Education Program, and the Child Center of New York.
Aside from education, Vivolo’s career has been heavily focused on the hospitality industry as he worked as a restaurateur for 40 years and owned five restaurants in Manhattan.
His culinary and educational experiences came together for him while working as a goodwill ambassador for the city’s culinary industry with the hospitality, culinary and hotel management program at City Tech.
Baruch College history professor and faculty advisory board member of CUNY’s John D. Calandra Italian American Institute Vincent DiGirolamo emailed The Ticker with his thoughts on Vivolo’s nomination.
“The importance of Columbus as a world historical personality is assured. It’s not his place in Columbus Circle or in our calendars. The debate about his legacy is necessary and appropriate. And we cannot have this debate without his defenders. The fact that Angelo Vivolo has spoken out strongly in favor of the honor of Columbus is no reason to oppose his appointment to the CUNY Board of Trustees, ”he said in part in his statement. “I expect Mr. Vivolo to serve the board well. However, if he uses this position to fight the “culture of abandonment” or such a distortion of the principled commitment of students and faculties to the sensitive issues of racism, slavery and colonialism, his appointment will be regretted. “
This belief seems to be shared by some students, such as Matthew Dela Cruz, Junior Finance Major, who responded to a Google Form poll from The Ticker that was shared on Facebook.
“I don’t think Vivolo’s beliefs should be an important factor in determining whether or not he will fit on the board,” he said. “His past performance and skills should be judged rather than what he believes in. We should think more about whether he is acting and making decisions that will benefit CUNY. “
The government of undergraduate students has also provided the ticker with an opinion on the attitudes of their members.
“As elected student representatives serving as Baruch College’s undergraduate student government, our mission has always been and always will be to represent the student body fairly,” the statement reads. “As students, we have to encourage our board of trustees to make decisions that have a positive effect on the students and do not impair equality at the university. Angelo Vivolo was nominated by the governor and approved by the State Senate. We’re not here to beat up a single person; he chooses to be a vocal supporter of Columbus Day, as some students do. “
USG added that while it has the opportunity to prove that he is the right person to be on the board, its members will speak up if they believe he is doing something that is not representative of the beliefs of the board Student is.
“However, it should be noted that with the recognition of Columbus Day, the indigenous people who were massively affected by the actions of Columbus and the symbolism of that day should also be recognized,” said USG. “Should Vivolo exaggerate his policies towards a group because of his beliefs, we will not hesitate to declare embezzlement of his position, just as we would for any elected member. Justice should be a priority on a governing body whose student body is the most diverse in the country. “
Baruch’s administration also issued a statement on the ticker regarding the college’s vacation.
“For all CUNY schools, the holidays are determined by the guidelines of the board of trustees and / or by the trade union agreements,” the statement said. “However, Baruch hosts a variety of events throughout the academic year to celebrate the rich diversity of its student body. In his first year at Baruch, President Wu reaffirmed the college’s commitment to creating a diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment for all members of the campus community. ”
