Title

Judith Parkas interview, 1994 November 10

Contributor Names

Poll, Carol (Interviewer)

Parkas, Judith

Date

1994-11-09

Date Digitized

2020

Description

Judith Parkas, the Executive Vice President of FIT's union, discusses her many roles at FIT. In addition to her union work, Parkas was a professor of Biology and Physical Anthropology as well as the project director of the Tech Prep Grant. Over the years, she helped develop and evolve FIT's curriculum. She discusses the inception of the union and their early contentions with the Board of Trustees. There were also initial difficulties in unifying adjunct and full-time faculty, but Parkas emphasizes how the inclusivity of the union has been hugely beneficial in affecting change at the institution. She discusses how contracts have evolved to be more effective over time, especially thanks to Lou Stoller. She mentions affiliate unions such as the New York State United Teachers union and how FIT's supportive working conditions have led to low turnover. Parkas talks about the school's founding around the time of the G.I. Bill, and Shirley Goodman's lasting legacy at FIT. While FIT's deep connection with the city and the fashion industry has remained, the student body has become increasingly diverse and international over time. Parkas briefly discusses the differences between the Board of Trustees and the Educational Foundation. Parkas then discusses the development of a 4-year program at FIT, and goes on to describe the Tech Prep Grant that FIT procured from Cauley-Perkins. This program has allowed FIT to implement preparatory curriculum for mid-range high schoolers as well as secure summer employment. Parkas mentions distinguished alumni, and a couple fond memories of her own at FIT. She finishes the interview with a run down of her political involvement around the city.

Type

Moving Image

Oral histories

Subject

Parkas, Judith

United College Employees of the Fashion Institute of Technology (UCE of FIT)

Wood, Judy

Haft, Morris

Deitsch, Samuel

Wells, Cynthia

Curtis, Nina

Berger, Irene

Berger, Paul

Stollar, Lou

Feldman, Marvin

Dietsch, Sam

Goodman, Shirley, 1915-1991

Fishman, Alan

Whalen, Grover A. (Grover Aloysius), 1886-1962

Logan, Jonathan

Schwartz, David

Schrader, Abe

Stern, Joan

Cortez, Barbara

Klein, Calvin, 1942-

Kamali, Norma

Smith, Steven

Mello, Dawn

Levinson, George

Dubinsky, David, 1892-1982

Fashion

Education

Curriculum planning

Foreign students

Labor unions

Political participation

Fashion Institute of Technology (New York, N.Y.)

New York (State)

New York (State)--New York

Related Materials

Finding Aid

Rights

In Copyright

This video was produced by the Fashion Institute of Technology ("FIT") and is the property of FIT. FIT expressly prohibits the copying, displaying, or uploading to a website of any portion of this video, except for the purposes of fair use as defined in the copyright laws, without express written permission from FIT. This video has been made available online by the Fashion Institute of Technology Gladys Marcus Library strictly for research and educational purposes. If you are the copyright holder for content in this video and have any objections to this work being made available online, please notify us immediately at [email protected].

Identifier

FIT Repository ID: aod_000711

SPARC reference code: US.NNFIT.SC.FITA.3.20.4.9.4.20