Statement by State Education Commissioner MaryEllen Elia on the Passing of Dr. Roscoe C. Brown, Jr.

Dr. Roscoe C. Brown, Jr. made his contribution to history as a Tuskegee Airman and made countless contributions to education in New York State.  In his work as a professor at NYU, president of Bronx Community College and as a member of the New York State Education Department's College Proficiency Examination Committee, Dr. Brown constantly gave back to his community, his students, and students across New York.  Dr. Brown was the longest-serving member of NYSED's Technical Advisory Committee, joining when it was founded in 1992-93 and serving until this year.  He was that rare combination of compassion, intellect and commitment, as shown throughout his lifetime of dedication to others.  Dr. Brown was an amazing person and we’ll miss his contributions to our assessment program and to the larger educational dialogue in our state.