Juan C. Polanco
Adjunct Assistant Professor
Ethnic and Race Studies
EMAIL: jpolanco@bmcc.cuny.edu
Office:
Office Hours: Tuesday and Thursday 4:00-6:00 on Zoom
Phone:
Polanco is an attorney, a proud member of the Department of Ethnic and Race Studies, and is celebrating his 23rd year in education. Polanco has taught Latino Studies, History, Economics, and Business Law at the Borough of Manhattan Community College of the City University. While serving the students here at BMCC, Polanco served as an executive for the NYS legislature for two decades and is a former Bronx Commissioner and President of the NYC Board of Elections. Today, Polanco also serves as President & CEO of the Council on Legal Education Opportunity, Inc., the country’s most influential law school pipeline.
J.C. is a Bronx kid all the way; not only was he a New York Yankee batboy for the 1994 and 1995 seasons, and he’s dedicated his career to the people of the Bronx. After growing up in the Fordham section of the Bronx and attending Fordham Prep, Polanco left briefly to study politics and history at the University at Albany. J.C. quickly returned to the Bronx and became a Social Studies teacher at Truman High School in Co-op City. While teaching at Truman and Boricua College, J.C. attended Fordham Law School and the Fordham Graduate School of Business as a night student to complete a law degree and MBA.
J.C. has served as a policy commentator for MetroFocus on PBS, Tiempo De Debate on Univision 41, and NY1 Inside City Hall, Consultant’s Corner. Polanco has also appeared on NY1 Pura Politica, NPR’s the Brian Lehrer Show, Fox News, CNN, and many other critical media outlets to discuss politics, election law, and administration.
In 2017, J.C. became the first American of Dominican descent to run for citywide office in New York City on a major party ticket. J.C. is the proud dad of Savannah and Sebastian Polanco and resides in the Bronx’s Allerton section.
Expertise
Degrees
- Fordham University School of Law, J.D., Corporate and Securities Law, 2005
- Fordham University Gabelli Graduate School of Business, M.B.A., Marketing, Law, 2005
- State University of New York at Albany, B.A., History, Political Science, 1999
Courses Taught
- This course studies the history of the Dominican Republic from the pre-Columbian and Colonial periods to the present. It deals with the geographical, political, social, and economic factors that form the Dominican nation. Emphasis is given to relations with Haiti and North America. The course also analyzes the position of the Dominican Republic in the community of Latin American nations as well as its place in today's world.
- This course surveys business and industry in the United States with global growth strategy. Emphasis is placed on building Communication and Quantitative skills, including Excel spreadsheets, and an Ethical Foundation. The course introduces students to concepts in Management, Organizational Structure, Human Resources, Marketing, International Business, Finance, Computer Information Systems, Accounting, and Economics, and encourages students to explore career paths. Required of all Business majors.
Course Syllabus - This course surveys briefly the American legal system and the basic law of contracts. Reference is made to typical business transactions and, by a study of pertinent cases, how the various principles of contract law apply to them.
Course Syllabus - This is an introductory and foundational course in the study of crime and justice. It is designed to introduce students to the various historical and contemporary theories and empirical research used to understand deviant and criminal behavior. This course takes a critical approach to the study of the definition and measurement of crime, as well as applications of these theories to practice and in policy. Offending and victimization, as these relate to specific crime types (i.e., white collar crime, violent crime, sex crime, drug related crimes, etc.) will be explored. Prerequisite: SOC 100
- This course is intended to broaden the studenta??s understanding of the origins and development of law enforcement agencies in the United States. Moreover, the course will examine the complex role of the police in a democratic society in the criminal justice system. An emphasis will be placed on recruitment, the training process and the importance of diversity, particularly among larger police departments in the U.S. The course will also examine contemporary legal issues and modern strategies such as community, evidence-based, intelligence-led and predictive policing. Prerequisite: CRJ 101
- This is a study of the factors affecting the economies of the English and French speaking countries of the Caribbean region. The effects of international diplomacy, multinational corporate policies, educational and social determinants, and economic policies are evaluated.
- This course studies the varied experiences of Latinos in the United States of America. Through readings, lectures, discussions and fieldwork, students will become familiar with the group and its diverse components from North, Central and South America as well as the Caribbean, while covering representative nationalities such as Mexicans, Salvadorians, Cubans, Colombians, Ecuadorians, Puerto Ricans and Dominicans. The course will survey the history and evolution of Latinos at the same time that it explores issues of culture and identity. Other topics include family, race relations, religion, education, economic incorporation and political participation. Key issues of contemporary interest will also be explored, such as Latinos and immigration, and the impact they have on local, state and nationwide elective office.
- This course analyzes the economic policies of the different political regimes in the Dominican Republic from the end of the 19th century to the present. It studies the application and results of these policies-changes brought about by these regimes in trade, industry, agriculture and population. It also examines the influence of the United States on developments in the Dominican economy during this century.
- Survey covering from the pre-Columbian cultures, the age of discovery and exploration, colonial structures, independence movements, to contemporary Latin America, with special emphasis on the countries of the mainland (i.e., North, Central, and South America). Students will learn about the traditions and institutions of Latin American Civilization including the Iberian conquest and colonization, the role of the Catholic Church, economic and social structures, as well as problems related to government, nation-building, race and class relations, wars and Latin America's position in the world.
Research and Projects
Publications
- Admitted to the New York and New Jersey Bar
- NYS Permanent Licensed Educator, 7-12, Social Studies
- Member of the American Bar Association
- Member of the New York State Bar Association
- Member of the New York and Bronx County Bar Association
- Admitted to the Federal Court in New Jersey
