Students Voice at Strike Discontent
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c c Volume 11, Number 3 College at Lincoln Center, Fordham University, New York February 17 - March 2, 1988 Tuition Increase, USG Survey Reviewed At College Council McGowan, Peterson Confront Council Issues By Arlene Rodriguez vided by University administrators about the College Council student member Kenneth would be a "big change." Allocations of the tuition increase, the results University. (Schwartz supported Uje disclosure of budget in- "I feel the more people knew," said Travis of the United Student Goverment 1987 Student "It's a communication problem," McGowan formation but requested that it specifically show ' 'the more willing they might be to accept an in- Survey, the security improvements for CLC hotel said, "There are explanations, clear and rational, CLC figures, not University figures, as had been crease when they saw where the money was go- residents and the delayed mailing of the student for the increase." McGowan added that his divi- done in the past. ing." grade reports were among the topics the College sion was also affected by the two percent cut- "We need to know what percentage of the The council moved on to discuss the issues Council discussed at its February 4 meeting in back, but that he "at least [knew] why, which money that CLC students put in is coming back raised by the USG Fall 1987 Student Survey. Ac- the Faculty Lounge. Present at the meeting were makes it slightly less painful." to CLC," said Schwartz. "We want to know cording to Guido, the survey identified three ma- Vice President for Student Affairs Joseph McGowan suggested that a forum between the what the priorities of the budget are as far as this jor "problematic areas" in student life at CLC: McGowan and Director of Residential Life Lisa CLC USG and Cammarosano, similar to the one school is concerned." According to Schwartz, services, academics, and facilities. Peterson. held by the Rose Hill USG, be organized in order the Council should be "united in purpose with Guido said that a majority of the students Because of the recent controversy caused by to clear up any questions among students. In the the students [and] press appropriate authorities" surveyed requested "better quality of student the nine percent tuition increase, the Council future, said McGowan, such a forum should be to disclose as much information as possible. "To asistance" in both the Bursar's and Financial Aid voted to make a formal request to Executive Vice a "matter of course." put on a price sticker without an explanation," Offices. President Joseph Cammarosano for a breakdown According to USG President Lisa Guido, she said Schwartz "is offensive to students." "Respondents agree," said Guido, "that cur- of CLC's total expenditures for the past five to and other USG •nembers in the past semester had As a member of the University Budget Plann- rent Lincoln Center and Financial Aid services six years. made several attempts to hold such a forum and ing Committee, Associate Professor of History do not meet the needs of its current student "We're all interested to find out how the nine had asked Cammorosano about CLC expen- Frederick Travis said he and the committee wen: population." percent increase will be used," said Division of ditures, but were told that the information was under "enormous stress not to reveal anything In order to better the services rendered by each Science and Mathematics Chairperson Leonard "presidential privilege." we saw." Openness about the budget, he said, office, Guido recommended that the Bursar ex- Nissim, but with the recent request for a two per- tend its office hours until 7 p.m. and establish cent cutback in all University divisions, "what an express window during its busiest hours to the question should be is 'what'll happen to (he handle direct payments and petty cash. For 11 percent?" Financial Aid, Guido suggested that there be McGowan said that the "strong-dissatisfac- "one financial aid form to be coordinated wit^ tion" stems from the lack of information pro- continued on page 10 Budget Planning: Dean Of Students An Insider's View Addresses USG By Jennifer Berge "This being a private institution, unlike a By Suzanne Myron public institution....it is pretty much up to the "One of the items that is fairly high on my University" as to the amount of financial infor- priority list is hearing from [College at Lincoln mation that is revealed, commented Associate Center) students." said Dean of Students Henry Professor of History Dr. Frederick F. Travis, Toutain in his address at the open United Stu- about the recent uproar over next year's tuition dent Government meeting held on February 3 in increase. Last fall, Travis served on the Budget the 4th floor Student Lounge. Also discussed at the meeting were USG ac- Planning Committee, which is the first commit- Rose Hill students speak from the floor of Keating 1st auditorium tee to discuss any possible increases for the tions regarding the tuition increase. Former USG ollowing academic year. President of the Senate and Senior Senator- Travis revealed that there were two budget Kenneth Schwartz resigned his USG positions, meetings less than a month apart. "We were Students Voice Discontent and Sophomore Senator Joe Narciso was elected given a great deal of information at the first to take on the additional duty of president pro meeting and we were given additional informa- tempore. ion at the second meeting, part of which was At Strike Toutain said that he saw his position as dean of students partly as being "spokesperson upward asked for by various members of the Commit- By Suzanne Myron tee [who] ... thought they needed further serious, they would approach further actions with as well as a spokesperson downward — not on- "We are here to say that we will not let tui- quiet and organization. "[This] kind of thing details." Travis said that he felt he was well- ly articulating University policies and practices tion go up and we will not let our education get can't happen," he said. jrepared fo make a decision by the second to students ... [but] ... articulating students' con- out of reach,'' said Amy Arundell, one of eight A 60's-sounding rock band played as students cerns." meeting. "I think by that time we had in hand organizers of the Rose Hill student strike. The began a slow trickle out of the auditorium, and According to Toutain, his role includes enough information to make a reasonably in- strike, which took- place in Keating lst's about half of those present before the break qyerseeing University services such as career telligent judgment," he said, "I grant you that... auditorium at the Rose Hill campus on February returned to hear Dr. Walker and Dr. Shapiro, planning and placement, University health ser- it might, ideally, be nice to get some of the in- 4, turned out a nearly full house for the first few two Rose Hill professors, speak. Downs then vices, student activities, services for the han- formation even further in advance...this was my hours of the strike. declared the remaining two hours as unstructured dicapped, commuting students services, and other Irst year and I didn't know exactly how it The strike featured a long line of speakers— time, saying thai, "anyone who wants to stick operated." He emphasized however that there counseling services as well as "monitoring the both students and faculty — who were infrequent- around is welcome. We [the strike's organizers] co-cirricular quality of student life," and help- was, however, "time enough, certainly, to ab- ly interruped by the rowdy crowd during the first will be here." sorb the material" concerning the University's ing students negotiate their way through few hours of the 2 to 7 p.m. affair. The The strike was only one of several actions that "bureaucracy." finances. Travis said that it might also be useful spokesperson for the strike, Ken Downs, started the strikers took within the last two weeks against He said he would like also to "explore with 0 have a breakdown of each school's budget as the strike — introducing Arundell, and follow- the proposed tuition hike. A "study-in," as the [CLC students] matters that [they] think are of 1 further guide in making the tuition decision. ing her with a speech on the problems within the strikers nicknamed it, was conducted in the ad- concern." Added Toutain, "I want to ask you Travis said that there was one faculty represen- University, the student group's solutions, and the ministration building's hallways the following now ... ways we can move forward and improve tative from each college of Fordham and three strikers' demands. This was sometimes well- day, lasting for two hours and yielding approx- student services and improve the quality of stu- student representatives present at these meetings. received by the full house of students, who clap- imately 130 people who sat and quietly did dent life." Travis expressed uncertainties about the role of ped and shouted approval appropriately, and homework during the time interval. the student representatives, saying, "I'm still a Toutain said he would like to involve students sometimes punctuated by questioning murmurs Downs said that the Hall of Presidents, in ittle confused about how they and sarcastic shouts. in reviewing "certain policies and practices for which the "study-in" had been conducted, along examination." Toutain said though it was "too :hoose the students; I've been meaning to clarify Downs declared a break after his speech and- with the upstairs hallway, had had all of its pain- hat." early'' to address more specific goals for his posi- the period that followed, which featured students tings removed, and that all of the offices, excep- tion as Dean of Students at CLC, he wanted to Travis explained that the Budget Planning voicing their complaints from a microphone on ting the Sesquicenntennial office, were locked at continued on page 13 Committee is selected by the Faculty Senate, the floor, further inciting the students in the au- the time he and fellow strike coordinator John ather than elected by the Fordham community dience.