B4NDDR4S BCX Vol. XXXII No. 8 York College of the City University of New York Jamaica, Queens May 31,1989 Occupy Academic Core And Lock Out Faculty By Rozaan Mohamed people need to prevent poverty and social Managing Editor ills," Vernon said. On Friday, April 28, a group of York The whole Academic Core was seen as students staged a take over of the an administration building by the Academic Core building to protest protesters. proposed tuition increases and budget "I had been assured by Donald Vernon cuts for the City University of New York. that students were not going to take over the facility," Bassin reported. "1 was in At approximately 3 am on Saturday, support of the issues they were fighting April 29, the students padlocked the gates for, hut not the interruption of classes." to the Academic Core and refused to The issues that were cited by the allow members of the Administration, protesting students were the three basic- faculty and staff to enter. CUNY demands •- no tuition increase, no "Prior to this, we had tried everything budget cuts and amnesty for ail students in the book—letter writing campaigns, involved in the protest. sending bus loads of students to Albany—and we were basically ignored," From Friday, April 28. when y.->rk said Donald Vernon, president of Stu- joined the protest, to Tuesday. May 2, the dent Government. "This was our last tuition increase issue was vocalized more desperate attempt." strongly than the others. On Tuesdax The CUNY student protests were night, Cuomo vetoed the S200 per triggered by Governor Cuomo's proposal student increase. Many students returned of $45 million in budget cuts for the City co school on Wednesday thinking that n. The New York State classes would resume. But. the student atufe restored $37.6 million of this protesters were still occupying the Core Donald Vernon, YSG President addresses a group of students on the first day of York protest. amount. However, CUNY was still faced building. They were now protesting cuts with an $18 million deficit. In addition, in CUNY's budget. students who attended the meeting "were Guy R. Brewer Blvd. entrance. Eventu- "Governor Cuomo vetoed the $200 the Legislature had proposed a $200 per from a wide cross-section of students." ally, they returned to the Central Mall student tuition increase. tuition increase, not the budget cuts." a "The idea decided on was to take the where they were addressed by President protest leader told the students standing At York, the budget cuts would result H-wing from Friday and to go on until Bassin. in 33 faculty and 10 clerical members outside the fence at the Liberty Ave. Cuomo vetos the tuition increase or "This reminds me of when 1 was in losing their jobs, the elimination of 80 entrance. "The struggle is not over as yet." something happens in the Legislature," college," he said. "We are very supportive class sections, rescheduling of 60% of "The bill was vetoed last night, now reported Reid. of the issues you are protesting." day classes to night sessions and extensive what? And then when they get that, what The students then began chanting and After the rally had ended, Vernon said, cuts in services. These cuts in services then?" asked Norman Harrison, a marching through the campus. They "I told the students to go back to the H- would affect security, library hours, the psychology major. This sentiment headed to the Central Mall where they wing to give the administration the purchase of library books and supplies expressed the general feeling of many of informed the rest of the students gathered impression that we were j ust going to take and equipment. the students who stood outside the fence. in the area of the reasons for the protest. over the H-wing." Donald Vernon explained that the After efforts of CUNY students to They also encouraged the students to join However, when the secretaries and the protest leaders should have had the meet with Governor Cuomo were the protest. President left, the students returned to foresight to stress both issues equally. ignored, a group of about twelve enraged "There will be no interruption of Room 1G04. Another meeting was held. "I would like to point out that students City College students took over the classes," emphasized Donald Vernon. It was attended by 30-45 students who should not be too hard on us," said Administration building at that campus "All we are asking is for your support for had stayed behind after the rally had Vernon. "This was our first experiep.ee on Monday, April 24. They refused to two days." ended. surrender the building until Cuomo met doing something so bold. There ought to The group of protesters, which now "It was then that we decided to take the with them. This action sparked similar be mistakes and this was one oi them." consisted of approximately 70 students, school," said Reid. take-overs throughout CUNY. But, in addition to the budget cuts, the proceeded to the H-wing where President Vernon stated that there were several protesters also had some local demands. "During the week, groups of students Bassin came out of his office to lend his reasons behind this decision: First, the These demands were submitted to from around school came in and asked us support. protesters knew that they had the support President Bassin, Provost Bodi, Dean what we intended to do about the "He told us that the administration and of members of the administration and Haley and Dean Hall at a 3 am meeting protests," said Ian Reid, president of the faculty supported the issues," said Reid. faculty. Black Student Caucus. on Wednesday, May 3, in Room 1G04. "And that he would inform security to "If we had let them come in, they would "'We were afraid that should the According to Reid, he and Donald cooperate with us." have had to choose between possibly situation start to crumble, we would not Vernon had arranged for a meeting "This was only as far as their marching losing their jobs and stomping on their have had the time to negotiate iocai among "students in this immediate area through the building was concerned, not moral position of supporting the students demands while the situation had a certain (Room 1G04)" on Thursday, April 27. for them to stay," clarified Bassin. in the protest," said Vernon. "We did not However, this meeting did not material- amount of strength." explained Vernon. Up to this point, York's administration want to put them in this position." ize. No notices or flyers were distributed had not been told of the students' The protesters also recognized that "A number ol" the demands had to the student body at large. intention to occupy the H-wing. students have a right to go to class. But already been taken care of," said Bassin. On Friday, April 28, Reid said, "We "It was perceived that we would take they felt that if people in the'50's and He went on to point out that the local went around school and vocally tried to over the H-wing since this was the general '60's did not make "sacrifices", we would demands were the kinds of issues that rally student support." Approximately action throughout CUNY," Reid pointed not be here today. could have been discussed without a take- over of the school. thirty students responded and a meeting out. "We didn't think it was too much to ask was held in Room 1G03 to decide on a When the students left the H-wing, students to give up two days-one week to Vernon said that the protesters could course of action. Reid contends that the they marched to the plaza in front of the protect the avenue that thousands of continued on page 11 page 2 PANDORA'S BOX May 31,1989 Letters To The Editor StrikeHadHistory OnltsSide Bassin Balks A t Shutdown To the York College Community: Late Thursday evening (May 4), Dear Editors: accept the ultimate punishment that For the purpose of clarification, I students vacated the Academic Core. To the York College community, I could have been brought against them. would like to explain my position on the While there was no damage to property and the facilities were left in a clean bring you greetings and wishes of good Throughout the protest, they voted recent protest movement at York Col- condition, the protest caused hardship for health. unanimously over and over to make this lege, which resulted in the cancellation of many students. The semester had to be On April 28, the student leadership of sacrifice for their fellow students, their classes for five days. extended and commencement York College was forced into a course of families, their community and the future. To summarize events briefly, student action which was a last desperate attempt leaders began their protest on Friday, rescheduled. to stop the budget cuts and tuition There were some students who dis- April 28. Initially, their stated goal was to I must state that from the outset I was increase. agreed with this last desperate action prevent the imposition of a $200 tuition in full agreement with the issue of no taken by their fellow students. The It is important to point out that all increase. The students understood that tuition increase and the restoration of students took this position because many possible diplomatic avenues were neither the University nor the College had funds to the University's budget. How- were inconvenienced by the delay in explored before such action was taken.