-PROFIT NON ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID BRONX, N .Y. PERMIT NO . 561 the THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF BRONX COMMUNITY COLLEGE COMMUNICACOMMUNICATORMARCH - APRIL o 1980R VOLUME 32, NUMBER 13 STUDENT ARRESTED FOR ARSON By Sylvan Jolibois night before, for early morning pick-up . A Bronx Community Liberal Arts Building and grounds officials could not Student was arrested on charges of setting explain why the garbage was not collected up fires on different campus buildings . The that particular morning . suspect, Claude Dent, a music major, was There were, reports of at least 3 false alar- apprehended on March 6th ., by Assistant ms, during the rest of the day . Chief of Security James Chitham, shortly after allegedly setting his sixth fire . March 6, 3:35 pm . Loew Hall . A couch In the indictments presented by Assist . was found burning in the first floor of District Attorney, Ephraim Alvarado, Mr . Loew Hall in the Financial Aid OFFICE . Dent is accused to have set the fires on When the firemen arrived security officers March 5th . and 6th. The DA announced had extinguished the fire . However, the that he will be charged with 5 counts of firemen checked the building for precau- reckless endangerment, and one count of tionary measures . arson. March 6, 4:05 pm . Bliss Hall . Art The following is a chronological account equipment was found burning in room 312. of what happened : March 6, 5:35 pm . Havemyer Hall. A March 5th. 3:20 pin . Tech Two . Fire waste basket in the Ladies Room was set a was set to shelved magazines of Ex-Engi- fire. A female student, whose name neering Library, a part of the Tech Two authorities refuse to divulge, gave a descrip- Library. An unidentified female student, tion of an individual she had seen a few acting rapidly, seized the pile of burning minutes earlier in the vicinity of the bath- magazines and carried them to the womens room . room, 15 feet away. The student doused the March 6, 6:15 pm. Loew Hall . A waste material with water, halting the fire. Cam- basket near the admission office was set a pus security was then informed . blaze. :25 . Tech Two. This March 5th. 5 pm Shortly after in the lobby of Tech Two an fire, the most extensive in magnitude and Photo by Jerry Hall individual fitting the description given by the most publicized was lit in the garbage the wittness, was apprehended . According depot-room adjacent to Schwendler Remains of the fire, in basement of Tech Two . This fire was the most extensive, in damages . to College authorities, Mr . Dent, under Auditorium . It activated the fire alarm surveillance confessed to the charges. He system, allowing occupants to vacate the to no avail. The emergency water hose was 183rd. and Jerome Ave . arrived and quickly was suspended from school, and released to area. Security officer Luis Ayalla and two of no help either, as the audience, watched took over the matter . No casualties were the custody of the Police Department . of his colleaques attempted to extinguish the water squrts land two feet away . At 3 :45 reported. The Depot-Room was later found Sources say that he is being held at Rikers the fire by using several fire extinguishers, Engine 75 of Ladder Co . 33 located at to be full of garbage bags, left there the- Island, pending Psychiatric examination . Student Government Constitution Challenged By Donna Baker As clarification, the intent of 15 .2 (d) With the yearly student's election ponent or organization, and a student who declared void ." is that the establishment of Student scheduled for this May, 1980, three student has received an Associate Degree from In the same memorandum which also Elections Review Committees be a representatives oppose the new constitution Bronx Community College cannot be a went to President Brown, Freddy method to formalize certification of of the Student Government . candidate or serve on Student Government . Washington stated that it is up to the will election results and to. encourage Freddy Washington, Annie Rodgers and In each case, there is a clear case of and determination of the student to enter student participation in the electoral Joe Tabacco, members of Student Gover- discrimination and a violation of rights. and succeed in the arena of elections regar- process. The intent with respect to nment and the Student-Activities Commit- Under the legal committment to pay dless of competition from more experienced composition is that memberships tee, have rejected this new constitution student activity fees there is the inalienable students . This is the case in the so-called of the committees are to be selected by the calling it unconstitutional and wish to right for students to participate in any ser- `real world' and students' activities do serve duly elected student legislative bodies. amend it. But their amendments have been vice fee funded activity . With the right to as the practical training ground to enhance The role college president is inten- opposed and they vow they will carry their participate, is the right to compete in the real world success . of ded to be limited to receiving appeals proposals to the Board of Trustees or even democratic arena of competitive student In addition, Annie Rodgers said, "As from the Student Elections Review to court . election. Some administrators (and studen- long as a student is paying fees, he/she Committee where an individual This new constitution is vital to Student ts) take the position that in order to push should serve in any office he wants ." student has received a negative deter- Government because for five years this students on to graduate, it is justifiable to According to the dissidents, officers of the mination on a request (such as ruling organization has been functioning without use a level of academic involvement to cut S .G . body should also include at least two declaring a student ineligible for one. Two years were expended in this off extra-curricular activity (at 56 degree part-time students on S.G.B . Also, Cer- nomination to an elected position) . writing of this constitution and it was ap- credits) . Yet the student must continue to tification of elections shall be under the proved by both the Student Activities pay fees until graduation (which is 68 direct supervision of the Election Review When the three student representatives Committee and the College Senate on degree credits) . Clearly this is contradictory Committee and not the Committee on presented their proposal to the S .A.C ., they November 9, 1979 . in the least . Nominations and Elections as stated in the were refused to be heard . Dean of Students The amendments the three student How can it be justified to prohibit a approved constitution . and S.A.C. Chairperson, Michael Steuer- leaders are seeking, which are not in the ap- student that can achieve the goal of Gover- The Board of Higher Education Trustees' man said that the reason for the denial was proved constitution, are stated in Freddy nment Officer from being a force capable By-laws state the following : that the Constitution had already been ap- Washington's memorandum to Professor of leadership in another organization, i .e. a Students Government Elections proved unanimously . He also said that the Jack Prince, Chairman of the College student government member should have Section 15 .2 (d) of the By-laws provides students were not justified in their action by Senate . It reads in part : the right to participate in a group based on that: waiting so long to present their proposals . .. Through lack of concern for students cultural or ethical concerns . In the case of a Each college shall establish a Student "At no time did students or faculty (legal) rights or recognizing and respecting student with an Associate Degree and who Elections Review Committee in con- members oppose this Constitution," he ad- the boundaries of discrimination the has the right to register for a second degree, sultation with the various Student ded . Student Government Constitution has been he/she must pay student fees and likewise Governments. The Student Elections Washington responded, "A represen- passed in the Student Activities Committee. cannot be prohibited from participation . Review Committee shall approve the tative or a group of representatives can The Student Government Constitution election procedures and certify the present formal proposals at any point and limits students from participation after 56 In conclusion, it appears appropriate to results of elections for student gover- their concerns should be recognized . The degree credits, it calls for a student not reconsider the entire document or concen- nments, and students body referedda . Dean has no right to refuse our presen- being an officer (executive) more than two trate on a new beginning . Therefore, I am The explanation to the resolution adopting tation because of time, particularly when a years; it states, no student government calling for the presumably, approved this provision in the Board Minutes of May question of substance is valid . We had no (continued on page 7) member can be officer of a club, com- Student Government Constitution to be 27, 1975, Cal . No. 2 stated that . the COMMUNICATOR NEWS Page 2 Evening MUSIC MAJORS HIT HIGH NOTES By Sylvan Jolibois and Ldrue Handy Students Get Delighted with their recent success, Bronx Community College Music Majors A Break are back in the swing of things. Their re- By Sylvan Jolibois birth stems from the successful protest B.C.C. evening and Saturday students, staged against the partial elimination of the well known for their grievances in regards Music Library services . to the lack of student services, are finally Late last March the music major students getting some return value out of their learned that their library, located on the student activities fees .