.,I .- VOLUME 76, ISSUE 13 For the Students and the Community DECEMBER 1, 1999 Group Tackle~ ... Regents Vote CUNY's Stance 'To Phase Out On Remediatio ",,)(·"'~<·V: ::t:-..Y*'->"',.: .....~~. Remediation ~~:' By Stacey Young . ..- - -' .. ; •.-", .~-, '. .... .. Contributing Writer . New remediation policies Charging that the recommenda­ tions of a privately-funded, conser­ to take .effect in vative think-tank investigated the . Spring 2000 mission ofCUNY: grossly distorted or else overlooked data researched J~an-Francois by outside entities By Macollvie News Editor and presented to CUNY~s investigators at .three public hear­ On Nov. 22, the New York State Ongoing Board of Regents voted "Yes" on Remediation ings, Friends of CUNY recently the CUNY Master Plan. Set before Dilemma banded together the Regents on Jan. 25 by the to defend the poli­ CUNY Board of Trustees, the plan cies of .the includes phasing out remediation at nation's largest urban public univer­ the senior colleges and raising' the sity system. requirements for students to enter "Friends of CUNY was organ­ the CUNY school system. The ized around- last' December" in exactly nine votes needed for the motion to pass was cast by .nine response to continued efforts, by the white Regents. Those who voted Board of Trustees to end remedial against it include one Latino, two education at cilNY, amongst other whites, and three blacks. changes." says. Bill Zwart, Friends "We refuse to deny them OUf gift of CUNY operations- director: "<:>til" [of access and excellence] because II!i§i9_nj~ _q~i!X. ~ to fight, for the they are poor and come from bro­ education at CUNY." \ -~The_OjX-month ,mves#gationaL ' --leiilioin'es,'" said Chancellor Carl ,., -,--,-~~-.. Hi'-uSt!'fYing"':bls, "ole'-rOr . -- '-', - , .-. _.-.- , CUNY was initiated at the behest of ", the pJan~. "Hayden' was constantly Mayor Rudolph Giuliani in May The 1991 USG ~ F••1It on' "1"'.d 380 PAS. Students Were .ic.d to .~. intCtrupted throughout his speech 1998 and became an instant subject c.nottllad. donate to charity. Storyon page 2 (PhotoI.JessIca Rubenstein) by students and activists. They of contention, when on June 8, shouted "That's the class system" 1999, its fmdings were released as when Hayden cited figures that the "Schmidt Report." University Student Information Centers: most CUNY entrants don't gradu­ Backing a controversial recom­ ate in the traditional foul' years. mendation first proposed by "Remediation isn't working!" CUNY's politicized Board of Baruch and, Hunter Go Head to 'Head exclaimed Hayden when his Trustees to end remedial education aggressors started 'booing 'and in bachelor degree programs, the By Vanessa Wrtenko various transactions, such as address correct office, thus avoiding the telling him to go home. Several Schmidt Report ignored evidence Contributing Writer change, withdrawal from a class and problem of bUrauaatic red tape. The students responded, "It worked for which suggests that privatizing change ofmajor, goal of the information center is to me" in unison. remedial education would signifi­ This summer an infonnation cen­ Administrators hope that the make the student's administrative "You can tell he's (Hayden) a cantly impact immigrant, poor and ter arrived at Baruch College. information center will reduce long process faster and easier, said Phylis Giuliani-Pataki man," said Filipe minority students, members of Located in the lobby of the library lines in the various student service Zaddler, vice president for Pichardo, a student from City Friends ofCUNY say. building, the information center offices. Admissions.------- allows students to receive forms for Students are also directed to the Continued on Page 5 Continued on Page 5 Continued on Page 6 Supreme Court to Decide on Making Student Fees Optional By Bryaa Fleck "objectionable" are the Campus In the Asylum: Managing Editor Women's Center, the Lesbian, Gay, An interview with Lisa Ling Bisexual and Transgender Campus, from ABC's The View, cross­ The U.S. Supreme Court is hear- Center. representatives of the United word, reviews, more. ing a case involving student fees at States Student Association, the UW see Ticker Asylum public colleges that may have serious Greens, the Wisconsin Public Interest repercussions for Baruch students. Research Group, Amnesty , In Features: At issue is whether or not public International, Community Action on Second Chances, A Tale of Violence and Redemption, colleges, under which the CUNY sys- Latin America, La Colectiva Cultural, I' tern falls, can constitutionally force de Aztlan (a Chicano support group), Part 2. students to fund campus groups and the Madison Treaty Rights Support see page 7 '~rgaltTzationsWho-advance'Pollti'cili- - Group'(an'Ame"ricaJiliidi8iiaovocacy --~---u--a:rnttdeotogical messages:- -- .---' - - -- group) and:-the--Pr&gressive~~tud8ld~ The decision, which is expected Network. ,, by the end of June, could drastically Susan K. Ullman, assistarit'attor';'~ , change the way Baruch collects stu- ney general for the State.' of, dent activity fees. Wisconsin, who is representing the ~ , "lithe Supreme Court allows stu- university, argues that such a fee . dents to opt out for a portion of their- .structure. is necessary to foster ctia- student activity fees, this could have logue from diverse groups, a mission, a damaging effect for the state of she contends, ofthe higher education " extracurricular activities at the col- system. lege," said Carl Aylman, Baruch's But Jordan W.' Lorence, who is director of Student Life. representing the plaintiffs, counters The U.S.'. wit "*.thIi v..e., ofctwgIIig atUdent Among the 18 groups and organi- C 'nti' d P 3 IICtIvIty ,..to.'1lPPO't student oTouPa .... conlrO~~•• -' '. zations Cited.by, the pI··I¥'.amnns as 0 nue on age publlcU~ .' .' •• " . :. TICKER NEWS DECEMBER 1,1999 3 2 TICKER NEWS DECEMBER 1, 1999 Univ ofWisconsin Lawsuit to Determine Legality ofStudent Fees Being Used to Support Clubs, Media with Unconventional Views media ($4.50 day/S1 evening), and athletics The current student fees structure arose speech." The students' rights movement, like Continuedfrom front ($8 day1$1 evening). The remaining funds are largely out ofthe students' rights movement of the civil rights, gay and lesbian and feminist that students also have a first amendment right given to USG, whose officers apportion the the late 1960s and early 1970s. According to movements that also proliferated in this time not to speak, or in this case, not to give money money as they see fit to Baruch's nearly 100 Thomas Halper, chair ofBaruch's political sci­ period, drew largely from a liberal base ofsup­ to groups whose speech they oppose. day and evening clubs. ence department, the students' rights move­ porters. Halper views that fact as ironic, con­ Aylman admits that both sides raise legiti­ "I think it will be really chaotic if we leave ment was an offshoot ofthe anti-Vietnam War sidering that it is now conservatives who feel mate arguments, and said that it will be a tough their freedom of speech is being impinged case to decide. On the one hand, as director of upon. "Even though the argument began on the Student Life he argues that it would be a shame left wing, the argument cuts both ways." satd to see some clubs and organizations fall by the Halper. wayside because some students choose not to Halper sees similarities between this case lend their financial support. On the other hand. and conservative attacks on public funding for as a lawyer who has taught law at Baruch since National Endowment for the Arts. The argu­ .1989, Aylman argues that the plaintiffs in this ment here, like the argument against the NEA. case have a strong freedom of speech argu­ Halper says. is not so much what is being fund­ ment. ed. but rather the fact that it is publicly funded. According to the National Association for "Pacifists find that their [tax] money is Campus Activities. about 70 percent of the spent supporting a military:' said Halper. nation's public colleges finance student groups "That's just the way it is:' through mandatory fees. In Aug. 1998. a three-judge panel from the Last semester at Baruch.'full-time day stu­ U.S. Court of Appeals-for the Seventh Circuit dents paid a student activity fee of $70 per struck down the use of mandatory fees to semester. while full-time evening students it up to every student," said Sara Garibaldi, movement. A goal ofthe students' rights move­ finance political or ideological groups. were charged $35.85. After the merger of the president of USG. "You have to support all of ment was to take power away from college Meanwhile. courts hearing similar cases day and evening student governments last the groups." administrators and place it in the hands of the involving public colleges in Minnesota, Ohio semester, however. USG is in the process of According to Aylman, student fees are students themselves. Putting students directly and Oregon. are awaiting the Supreme Court's setting up a committee to fix a universal fee decided by the students, and can be changed or in charge of how campus activities are funded decision before moving ahead with delibera­ structure. completely eliminated by a referendum. The 'was one small tions. A percentage of this money is earmarked last referendum change came in the spring way to transpose power. "The war was one for certain programs. including health care 1998 semester when an additional $10 was main focus," said Halper. "Another main focus ($10). child care ($10 from day students only). added to students' activity fees to finance a was lifestyle health center. issues. They were connected with ideas of free Above: Marla Sucsuz and members of the Management Society cut pumpkin pie. Above Top Right: Students line up at the buffet to receive coveted food portions. Right: ~rority sisters of Kappa Phi Alpha hold up their cans of food.