Skip to content
News

Students take demands to Old Queens

Student activists rally outside the Old Queens building on the
College Avenue campus for various demands. – Photo by Cameron Stroud

Eleven University students of a larger group of protestors that set up camp in the third-floor landing of the Old Queens building early yesterday morning chose to stay behind after the facility closed at 5 p.m.

The group consisted of School of Arts and Sciences first year students Taylor Westerlind, Renee Coppola and Molly Magier; School of Arts and Sciences sophomores Jorge Casalins, Jean Rodriguez and Sonia Szczesna; School of Arts and Sciences juniors Richard Garzon, Beth Breslaw and Timothy Cobb; and School of Arts and Sciences seniors Zachary Lerner and Bhavin Patel.

They first arrived in the building around 10 a.m. as a group of more than two dozen with no intention of leaving until a list of demands, presented to the administration two weeks ago at "Walk into Action," were met.

As a result of their decision, President for Academic Affairs Philip J. Furmanski said the student protestors could face legal and University disciplinary repercussions, including suspension.

"It is necessary for me as a newly authorized officer of Rutgers University charged with responsibility in this manner to inform you that your former action constitutes a disruption, and it is in violation of both state law and University school disciplinary hearing code," Furmanski said

Furmanski read the students Section 50.3.5 of the University policy, which states that any demonstration that interferes with the freedom of members of the academic community to go about their normal business constitutes a disruption and violates University regulations.

Still, the 11 students present gave their names and agreed to accept the consequences for an overnight stay under the watch of two security guards.

The group met with President Richard L. McCormick last Friday to discuss the demands and student representatives also delivered letters all last week during Tent State University, said Joseph Cashin, a spokesperson for the group.

"What they've been still doing is … putting us off," said Cashin, a School of Arts and Sciences first-year student. "They're not getting anything done, and these are reasonable demands that all students care about, and reasonable demands that they can take care of."

A University statement written last Friday confirmed the meeting, but said President McCormick is still studying the student's requests and consulting with other members of the University's administration.

One demand asked that the administration issue a public statement in support of a tuition freeze, as well as an increase of funding to the Educational Opportunity Fund (EOF).

"Students want a tuition freeze, and we understand that McCormick and the administration cannot do that," Cashin said. "So we are asking for them to come out and publicly support students and their want for a tuition freeze."

Another demand that Cashin said is an issue all students feel passionately about is the elimination of the $7 transcript fee.

"On average, students have suggested the amount of transcripts they request are as little as five to three graduate schools, some as much as 20," he said.

The group of students then conducted research and found that the average junior or senior applies to five to 10 graduate schools, so the group is requesting that the first 10 transcripts are free, Cashin said.

"We feel that $7 is way too much money for a separate piece of paper that students are actually going to have to personally deliver, " he said.

Cashin said the University also should disaffiliate from the Free Labor Association that allegedly mistreats workers.

"We have continuously presented to the administration over the past years, and they still haven't acted on it," he said. "The bottom line is it such a miniscule amount of money, and it is such a little amount we would still like them to disaffiliate from the Free Labor Association."

Students also asked for a public endorsement from McCormick for student representatives with voting power on the Board of Governors, which makes decisions on things like tuition, Cashin said.

"Currently, there is a student on the board but there is no student votes so we would like public support from McCormick and the administration to give us three student voting members, one staff member [and] one faculty member each elected by their own constituents," he said.

Without students on the board, Cashin said the largest population of the University is neglected.

"We feel that is wrong that students do not have a voting voice on the Board of Governors," Cashin said.

The student body would also like the University and McCormick to support the contracts of the faculty and staff, he said.

"We understand that President McCormick is unlikely to give his personal endorsement while arbitration, but we would like him to honor those contracts from here on out," he said

Despite their actions, Vice President for Student Affairs Gregory S. Blimling told students the administration was unable to give them an immediate response.

"The president is out of town, but he already began consulting with the appropriate University administrators about your [the protestors'] concerns, and he will respond to you when he has reached a decision about the issues on the list," he said.

No decisions were made at the time, Blimling said.

"If you want to continue to discuss your concerns directly with the administration, the proper procedure is to contact me, and we can talk about these issues next week," he said, addressing the protestors. "If you refuse to leave, some other issues may occur."

But Cashin said students are present because they passionately care about these issues.

Members of Rutgers University Student Assembly (RUSA) and the Rutgers United Student Coalition (RUSC) were present in the lobby area of McCormick's office yesterday morning, said Jorge Casalins.

"We're all about making change happen," said Casalins. "This is what you're looking at for student government this year, these minds that want to make change for the University."

Cashin called what they were doing a "study-in" because of upcoming final exams.

"We need to do a study-in to show the administrators that we are not going away," Cashin said.

The study-in remained private because of accessibility in the building, he said.

"If we would have made it [the event] public, then it would have been an issue," Casalins.

Casalins said he was the individual in charge to speaking to the administration, explaining presence and what the group intended to do.

"I came in and gave the list of demands, and I told them we're here until those demands are met or we are forcefully removed — whichever comes first," Casalins said.

The Old Queens building was locked in around 1:10 p.m. Students were not allowed to enter the building and media had to be escorted by University officials.

"Fear of repercussion as opposed to fear of lack of action leads us to what we do," said Bhavin Patel, outgoing RUSA representative and outgoing University senator.

Other than legal and University repercussion, Lt. Leonard Safko of the Rutgers University Police Department said students were also advised the building they occupied does not have a sprinkler system and is deemed unsafe for overnight occupancy, which is in violation of State Uniform Fire Code.

"Rutgers has the responsibility to comply with the law, advise you with risks and take reasonable actions to ensure your safety," he said. "For security and safety reasons, Rutgers will identify all students that refuse to leave this building in case of emergency or for purposes of follow-up enforcement action."


Related Articles


Join our newsletterSubscribe