NY Times Coverage of Our Feb. 23 Demonstration at CUNY Board of Trustees Meeting!
From the New York Times, Tuesday, February 24, 1998:
Protesters Disrupt CUNY Board Meeting Over Remedial Education Proposal
By KAREN W. ARENSON
The trustees of the City University of New York had just been informed of the largest cash gift they had ever received-$10 million from George Weissman, the former chairman of the Philip Morris Companies and of Lincoln Center, and his wife, Mildred-when a slender, young blond man leapt onto the board table yesterday afternoon, disrupting Mr. Weissman's remarks.
That protester, and another who clambered onto the table earlier in the meeting, were pulled down and arrested by CUNY security officers. Other demonstrators lining the back of the boardroom chanted, "Education is a right," an angry rejoinder to proposals by Herman Badillo, the vice chairman of the board, and others to restrict enrollment of students who require remedial classes. They jeered as the two protesters were escorted out of the room.
More than 100 other protesters could be heard shouting outside in the rain, where they waved placards and a giant mask of Mr. Badillo, who advises Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani on education.
When he was interrupted, Mr. Weissman, sounding closer philosophically to the students than to Mr. Badillo, was speaking about the value of education, and how tuition was free when he attended City College and his wife went to Hunter College.
"The investment the city made in us was probably the wisest any government has ever made," he said, adding, "I hope to see the day when tuition is free, as it was in the 30's."
CUNY officials said both protesters, whose identities were not known were charged with criminal trespass, and the blond man, who officials said had assaulted a security officer, was also charged with disorderly conduct.
Later, after the demonstrators had been cleared from the room, the board
voted unanimously to name a Hunter College professor, Dolores M. Fernandez,
an expert in bilingual education and teacher training, as interim president
of Hostos Community College in the South Bronx. The former president, Isaura
Santiago Santiago, resigned under pressure last month after Mr. Badillo
and others accused her of allowing students to graduate from Hostos, a
bilingual college, before they could speak or write English proficiently.