Rozon, Eric F. “47 Students Attempting to Arrested for Stay Overnight”The Campus, Vol CLXXIV, No.5, May 1995, p. 1, 3, 5-6,

Summary: 

The issue in The Campus, titled “47 Students Arrested for Attempting to Stay Overnight,” describes a confrontation and the aftermath of the hunger strike initiated by City College students. The budget cut was the main catalyst for the hunger strike that took place in the North Academic Center. Students announced their intention to protest in the NAC Rotunda without taking proper measurements to ensure that the College President was aware of the exact circumstances. This resulted in President Moses voicing concerns about safety and security. She criticized the student leaders, questioning their legitimacy, and expressed frustration over their lack of trust in the administration. Moses offered alternative arrangements for the hunger strike, including using campus facilities at specific times, but these proposals were rejected by the students. She defended her decision to call the police and arrest the protesters, claiming that it posed a threat to security. The students believed that the response to the hunger strike was an attempt to suppress their voices. They also perceived the police being involved as a significant escalation, signifying a deviation from the norms of student protest on campus. Overall, the situation is a prime example of the discrepancy in the mindsets of authority figures and student activists. It also highlights the importance of communication and cooperation and cultivating a compassionate environment for students.

Important quotes:

• “So it seems to me that this issue was not that we were doing a protest against the budget cuts, but that we were looking for ways to come back at the administration.”
• “A student from Baruch College said, ‘we have to pull the card out on these administrators who pretend to be on our side, but when the contradictions sharpen show their true color’ .”
• “But I also want to balance that with the understanding that everybody does not choose to express themselves in this way, and that protesting has to be done within the confines of university policy[…].”
• “It was unreasonable… If this is a community school, then why did she close the door on our community?”

Reflection:

The article reveals a nuanced and tense interaction between student protesters and the university administration. President Moses articulates her concerns about safety and the lack of proper negotiation from the student leaders, emphasizing that “protesting has to be done within the confines of university policy.”From the students’ perspective, their rights were infringed upon and the response was “unreasonable.”I wonder if President Moses could have taken a less extreme step to simultaneously ensure security and not undermine the students’ rights to protest for their education and future. Is maintaining protocol paramount, even if it leads to unfair consequences for individuals who are willing to put in the work to see change? I believe the situation was mismanaged and the administrators shouldn’t have enforced such harsh procedures. While I feel that the lack of discourse between the students and the administration was the root cause of the conflict, there could have been a better way to mitigate the chaos. The contrasting views highlight broader struggles of communication and understanding between administrators and students. This hints at more deep-rooted issues of trust in times of crisis and shines a light on the importance of organization during a time of urgency.