Letter from the Administration About the Action Against Tuition Hikes

The informal "NOTES" are by SDS member Aldo Guerrero


 Dear [Insert Name Here]
During the course of the past year you and other members of the student body have shown an interest in University issues, and it is perfectly appropriate to seek to understand and to express views about matters that have an impact on your life. Until this last Thursday, you and a small group of others often identified as SDS, have with few exceptions expressed your views in a manner that was reasonably consistent with University policy, and the University has been accepting and accomodating *(NOTE#1) of your chosen form of expression. However, on Thursday, July 26, 2012, your actions crossed a line and were in clear violation of University policy because they disrupted an important University activity, the meeting of the Board of Trustees, and because they deprived other members of the University community of their rights.


Differences of view and expression of differing views in a University community are completely acceptable. However, it is never permissable to shout down others when they are speaking in order to prevent them from being heard because that action does not constitute the exercise of free and open expression of views, it constitutes censorship *(NOTE#2). Quite simply you do not have the right to prevent the duly elected representative of the students from performing his role in speaking as a member of the Board of Trustees *(NOTE #3), or to prevent any other member of the Board from participation in his or her responsiblities *(NOTE #4). As Winston Churchill said, "Everyone is in favor of free speech *(NOTE #5). Hardly a day passes without its being extolled, but some people's idea of it is that they are free to say what they like, but if anyone else says anything back, that is an outrage."


I encourage you to take the time to familiarize yourself with the University' "Policy and Procedures Concerning Demonstrations and Aseemblies," *(NOTE #6) and if you have any questions about that policy, you are welcome to contact the Office of the Dean of Students to discuss those questions. Please note that any further violation of the University policy will make you subject to disciplinary action.Sincerely, Karen Pennington Pc: Rose Mary Howell *(NOTE #7)


 *1 Yes, they helped us by bureacratizing the process to have the occupation, threatened us with phony security fees, gave us only half of the quad, and refuse to let students speak at BoT meetings


 *2 Because not letting students speak at BoT meetings totally constitutes "the exercise of free and open expression of views." I bet it's also not "censorship."


*3 This guy voted FOR the tuition increase and did not speak out against it.


*4 I don't quite understand how we PREVENTED anyone from participating in "his or her responsibilites." This is the third time we do such an action and they blatantly ignored us to continue their bureaucratic responsiblities. They also blocked 3 students from participating in the tuition hearings.


 *5 Here we go, administrators pretending to be EXPERTS on free speech. Do they expect us to not be "outraged" by the fact that they undemocratically raise tuition every damn year without having students voice out their concerns in every board meeting? What about raising it over a conference call last year without the full board or even the "elected" student trustees being present?


*6 Perhaps in our response, SDS should encourage them to read a book about democracy or something along the lines of "Who Rules the University." lol


 *7 Dean Howell hasn't had enough of us since the "Town Meeting" and SGA elections huh. lol

SDS Protests against Tuition Hikes

On July 26, the Board of Trustees of Montclair State University unanimously voted to raise tuition (including the so-called "elected" Student Trustee Alex Bychkov) by 3.9%... but not without a fight.


The video includes AFT Union President Richard Wolfson speaking against tuition hikes unless the administration considers "managerial cuts" in the administration aka "Chopping from the Top." This is something that SDS has been advocating the entire year in light of Susan Cole's bonus along with other perks (free housing, free car, free housekeeing, free driver, free credit card, extra compensation after her resignation etc.) The FULL contract can be found here.

SDS members along with supporters shouted "SHAME! SHAME! SHAME!" repeatedly to express their disapproval. And as is standard practice with this Board of Trustees, they completely ignored the students and continued with their bureaucratic meeting.

Senator Menendez Roundtable 5-2-12

By Lisa Grab

Today, Senator Menendez came to speak at MSU. I am not sure who organized the event, but they decided not to tell students until the day before. Hence, only 5 students were in the audience most of which were SDS members. It seems like the School of Economics or Business put the event on because the panel consisted of: the Financial Aid Advisor, the Chair of Economics, two business students, and a grad student (I forget her major). The whole event also had an economic tone (ie: Why fix the education crisis? Because we want to continue dominating the world)

President Susan Cole showed up to introduce Menendez and then snuck out. 

Then, each person on the panel spoke. The Financial Aid Advisor talked about how loans are a worthwhile investment, but we shouldn’t double the rates. Then, the Chair of Economics talked about why he thinks we need to keep education accessible--so America can continue to lead the world. (Not because education is a human right or anything like that... I never thought I would disagree with someone over why education should be accessible, but OK.) After that, Menendez spoke about how he is against doubling rates. The students who spoke talked about how tuition is crippling them, how they have to work multiple jobs, and how they are unsure if they can go to grad school because it is so expensive.

Afterwards, Menendez accepted questions from the audience. I introduced myself and said I was speaking on behalf of NJUS and asked the first question: I appreciate that you are against doubling interest rates on federal loans. However, there’s another bill in the house--HR 4170--that would forgive student loans after 10 years of small income-based on-time payments. If this or a similar bill were to reach the senate, is this a policy you would support? 

Menendez responded saying he needs to know more about how much it would cost the government to forgive those loans. His response was either a politician answer, where he is afraid to commit to saying anything in public that he can’t promise, or his priorities are in the wrong place. Cutting the war budget will pay for any money the government lost with student debt. Keeping rates from doubling hardly does anything. It prevents the student debt crisis from getting drastically worse but does not do anything to fix it. That is why it is important to keep pressuring these politicians to always do more.

After that, Carlo Rossi and Justin Wooten--also in SDS--asked questions. Justin’s question addressed how students in Cuba and Libya don’t have to pay for education. Menendez responded with a typical patriotic answer about how they don’t have “freedom” like we do. (... but what about their free education...?) Justin walked out after his answer to protest Menendez’s justification for imperialism. 

At the end of the event Leah, Carlo, and I did interviews with NJTV. 

AFT Local 1904 Day of Action Address--Lisa Grab

Today, I am speaking on behalf of Students for a Democratic Society and New Jersey United Students. Both of these groups advocate for student rights and accessible education, among other causes--all of which are directly connected with the AFT’s struggle right here at MSU. 

On a side note, I would like to mention that today is the day that nation-wide student debt has reached 1 trillion dollars. This too is connected with the workers struggle at MSU--they are all a result of an attack on the public service of higher education. 

Last week, Dr. Cole stood before a small audience of 500 and insulted our vision of education by explaining how this university should be operated like a business. 

A university that is “operated like a business” only serves to mass produce robotic workers rather than create educated citizens. Dr. Cole’s agenda of nontransparent reckless expansion drains not only the students, but also the faculty and staff, of their every last penny. 

A university that is “operated like a business” does not care about its foundations. Attacks on the AFT union at MSU are attacks on higher education itself. If the AFT cannot secure a fair contract, the quality of education will drop. Professors, staff, and students will no longer be able to explore intellectual freedom or expand their knowledge easily. 

Last week many of you saw the tents that we set up in the quad. This weeklong occupation was part of NJUS’s statewide week of action to raise awareness about tuition hikes and student debt. The occupation successfully created an alternative community that offered free education, food, and a place to stay. 

The occupation reminded me how we all need to stick together here at MSU. We are all part of the same struggle. All of our problems here come from the same source--a broken society. To be more specific, we all suffer from a government that values imperialism more than the right of education and basic care for all of its citizens; we all suffer from Christie’s attacks on higher education; and we all suffer from an administration that does not take the voice of the students, workers, and faculty seriously. 

While the separate unions on campus give different groups statewide power, they can only do so much for the problems here on campus. We need to unite with all workers at MSU--all the community here--and we need to learn about one another’s struggle. 

For example, did you know the maintenance workers are suffering borderline racist attacks? They are the only workers who are required to fingerprint every day because the administration does not trust that they are fulfilling their hours. Similarly, you should reach out to others to educate them on your issues with the campus. 

We need to bridge our gaps and stand in solidarity. When the maintenance workers are facing discrimination, when the Sodexo workers are unhappy with their working conditions, when the faculty and staff cannot secure a fair contract-we all need to help one another because so many of our problems come from the same source. 

Let’s unite and fight back!

Occupy MSU / Tent State University

From Monday April 16 to Friday April 20, Montclair State University's chapter of Students for a Democratic Society hosted a week-long occupation on their Student Center Quad.

The setup began Sunday evening as SDS members put up their first tents preparing themselves for a entire week of activism to raise awareness of real issues that affect higher education: tuition hikes, student loan debt, lack of state funding, lack of administrative transparency, student rights on campus etc.

Day 1 of the encampment

The setup of the occupation sparked the curiosity of the general public. Tents, signs, and banners were prominently displayed on the quad as students, faculty, and staff workers came up to the SDS table to receive free food, informational literature, button pins, and student debt stickers (HELLO, MY NAME IS ALDO AND I AM $10,000 IN DEBT). Students were also encouraged to call their state legislators to advocate for two Tuition Cap bills that are currently on the floor of the NJ State Assembly (A2464) and the NJ State Senate (S1569).

As SDS and other students camped out over night, the University Police Department (UPD) patrolled the area every night before midnight.  This was due to the administration’s pathetic little attempt to restrict the ability of the students to protest. Rules were imposed on the occupation such as only being allowed to occupy half of the quad and not allowing anyone to sleep inside tents. SDS and company slept outside of the tents instead, a hilarious loophole that was continuously exposed. Thankfully, the warm weather was on the side of activism.

Despite the restrictions on Freedom of Speech, Occupy MSU received positive media coverage for its protest: (Click)

-NorthJersey.com - Montclair State students join protest of education costs

-NorthJersey.com - Montclair State set for further expansion

-BaristaNet- Occupy Movement Reaches MSU

-BaristaNet - The Occupation Ends at MSU

-The Gadfly - Protesting the cost of higher education

-Montclair Patch - Occupy Movement Hits MSU Campus Today

-The Montclarion - SDS Occupies Quad in Tuition Protest

-The Montclarion Opinion Section - There's a Reason SDS is Occupying the Quad 

-SDS member Aldo Guerrero appeared on camera in News 12 New Jersey. Although it aired on TV, the footage is not readily available for online viewing.

-WMBC also showed up

-And finally, various student journalists and photographers came to observe as well.

Professor Samuels talking about MSU's Student Government

Throughout the week, teach-ins of various subjects were hosted by guest speakers. Here is a list of some teach-ins that took place:

-The Problems of MSU's Student Government by Professor Jack Samuels

-History of American Student Activism by CUNY Professor Angus Johnston

-Marginalized Groups in Progressive Movements by Femvolution President and SDS Member Leah Stone

-Fairness in the Economy by U.S. Senate Candidate for the Socialist Party Greg Pason

-Discrimination in American Law by S.P.E.C.T.R.U.M.S President Alan Akins

-Black Family Discussion by SDS Member Carlo Rossi

-NATO, War, & Imperialism by SDS Member Justin Wooten & Professor Grover Furr

-Animal Welfare 101 by Animal Rights Activist Constance Li

-Meditation & Non-Violent Resistance by Professor Maughn Gregory

-Progressive Music performed by Rutgers Student Christian McFarland

Leah Stone about to begin her teach-in about marginalized groups in progressive movements

The idea of Tent State University originated from Rutgers University who recently hosted their 10th Annual Tent State. Montclair State SDS, Rutgers, and Rowan University agreed to encamp in solidarity in an attempt to create a unified and powerful statewide voice that addresses the issues of higher education. It is time for the state of New Jersey and for the United States to treat higher education as a serious issue.

SDS was satisfied with Occupy MSU / Tent State University. Hopefully this will be an annual event that will serve to fight for a more just and accessible system of higher education.

Board of Trustees Tuition Hearing - Aldo Guerrero Statement

To the Board,

            My name is Aldo Guerrero and I am a sophomore majoring in Political Science.

My decision to attend this institution was based entirely on its supposed affordability. SUPPOSED “affordability.”  Now, it is getting pretty difficult to use that as a justification for coming here.  May I remind everyone that this institution has increased tuition over 150% for over the past 10 years?  In fact, tuition overall has increased higher than the rate of inflation.  How can anyone in good conscience call that “affordable?”  Any claim that states that this institution is “affordable” has little to no legitimacy whatsoever no matter what the administration wants the students to think, no matter how much you blame the state for your own financial failings.

I can understand the frustration towards the state of New Jersey for not adequately funding higher education, particularly this institution.  But what YOU have to understand is that it is TWICE as frustrating for the student body since we have to 1) deal with a state that no longer cares about higher education AND  2) deal with an administration that advises its Board of Trustees to raise tuition every single year.  All year long, this Board manages to get away with executing the President’s expensive non-transparent and non-democratic agenda with absolutely no meaningful discussion or dialogue in the face of the public.  When this is all set and done, the students are then asked to foot the bill in the form of tuition hikes near the end of the school year.  How is any of this even fair? 

How is it fair that the students get their tuition raised, the faculty works without a contract, but the president manages to self-enrich herself with a $125,000 longevity bonus which she has outright REFUSED to give back on the grounds that she actually NEEDS this extra compensation?  I can pull up the YouTube video where she blatantly refused to donate it in any shape or form despite the fact that Rutgers President Richard McCormick has donated his bonuses.  How could the President NEED extra compensation if the President’s contract is filled with other lucrative bonuses such as a free house with a free housekeeper, a free car with a free driver, and an American Express Corporate Card all paid for with University funds which can include tuition.  In addition, she is a tenured member of the English Department when she clearly does not teach and there is a clause in her contract that entitles her to an entire year’s worth of a paid sabbatical with full presidential salary should she decide to actually teach.  Even if she decides to not teach, she is STILL entitled to a monetary performance bonus that cannot be less than her current salary ($350,000).  Clearly, she does NOT need a longevity bonus.  I don’t care if these perks are considered a standard.  How can I believe that there is a budget crisis if the President accepts gifts like these and the Board approves of them?  How can I believe that the University needs more money by raising tuition if there is obviously enough money to go around to fund these lucrative, higher privileged perks?  If tuition goes up, I really hope that my money is not being used for self-enrichment purposes.  University money should be money for education and NOT administration.

Thank You,

Aldo Guerrero