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

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. 

#M1GS - May Day 2012

By Lisa Grab

Over 100,000 were in attendance

As many of you know, yesterday was an important and historic day for workers and immigrants all over the world. 

I went into the city to represent SDS with Jordan Fullam, Tobias Fox, Jon Husarik, and Greg. Also representing SDS in various parts of the city were Esha Kallianpur, Thea Stelzle, Bob Whitney, and Justin Wooten; and SDS allies Christian McFarland and Cabo Granato.

We began our day by attending the Free University and listing to speakers about student debt and horizontal education. From there were travelled to Bryant Park and prepared for the march to Union Square. By the time of the march, the weather cleared up. We started on the sidewalks like always, but early on we took the streets. The cops tried to stop us at first, but we kept going around us. There clearly weren’t enough of them there--many were probably trying to “control” the other actions across the city--so we won the streets and stopped traffic all the way to Union Square. As usual, SDS-ers were at the front of the march. 

Jordan and I missed the Union Square demonstration and most of the march. But I was able to catch up with the front of the march to Battery Park down broadway. People on bikes and taxi’s were protesting were in front, followed by us and the rest of the march. There was tension when we reached the Wall St. intersection. One person was arrested for sitting down at the intersection. It seemed like most of the crowd was deterred from breaking through the police barrier because they had a line of horses guarding the “sacred “street. 

At the end of the march, some guy from Occupy announced that there will be an unplanned march to the “People’s Assembly” at an unknown location. So of course, we followed him. About a crowd of 100 came as the first wave of people. We began the GA talking about if anyone heard news from across the world--not something I felt like doing considering how we just conquered the streets and 1000’s more were coming, ready for direct action. And of course, no one really said anything productive and used the opportunity to make their own personal announcements. After a while I left and saw that there were at least 1000 people just waiting around. Clearly someone marched them here and they didn’t know what to do now. It would have been a perfect opportunity to take Wall St. or try to reoccupy, but the GA was too focused on something other than planning direct action. And then the crowds began to fizzle and I left disappointed. 

My reflection:

Overall the day went good. It seems like the occupiers are getting more radical with their tactics. There are more anti-police chants (ie: “NYPD, KKK - How many kids did you kill today”) and less “the police are the 99% too.” The police are not the 99%. They are Bloomburg and the 1%’s private bought off army! Also, the marches take the streets far more often then they did last fall. Action will only escalate from here.

All throughout the day, I was wishing that SDS as an organization could be more prepared for marches like this. Instead of just showing up for solidarity like we have been doing for these marches, we should show up ready to flaunt our name, network with other groups, hand out literature, start our own chants, and--most importantly--try to radicalize the action. 

With just 5 people, we can encourage others to take the streets, lead our own marches or organize direct action when there is a crowd hanging around like there was last night. People are willing to do all of the above, they just need several to take initiative and lead them. 

After we conquered the streets while marching from Bryant Park to Union Square

"Hipster Cop" came out for the festivities.

Dis-Orientation Guide

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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!

Board of Trustees Flyer