Date: Wed, 1 Jul 1998 08:16:00 -0700 (PDT) Message-Id: <2.2.16.19980701081727.0e37416c at pop.igc.org> X-Sender: meisenscher at pop.igc.org X-Mailer: Windows Eudora Pro Version 2.2 (16) Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" To: (Recipient list suppressed) From: Brodie Dollinger <bdolling at condor.depaul.edu> (by way of Michael Eisenscher <meisenscher at igc.apc.org>) Subject: CCNY Protest Letter...
The National Association of Graduate-Professional Students has written the following protest letter against the recent actions against graduate students at CCNY. We are seeking co-signers. If you or your organization is interested in doing so, please let me know ASAP. The letter has met the approval of Brad Segal of CCNY. For more info, please refer to our web page at www.nagps.org. We also urge individual phone calls, faxes, and emails (see web page for info and sample letters).
Please disperse.
Brodie Dollinger, NAGPS Employment Concerns Director
____________________________________________________________ July 3, 1998
President Yolanda T. Moses The City College of the City University of New York Convent Avenue at 138th Street New York, NY 10031
Dear President Moses,
On behalf of the undersigned organizations and members of the higher education community, I write to express our strong opposition to your recent actions against the City College of New York's Graduate Student Council (GSC) -- the hidden surveillance of student offices, the subsequent shut down of the GSC, the lock out of office space for the GSC, the closing of the graduate student newspaper, and the invalidation of the recently held GSC elections (contrary to the recommendation of Dean Paul Bobb and your own Student Election Review Committee). These actions set a precedent which threatens the rights of students at any college or university in the United States, and these actions show blatant disregard for the fundamental principles of a free society: freedom of speech and association. Students must be provided with the same basic freedoms to associate in autonomous groups, and organize independently in promotion of their interests -- rights which are allowed other members of the University community. Students should also have an environment conducive to open dialogue and cooperation with University officials, to allow all members of the community to work together towards strengthening education for all students. Your actions against the GSC have brought an end to this meaningful cooperation.
In order to restore an appropriate environment for learning and growth at the City College, we believe that you should now take the following steps:
* End the lock-out of the GSC and the CCNY Messenger newspaper from
their office facilities * Recognize the GSC as the official representative of CCNY graduate
students * Cease any and all retaliation against CCNY students who exercise
their fundamental rights to freely associate and speak * Stop all surreptitious surveillance of students * Seek input of students in all policy decisions which concern their
education
Without actions of this nature, cooperation and dialogue between University officials and CCNY students will be impossible, and the quality of education you provide will suffer. We will not compromise on principles fundamental to a free society and quality education, and will continue to work to ensure that CCNY students are provided basic freedoms essential to the pursuit of knowledge.
Sincerely,
Bryan Hannegan President National Association of Graduate-Professional Students
On behalf of the following organizations: (cosponsors names go here)