You are currently browsing the category archive for the ‘Students’ category.
Another tidbit for our New York readers:
The New School in Exile will be holding a teach-in at 4 pm today in the lobby of the Parsons building at 13th Street and 5th Avenue.
You can find video from their last teach-in at their website.
“One of the many upsetting aspects to being in your forties, is hearing people your own age grumbling about “young people” the way we were grumbled about ourselves.”
That’s how British comedian and activist Mark Steel begins his op-ed column on the current wave of British student protest and the dismissive attitude that many people his age take toward the youth of today. It’s a smart, funny piece, and worth a read.
I’ve come across three pieces of writing about Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in the last couple of weeks, and they’re all worth passing along.
First, an article from the New York Times about the devastating effect that the current economic downturn is having on HBCUs. Second, a personal reminiscence from an HBCU alum. And finally, a response to that reminiscence. The third piece, a short post by Ta-Nehisi Coates of the Atlantic, produced a comment thread that’s well worth reading for its own sake.
Obama’s proposed budget is full of big victories for students.
As the New York Times reports, the budget would guarantee full funding of Pell Grants, and index the grants to inflation. It would raise the maximum grant by more than $600 for this year, and by another $200 in 2010.
And it would save $4 billion a year by eliminating the Federal Family Education Loan Program, which provides subsidies to banks that offer student loans at discounted rates. It would replace those subsidies with an expansion of the government’s direct lending program.
Carmen Berkeley, president of the United States Student Association, says the budget “answers the call for change millions of young people made in the 2008 election … and would change the face of financial aid in America.”
The budget was released as a 134-page outline on Thursday, and it will be delivered to Congress in its final form in April.
In my post on what Take Back NYU’s critics got wrong, I noted that amnesty for students who participate in sit-ins protects such students “from excessive and arbitrary retribution,” and argued that such protection ” is particularly important at a private university, where protesters’ due process rights are are often limited.”
Tonight Faculty Democracy, a group of NYU professors, is arguing that the administration’s handling of the TBNYU aftermath is demonstrating just such a disrespect for due process:
As NYU faculty, we call on the Administration to reinstate those students who have been summarily suspended for their recent protest at Kimmel, pending proper hearings by NYU’s disciplinary board. If there is disciplinary action, it should follow—not precede—fair hearings, in which both sides are represented and the faculty consulted.
Wednesday night update: NYU Local is reporting that all of the TBNYU suspensions will be lifted on Friday. We’ll keep an eye out for confirmation.
Thursday morning update: The NYU administration is apparently offering to end suspensions of TBNYU 18 on Friday, with conditions. At least one student has confirmed she will accept the offer.
Friday morning update: TBNYU says all the protesters will be back in class on Monday.
studentactivism.net 
Recent Comments