Akil Salim Roper '97
Cornell students demonstrated their concerns over issues such as higher education cuts and threats to financial aid programs during a week of organized activism, March 11 through 14.
The on-campus events, mostly organized by the Cornell Education Coalition, started with a "sleep-in" that turned the lobby of Goldwin Smith Hall into the "George E. Pataki Low-Budget Dormitory." About 30 participants brought sleeping bags, pillows, books and other necessities, and lived in the hall for three nights and days in a statement of opposition to the New York governor's proposed cuts to the State University of New York budget and changes in the Tuition Assistance Program. The Goldwin Smith lobby, busy with activity, was decorated with posters and banners.
"Hopefully, people will stop and see the effort we put into this publicity campaign and recognize that our dedication has an important purpose," said Alex Hildebrand '96, a member of the coalition. Visitors who expressed their support for the students' cause included President Hunter Rawlings.
The make-shift dormitory also served as a meeting place for other campus organizations, and informational flyers were passed out and videos, such as "Eyes On The Prize," a PBS documentary about the Civil Rights Movement, were shown. Cuentos and Tails, a Latino storytelling group, and Exxit Only, an all-female comedy troupe, were among the student groups providing nightly entertainment.
The coalition also hosted a series of "teach-ins" each day, during which speakers, including faculty members, lectured on a variety of educational issues.
But the main event of the week was a two-hour, noon rally on March 13, attended by more than 250 people in front of Willard Straight Hall.
Some of the approximately 15 speakers included: Phillip Lewis, acting dean of the College of Arts and Sciences; N'dri Assie-Lumumba, assistant professor of Africana and women's studies; a member of U.S. Rep. Maurice Hinchey's (D-N.Y.) office; and representatives from other local and campus groups.
The rally was billed as part of a National Day of Action, during which students from college campuses, including Harvard and Columbia, held similar events in defense of issues such as educational opportunity, immigrant rights and affirmative action and other programs that might be affected by proposed legislative action.
"Because of the speakers, who were truly dynamic, we were able to keep a pretty big and responsive crowd. [It was] a great balance of energetic and informational speeches," said coalition member Jessica Brown '96.
Later that day, during a teach-in at Goldwin Smith Hall on "Education and Affirmative Action," Ken Glover, resident head director of Ujamaa residence hall, talked about the history of organized social movements in the context of the educational opportunity conflict occurring today.
"You have to go back and look at history. Organization [has been] vital in every move ment. When people sit down and decide that 'this isn't right, we can't live like this and things need to change,' mass action becomes more effective," Glover said.
Coalition members said they plan to continue their activism on educational issues now that bonds have been created with other campus organizations. On March 26 and 27, the group is combining with concerned students from Columbia University for a lobbying trip to Congress in Washington, D.C.