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Kerrey Calls New School Students' Occupation an "Unauthorized Sleepover"

It's been over 24 hours since New School students occupied the Graduate Faculty building in protest of school president Bob Kerrey's and other administration figures' action, and it hasn't been without incident. The students, who promised to "inaugurate a wave of occupations in New York City and the United States, a coming wave of occupations, blockades, and strikes in this time of crisis," scuffled with the police when they tried to take over more parts of the building (they were initially just in the dining hall).

CityRoom reported that in the afternoon, "City police officers removed some students from the building, and students rolled metal Dumpsters into the hall to block the police, who eventually moved back outside. The police said one person was arrested for disorderly conduct." New School Free Press reporter Elisa Deljanin also tells us that when Kerrey spoke to the students, "they did not refuse to correspond with him. He simply told the students that came out of the cafeteria that if they posed any hazard to the university, the students, or the staff, the administration will take action and ultimately press charges." Kerrey also called the event an "unauthorized sleepover" and that "we got blankets for 'em, pillows for 'em, and offered food for 'em, and they'll be fine as long as they don't start vandalizing property, threatening people, and in that case, they'll have to be removed."

Around 5 p.m., Kerrey sent an email to the New School community, "For safety and security reasons, I have decided to cancel The New School's University Student Senate Forum scheduled for tonight, December 18 at 8:00 p.m.," which drew the anger of University Student Senate President Peter Ian-Cummings, per the New School Free Press' live blog. The New School in Exile website says that they have gained control of the entire building, "There is music and study and general joy going on right now in the Graduate Faculty Building. We had some initial chaos when the building was taken considering we had a significant influx of people, but all is completely calm at this time. We have gone to work securing what we hold, barricading our doors." (It is unclear whether the occupation will continue through the month-long winter break.)

And apparently, after 10 p.m., the University Student Senate voted no confidence in Kerrey.

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By Jen Chung in on December 18, 2008 10:53 PM

Comments [rss]

  • Dude69

    I really hope this incident goes into their permanent records. When their daddies' money run out and they have to find real jobs, this will block them from all meaningful employers except underground communist newspapers and indie record stores.

  • Editrixie

    #30, well, isn't it nice that you think you accomplished something, but how does a mob chasing a man with a prosthetic leg and hurling a tomato at him succeed in anything other than making you look like a bunch of idiots? For goodness sakes, you're not oppressed freedom fighters living in a dictatorship -- you're a bunch of privileged students in an exclusive private university who are unhappy with the way it's being run. You'll be gone in about two or three years, why make asses of yourselves?

    http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/12/18/protest-at-the-new-school-turns-unruly/

  • keera

    Hahaha, the brats said they wanted "...a wave of occupations in New York City and the United States..." but no one outside of NYC knows what the New School is!

  • Dude69

    #30 - I read the "agreement" and they were lame, there were no clear cut promises made by Kerrey nor the admin? And I thought the goal was the resignation of Kerrey and the other heads of the School?! These privileged douchebags seem to give up pretty easily. Wasn't there a hardcore 60's radical among the hipster morons during the "sit in" to give an inspiration speech on "never giving up"? If the civil right movement were ran by these airheads, critical mass and bike lane clowns, we will still have separate restrooms for the "colored folks". There's a time to fight when the cause and time are right, but this was purely a media whoring exercise.

  • emmagold

    yes hilarious and the rest of you who spent the last two days criticizing the students as inefective, wanna-be 60s, faker hippies, you're so much smarter and better than them except for the part where they won:

    http://www.newschoolinexile.com/

    read the agreement yourself and maybe, just maybe, you'll consider the idea that direct action may actually be more useful than indirect criticism from your desk chair.

    "huh, social movements for change actually change things? who wudda thunk?!"

  • hilarious

    These students want to rearrange the present administration, and probably have no idea what actually needs to happen for that to go forward remotely smoothly.

    A lack of deep understanding of the real issues at hand is not the right position from which to start a "rebellion". But if they want to live-blog in hopes of 15 minutes of fame, they're doing just great.

    Maybe the New School students who just want to get through finals week will stage a counter sit-in.

  • rasputinsghost

    guess what happens if you throw a molotov at an NYPD officer? you get fucking shot. try again

  • spiritross



    Go Home

    If you really want to do something useful look to the Greeks

    Now there are are some students with passion for their ideals

    rioting in the streets is much better than 20 year olds acting like 5 year olds having a temper tantrums and locking them selves in their room

    Act your age not your shoe size

  • valeriob

    I agree, cut the power. They will scurry off when their Macbooks die.

  • bklyngrrl

    Besides, isn't it finals? Reading a book would be more useful than this.

  • bxbrian

    this is mildly hilarious.

  • bklyngrrl

    They are wishing they were at Berkeley in the 60s. While I understand some of the arguments, this is stupid.

  • thethrill

    The New School is an ACTUAL University and I am a graduate. Please don't turn your scorn and negativity on an institution that is a vibrant and expressive place.

    Perhaps you've heard of Parsons it is a part of the New School, perhaps you've heard of John Cage and Marshall Mcluhan and Woody Allen and Lewis Mumford and Hannah Arendt and Robert Frost. They were all knitting and TV repair professors at the New School.

  • HughGass

    I thought the New School was where GED kids learned how to fix televisions and air-conditioner systems.

  • chris

    @18 Gee, just cause you have stuff you can't complain.

    These kids are full of shiat, but just because you have something doesn't mean you can't be wronged. If it weren't for privileged dipshits with something to lose whining and moaning for attention every once in a while nothing would ever change.

  • Dude69

    Is New School an accredited school? I always thought it's for adults to take afterwork classes such as knitting and self improvement b.s. courses? I thought these sit-in only happen in "poorer" CUNYs? They all look like privileged kids living off their parents' trust funds. I say send in the NYPD and make these spoiled brats know what's the inside of Riker looks like.

  • citylion

    Save your issues. Go to a Cuny school. Save your money too. Go to a Cuny school. Save your pride and suck it up. Go to a Cuny school.

    You guys have shiny new macs and most Cuny schools don't even have dorms. It's somewhat inspiring that they're taking initiative on their problems but it doesn't seem like it was well thought out or considered others.

    Bugger off, ye old private institution.

  • ayellen

    bagelman: what's a non-internet blog? Underground newspaper? Fliers in a bathroom stall?

    I don't disagree with you, incidentally. :)

  • bagelman

    @13: you seriously need to start a personal blog (happy birthday), preferably not on the internet.

  • Editrixie
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