Campus Interviews for Brooklyn College Walkout 04/29/09
Matt, undergrad (Health): "The walkout is beat ass. It's wrong to have 80% of the tuition going to fill the state deficit, not to benefit the school. The deficit can be fixed in other ways, like taking care of the MTA or making the CEOs take a pay cut. Many people in Brooklyn College are working, and $600 is a big deal when they already can barely pay tuition. I think the walkout can achieve something, if enough people show up and show that they're annoyed."
Miriam and Molly, teaching assistants: "Power to the students! It's like we're back in the 1970s! We already have a financial crisis, and they can't raise tuition in the middle of that!"
John, undergrad (TV / Radio): "The protest is a good idea. We were at a public hearing about the tuition hike, and the politicians who were supposed to be there simply did not show up. That's disrespectful, and the walkout is the next logical step."
Douglas, undergrad (Publishing / Radio): "Good idea to walk out and show them we're angry, but if they were ignoring us then, they will ignore us now. We need something different. I only had one professor this semester, and she's walking out too. So I guess she's supportive."
Sarah, undergrad (Art): "The tuition hike from $2200 by $600 is pretty high, and it's not going to us but to Albany. I would not be so much against it if it went to college. BC was free during the Great Depression, so why raise tuition now? I think my professors think the same."
Jerry, BC Learning Center employee: "If you want a good education, you have to pay for it. But the tuition hike could be lower. It's wrong to send most of the tuition money to the state, when the college only gets, what, 30? If I was a student, I would walk out as well, and I think the teachers here would support that."
Gabriel, undergrad (Computer Science): "I don't see any increase in service that would merit the tuition hike. As far as I know, they already have teachers working on slave wages. The walkout is necessary, but it's probably a bit late. From what I heard, the measure had already been passed."
Sam, undergrad (Political Science): "It's really important to walk out. BC is known for apathy among its students, and them actually walking out would send a message. Like the MTA hike, the tuition hike would make it more difficult to make it to college and actually study. A few years back, a trend started for hiring more teachers, which they made a big deal about. Now, it's reversed: they fire more and more people."
Simone, undergrad (Journalism): "I hope to see a large crowd. But this may not be the case, even if it's in everyone's interest to care about this issue. A lot of professors are supportive, since they know that those who walk out today would not be able to attend school next year."
Unnamed Russian student: "This does not concern me. If they raise my tuition, they'll raise my financial aid as well."
Dr. Earnest Greene (African Studies): "I'm against the hike. Brooklyn College was, and should always be a working class school. With the tuition hikes, there will be more upper middle class kids coming in, with the number of working class people dropping. Any time students organize, they realize their power, not just in regards to this issue, but other important issues as well. Anytime you need something, you need to organize people to get attention, and this walkout will definitely achieve something. I'm totally supportive of my students... in fact, here's some of them over there." (points in the direction of the crowd)
Norman Segal (?), civil rights lawyer, BC graduate, speaking at the walkout: "Brooklyn College has no discrimination on race, ethnicity or gender. It should not discriminate based on economical status... In a month, I want to see the students march on City Hall."
Miriam Schwartz, BC Student Union VP, speaking at the walkout: "It's the same problem as MTA: more money for the same, or even less service."
Miriam and Molly, teaching assistants: "Power to the students! It's like we're back in the 1970s! We already have a financial crisis, and they can't raise tuition in the middle of that!"
John, undergrad (TV / Radio): "The protest is a good idea. We were at a public hearing about the tuition hike, and the politicians who were supposed to be there simply did not show up. That's disrespectful, and the walkout is the next logical step."
Douglas, undergrad (Publishing / Radio): "Good idea to walk out and show them we're angry, but if they were ignoring us then, they will ignore us now. We need something different. I only had one professor this semester, and she's walking out too. So I guess she's supportive."
Sarah, undergrad (Art): "The tuition hike from $2200 by $600 is pretty high, and it's not going to us but to Albany. I would not be so much against it if it went to college. BC was free during the Great Depression, so why raise tuition now? I think my professors think the same."
Jerry, BC Learning Center employee: "If you want a good education, you have to pay for it. But the tuition hike could be lower. It's wrong to send most of the tuition money to the state, when the college only gets, what, 30? If I was a student, I would walk out as well, and I think the teachers here would support that."
Gabriel, undergrad (Computer Science): "I don't see any increase in service that would merit the tuition hike. As far as I know, they already have teachers working on slave wages. The walkout is necessary, but it's probably a bit late. From what I heard, the measure had already been passed."
Sam, undergrad (Political Science): "It's really important to walk out. BC is known for apathy among its students, and them actually walking out would send a message. Like the MTA hike, the tuition hike would make it more difficult to make it to college and actually study. A few years back, a trend started for hiring more teachers, which they made a big deal about. Now, it's reversed: they fire more and more people."
Simone, undergrad (Journalism): "I hope to see a large crowd. But this may not be the case, even if it's in everyone's interest to care about this issue. A lot of professors are supportive, since they know that those who walk out today would not be able to attend school next year."
Unnamed Russian student: "This does not concern me. If they raise my tuition, they'll raise my financial aid as well."
Dr. Earnest Greene (African Studies): "I'm against the hike. Brooklyn College was, and should always be a working class school. With the tuition hikes, there will be more upper middle class kids coming in, with the number of working class people dropping. Any time students organize, they realize their power, not just in regards to this issue, but other important issues as well. Anytime you need something, you need to organize people to get attention, and this walkout will definitely achieve something. I'm totally supportive of my students... in fact, here's some of them over there." (points in the direction of the crowd)
Norman Segal (?), civil rights lawyer, BC graduate, speaking at the walkout: "Brooklyn College has no discrimination on race, ethnicity or gender. It should not discriminate based on economical status... In a month, I want to see the students march on City Hall."
Miriam Schwartz, BC Student Union VP, speaking at the walkout: "It's the same problem as MTA: more money for the same, or even less service."