2
QUEENS WEEKLY, JULY 26, 2020
ST. JOHN’S UNIVERSITY STUDENTS RALLY TO
BY ANGÉLICA ACEVEDO
A group of about 30 St.
John’s University students
and Queens residents rallied
at the university’s
main campus on Wednesday,
July 15, calling for a tuition
freeze and for administration
to answer a list of
demands regarding what
they say are institutional
issues within the private
university.
While the calls were
sparked by the university
increasing tuition by 3
percent for the upcoming
academic year, students
also united to demand the
administration meet with
them in order to address
systemic issues within the
Catholic Vincentian institution.
“Since my very first semester
at this school there
has been multiple protests
and demonstrations each
year against the injustices
students face at the hands
of faculty, staff and administration,”
Lexie Wingfield,
one the rally’s organizers,
told QNS. “As COVID-19
puts a magnifying glass
on all of the problems with
Photos by Dean Moses
our government and country,
it also is exposing the
long history of injustice
of schools like St. John’s,
which is only heightened by
the current circumstances.
The list of demands includes
a tuition freeze; an
extension to the tuition
payment deadline for another
two weeks and for
more payment plans to be
made available; a budget
breakdown of the $12.5 million
CARES Act the university
received; a cutting
of ties and contracts with
the NYPD, FDNY and the
U.S. Customs and Border
Protection; no furloughs of
staff, adjuncts and professors
who represent minority
communities; a new and
mandated anti-oppressive
class similar to online
courses everyone must take
before joining the St. John’s
community; and a response
to a letter sent to administration
by the university’s
Student Government Inc.
(SGI) signed by 119 student
leaders regarding specific
questions about the university’s
statement on its plans
to take steps to become an
anti-racist institution.