ST. JOHN’S UNIVERSITY STUDENTS RALLY TO
DEMAND TUITION FREEZE, INSTITUTIONAL JUSTICE
TIMESLEDGER | QNS.2 COM | JULY 24-JULY 30, 2020
CONGRATS,
GRADS!
Msgr. McClancy High
School celebrated the
Class of 2020 with a drivethrough
graduation ceremony
on July 11. Teachers
stood outside to greet
students, who exited their
cars to do a celebratory
“graduation walk.”
Courtesy of Msgr. McClancy High School
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 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 antiracist
institution.
At the rally, students met at
the Queens campus’ main gate
(Gate 1) before marching down
Utopia Parkway toward Gate
6 on 172nd Street. They then
marched down Grand Central
Parkway until they reached
the corner of Union Turnpike
and 170th Street, where the
march ended.
Back at Gate 1 before the
march began, they were met by
three police officers, including
one in an unmarked vehicle,
asking who the protest leader
was — they responded that it
was a collective effort.
Farudh Majid, a masters
student at St. John’s and one
of the organizers of the rally,
told QNS police followed them
throughout their march.
“We got more response from
the NYPD than SJU’s administration,”
he said.
Many students have been
calling for administrators to
address the increase in tuition
since June, questioning the
decision due to the impact the
pandemic has placed on students
and their guardians.
Many students say administration
still hasn’t addressed
their concerns.
This prompted Majid to call
on Councilman Rory Lancman
for help. After students spoke
with the Jamaica representative,
the lawmaker sent a letter
to St. John’s Spokesperson Brian
Browne ahead of the rally.
“I write to request a meeting
with the University officials
and the organizers of
tomorrow’s planned rally concerning,
among other things,
diversity and inclusion at SJU,
and the organizer’s dissatisfaction
with SJU’s current efforts
and structures,” Lancman’s
letter, posted on Instagram,
read. “Many of these students
are my constituents, and they
contacted my office for support
and assistance, particularly
since they believe their efforts
to speak with administration
officials about these concerns,
and to establish a meaningful
and collaborative dialogue,
have been unsuccessful.”
Lancman’s office spokesperson
Sam Goldsmith told
QNS they have not received a
response for a meeting yet.
When asked about the letter,
Browne said, “We acknowledge
receiving NYC Council
member Lancman’s letter on
behalf of the students.”
The national Black Lives
Matter and police brutality
protests have resurfaced issues
of systemic racism and institutional
transparency within
the university that students
have called out in the past.
“The issues that we are
currently confronted with are
not new to the administration
— but a recurring fight
against the issues that have
not been fixed; but we will be
the last generation of St. John’s
students who deal with racist,
bias, and discriminatory actions
within our classes and in
our campus,” said Shaeleigh
Severino, one of the rally’s
main organizers.
The university created a
task force two years ago in
order to respond to students’
calls for faculty and administration
to reflect the student
body. But students want to see
proof of what these actions
have resulted in.
When asked about the rally
and demands of the students,
Browne said, “The university
respects the right of students
to express their concerns publicly.”
Read more on QNS.com.
Photo by Dean Moses
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