Items

• Occupying our Education

  Drawing on experiences with Occupy CUNY, the Adjunct Project, and teaching an ‘Occupy Class’ at Brooklyn College, Steve M. shares insights into the conditions for organizing around universities today. In the face of the challenges of divisions of race and class between students and workers, and across the segregated city, Steve highlights the potentials for bringing militant co-research into coalitions and into classrooms themselves.
• The Time for Action

  This 8-minute film includes footage from the second General Assembly at Hunter College, and the first "Occupy CUNY" teach-in at Washington Square Park on October 21st, 2011. The filmmakers who were CUNY graduate students at the time stated, “We learned how quickly small protest gatherings can turn into new social movements. This is a document about the struggle of students and adjunct faculty at CUNY.”
• Occupy City University of NY Students and Faculty Protest

  Ken Nash of the syndicated radio program, Building Bridges is in conversation with Hector Agredano (Occupy CUNY), Emma Francis-Snyder(Occupy CUNY), and Barbara Bowen (President of CUNY Professional Staff Congress) in this December 2011 30-minute audio report, discussing protests at Baruch college which ended with security and police clashing with protestors. Even though these meetings were legally obligated to be open to the public, Baruch's president announced that the Vertical Campus would be closed to almost everyone by 3pm. However, protestors reclaimed CUNY on the outside, and exposed the Board's illegitimate actions inside. Police violence had already occurred at Baruch, in response to protests about tuition hikes, and unfair labor practices targeted toward adjunct and other faculty, and the privatization of the public CUNY system but protestors stood firm for their right to free speech and assembly.
• Occupy CUNY News

  This Wordpress site features a collection of links and articles relating to the Occupy CUNY movement of 2011-12. No longer updated, it now serves as a repository for information on the activism of the period.
• Free University Week

  This web page features information regarding "Free University Week," a five-day event in Madison Square Park from September 18-22, 2012 that offered free educational workshops and classes to the general public. Founded around May Day 2012, the Free University project has continued through 2017.
• "Teach CUNY"

  Organized by the Professional Staff Congress (PSC) chapter of the Borough of Manhattan Community college, 'Teach CUNY' is an annual effort to raise awareness of issues facing CUNY. Beginning in 2011 with an emphasis on matters relating to college budgets, the event evolved to include the topics of "inequity, affordability, and injustice at CUNY." The site includes sample lesson plans for instructors and other resources intended to promote awareness.
• CUNY May Day Blog

  This blog from 2012 features posts and resources regarding that year's May Day activities on and around CUNY campuses. Among these resources are flyers, sample lesson plans, and readings intended to raise awareness around issues facing CUNY and the larger community. The efforts were part of the "Occupy CUNY" movement, an offshoot of the Occupy Wall Street campaign of 2011.
• Protest Again Centers on Baruch College as CUNY Trustees Approve Tuition Increase

  A week after an impromptu CUNY protest at Baruch College in which students were clashing with police, this Chronicle of Higher Education article covers a second protest at Baruch College. The article reports that a thousand students, faculty members, and supporters gathered in a peaceful show of opposition against a tuition increase that CUNY's Board of Trustees, meeting at Baruch, had approved that afternoon.
• Violence Against Protesters at CUNY

  Occupy Wall Street People's Library blog post and video round-up about the November 21, 2011 incident at Baruch College, in which NYPD and CUNY security attacked and arrested students, faculty, staff, and community members who were peacefully attempting to enter a Board of Trustees public hearing to oppose a 5-year tuition increase proposal. An offshoot of the Occupy Wall Street movement, Occupy CUNY organized around fighting the militarization of CUNY campuses, and the privatization of education. CUNY students collectively organized pop-up universities, direct action teach-ins, hacking spaces and general assemblies at the Graduate Center and in public spaces.
• CUNY Faculty Statement of Support for November 17, 2011, Student Strike

  CUNY Faculty Statement of Support, written primarily by Graduate Center faculty, for the November 17, 2011, Student Strike, in solidarity with Occupy Wall Street. Several of the CUNY faculty who spearheaded this statement, and a few visiting scholars, also spoke at a November 16 "Faculty Speak-Out: Supporting the N17 Student Strike" at the Graduate Center, including Ammiel Alcalay, Anthony Alessandrini, Stanley Aronowitz, Susan Buck-Morss, Patricia Clough, Katie Cumiskey, Ashley Dawson, Jackie DiSalvo, Anne McClintock, Ira Shor, and Neil Smith.
• Graduate Center General Assembly Working Groups

  Informational leaflet with a list of Graduate Center General Assembly Working Groups for Fall 2011: direct action, faculty liaison, inclusion, knowledgewerk, press, online presence & media, outreach, structure/process, support, and write in. The Graduate Center General Assembly was an ad-hoc group of Graduate Center students, teachers, and staff who worked together to connect the ideas and activities of Occupy Wall Street to the Graduate Center, CUNY, and beyond. The GC GA began in Fall 2011, and its participants continue related activities to this day, even as the GC GA no longer meets.
• Song: "Hit the Road Matt: Good riddance to a reprehensible Chancellor!"

  This version of the Ray Charles classic was written by members of the Graduate Center General Assembly and Adjunct Project on the occasion of CUNY Chancellor Matthew Goldstein's June 2013 retirement. The song references ongoing scandals over which Goldstein presided, such as the 1999 end of Open Admissions, a policy which had been understood by many to be a historic achievement in democratizing higher education before Goldstein and the CUNY Board of Trustees dismantled it. It makes reference to Goldstein’s Pathways initiative that lowered academic standards and restricted faculty autonomy. It also mocks his performance and tenure, exposing that Goldstein’s total compensation doubled to well over half a million dollars, and top administrators’ salaries increased. Meanwhile, tuition almost doubled, and more than half of CUNY classes are taught by adjuncts who make under $20,000 annually. At the July 29, 2013, Board of Trustees meeting, the Trustees approved a one year “study leave” (at full salary) for Chancellor Goldstein, followed by a 5-month Travia leave at full salary, after which he would became Chancellor Emeritus for 5 years at a salary of $300,000.
• Kroll Mask

  This mask was made by the Graduate Center General Assembly for a "Kroll Monster" costume that was used in a series of agitprop materials to highlight CUNY Chancellor Matthew Goldstein's relationship to Kroll, Inc. CUNY hired this security company to conduct an investigation and produce a report about a November 21, 2011 incident at Baruch College. On this date, NYPD and CUNY security physically attacked and arrested students, faculty, staff, and community members who were attempting to peacefully enter a Board of Trustees public hearing to speak against a 5-year tuition increase. On May 8, 2012, after the John Jay College Chairman and head of Kroll, Inc., Jules Kroll, donated $2 million to the college, the "Lynn and Jules Kroll Atrium" was unveiled. On January 4, 2013, Kroll, Inc. released a report absolving CUNY of any wrongdoing in the Baruch College incident.
• Goldstein and Kroll Security: Mock NYT Wedding Announcement

  This mock New York Times announcement between Chancellor Goldstein and Kroll Security Group announces a protest in the form of a satirical wedding procession and ceremony, which was to be held on May 1st, 2012. In addition, the announcement satirically unpacks the actual union between Chancellor Matthew Goldstein's and Kroll Security Group. Kroll inc. was commissioned to conduct an investigatory report about a November 21, 2011 protest at Baruch College. On this date, NYPD and CUNY security clashed and arrested students, while students, faculty, staff, and community members were attempting to peacefully enter a Board of Trustees public hearing about a 5-year tuition increase. On May 8, 2012, after the John Jay College Chairman and head of Kroll, Inc., Jules Kroll, donated $2 million to the college, the "Lynn and Jules Kroll Atrium" was unveiled. On January 4, 2013, Kroll, Inc. released a report absolving CUNY of any wrongdoing in the Baruch College incident.
• Occupy Data Hackathon

  This flyer is for an Occupydata hackathon, which was held at the Graduate Center on September 28th and 29th. Occupydata NYC was a collective of developers, designers, researchers, artists, occupiers, and hackers who were discovering new ways of viewing and understanding the Occupy movement through analysis and visualization.
• OkPutrid: Chancellor Goldstein's profile

  This mock okCupid (online dating site) profile was made for Chancellor Goldstein. The fields satirically emphasize his support of tuition hikes, and his partnership with Kroll Security group in the wake of the November, 21st 2011 protest at Baruch college in which students and police clashed. Chancellor Matthew Goldstein hired Kroll Security Group to conduct a biased investigatory report about a November 21, 2011 incident at Baruch College. On this date, NYPD and CUNY security physically attacked and arrested students, faculty, staff, and community members who were attempting to peacefully enter a Board of Trustees public hearing on a 5-year tuition increase. On May 8, 2012, after the John Jay College Chairman and head of Kroll, Inc., Jules Kroll, donated $2 million to the college, the "Lynn and Jules Kroll Atrium" was unveiled. On January 4, 2013, Kroll, Inc. released a report absolving CUNY of any wrongdoing in the Baruch College incident.
• Okputrid: Kroll Security Group's Profile

  This mock okCupid (online dating site) profile was made for Kroll Security Group. The summary describes him as enjoying providing data mining, intelligence, and on-the-ground security to corporations and universities and that he is “looking for” long-term contractual relationships. Chancellor Matthew Goldstein's hired Kroll Security Group to conduct a biased investigatory report about a November 21, 2011 incident at Baruch College. On this date, NYPD and CUNY security clashed with people (students, faculty, staff, and community members) who were attempting to peacefully enter a Board of Trustees public hearing on a 5-year tuition increase. On May 8, 2012, after the John Jay College Chairman and head of Kroll, Inc., Jules Kroll, donated $2 million to the college, the "Lynn and Jules Kroll Atrium" was unveiled. On January 4, 2013, Kroll, Inc. released a report absolving CUNY of any wrongdoing in the Baruch College incident.
• Radical Teach In

  This flyer announces a radical-teach by CUNY Graduate Center students on October 21, 2011, in Washington Square Park. An offshoot of the Occupy Wall Street movement, Occupy CUNY organized around fighting the militarization of CUNY campuses, and the privatization of education. CUNY students collectively organized pop-up universities, direct action teach-ins, hacking spaces and general assemblies at the Graduate Center and in public spaces. Occupy CUNY also stood in solidarity with Cooper Union students against the implementation of tuition and Quebec’s student movement.
• Thursday's Special

  This satirical menu featured dishes called “democratic” university, “meaningful” academic employment, “right to peaceful protests” and “safe and secure” learning places and was part of a pop-up political theater action created by the Graduate Center’s General Assembly group. Several protests, rallies and marches that took place on the same day are also announced on the menu. An offshoot of the Occupy Wall Street movement, Occupy CUNY organized around fighting the militarization of CUNY campuses, and the privatization of education. CUNY students collectively organized pop-up universities, direct action teach-ins, hacking spaces and general assemblies at the Graduate Center and in public spaces. Occupy CUNY also stood in solidarity with Cooper Union students against the implementation of tuition and Quebec’s student movement.
• Transforming Assembly

  This promotional flyer and schedule invited students of all ages to the James Gallery for a week of activities in celebration of public education. In collaboration with the Decolonizing Architecture Art Residency’s exhibition Common Assembly, these workshops were positioned at the intersection of pedagogy, art and activism. Workshops, zine launches and various groups including the Interference Archive, Occuprint, Open CUNY/Open Access, and Occupy Data facilitated forums.
• "Chancellor Goldstein's Wedding Invitation"

  This invitation to a mock wedding between Chancellor Goldstein and Kroll Security Group announces the protest in the form of a satirical wedding procession and ceremony, which was held on May 1, 2012. Chancellor Matthew Goldstein hired Kroll Security Group to conduct an investigatory report about a November 21, 2011 incident at Baruch College. On this date, NYPD and CUNY security violently clashed with protesters (students, faculty, staff, and community members) who were attempting to peacefully enter a Board of Trustees public hearing on a 5-year tuition increase. On May 8, 2012, after the John Jay College Chairman and head of Kroll, Inc., Jules Kroll, donated $2 million to the college, the "Lynn and Jules Kroll Atrium" was unveiled. On January 4, 2013, Kroll, Inc. released a report absolving CUNY of any wrongdoing in the Baruch College incident. An offshoot of the Occupy Wall Street movement, Occupy CUNY organized around fighting the militarization of CUNY campuses, and the privatization of education. CUNY students collectively organized pop-up universities, direct action teach-ins, hacking spaces and general assemblies at the Graduate Center and in public spaces. Occupy CUNY also stood in solidarity with Cooper Union students against the implementation of tuition and with Quebec’s student movement.
• Decolonize Climate Justice

  The Decolonize Climate Justice bilingual flyer is a call for workshops and volunteers. Held one day before the historic climate march in NYC, the Free University offered workshops, teach-ins, direct action trainings and indigenous performances positioned at the nexus of environmental justice and systemic inequality. The Free University of New York City is an experiment in radical education building on the historic tradition of movement freedom schools. The project was born out of the conviction that the current system of higher education is as unequal as it is unsustainable, while vast sources of knowledge across communities are all-too-hidden and undervalued. First conceived as a form of educational strike in the run up to May Day 2012, the Free University has since organized numerous days of free crowd-sourced education in community centers, museums, parks, public spaces, and subway stations in New York City.
• Free University Week Flier

  This Free University of New York flyer is call for workshops for the first Free University Week which was held at Madison Square park. The Free University of New York City is an experiment in radical education building on the historic tradition of movement freedom schools. The project was born out of the conviction that the current system of higher education is as unequal as it is unsustainable, while vast sources of knowledge across communities are all-too-hidden and undervalued. First conceived as a form of educational strike in the run up to May Day 2012, the Free University has since organized numerous days of free crowd-sourced education in community centers, museums, parks, public spaces, and subway stations in New York City.
• Action Calendar

  This action calendar announced actions and events for 2012-2013. Doctoral Students Council plenaries, CUNY Board of Trustee meetings and Free University Week are some of the highlights. Occupy CUNY organized around fighting the militarization of CUNY campuses, and the privatization of education. CUNY Students rallied against the Board of Trustees to oppose pay scale increases for top administrators, and tuition hikes. In addition, students collectively organized pop-up universities, direct action teach-ins, hacking spaces and general assemblies at the Graduate Center and in public spaces.
• Another City is Possible

  This flyer announces a week of actions in NYC against budget cuts, austerity and global economic justice. May 14th concentrated on education and students with leafleting and picketing for quality public schools, free education and against student debt . Thousands of people joined at Times Square on May 15th for the culmination of the week's actions against austerity and corporate greed and in solidarity with hundreds of thousands who were rising up around the world. Among many other groups Alliance for Quality Education, Coalition for Educational Justice, New York Students Rising, Parents for Occupy Wall Street, PSC-CUNY, United Federation of Teachers and Students for a Free CUNY all worked in collaboration with Occupy Wall Street for "Another City is Possible".