Q&A
CUNY's response to protests blocking access to classrooms
1:47:07
·
169 sec
Council Member Vernikov questions Chancellor Rodriguez about CUNY's response to protests that blocked students from accessing classrooms, particularly at CCNY after October 7th. The Chancellor is unable to provide specific examples of how these situations were handled.
- Incidents of students being blocked from classes at CCNY are discussed
- Chancellor Rodriguez emphasizes the use of dialogue and education to prevent such incidents
- The effectiveness of CUNY's response to these situations is questioned
Inna Vernikov
1:47:07
Just to go back to the time, place, and manner restrictions, you mentioned that it is not acceptable or in compliance with school policy for students to block other students from entering classrooms or school buildings.
1:47:18
Correct?
1:47:19
That's part of the handles and rules.
1:47:20
Yes.
Felix Matos Rodriguez
1:47:20
Okay.
1:47:20
Well, as you probably know, in
Inna Vernikov
1:47:22
CCNY, after October 7th, students experience protests and rallies every week in the rotunda, and they were blocked from getting to classes.
1:47:35
There were complaints of students in yamakas trying to get to class that faced pro Hamas slogans being hurled at them.
1:47:43
How did you stop that, chancellor?
Felix Matos Rodriguez
1:47:44
Well, I I'll I'll go back to the president for CCNY about this specific case.
1:47:49
I don't know that offhand.
Inna Vernikov
1:47:52
It's very interesting because we actually reached out to 5 presidents to show up here today, and they all gave us similar responses.
1:48:01
President Warburg College said I deeply appreciate the opportunity to engage in this critical issue.
1:48:05
However, I must respectfully decline, noting that the agenda of the meeting pertains to system wide concerns outlined in the Littmann report and the CUNY chancellor will be testifying on behalf of the university.
1:48:17
So the presidents are giving that opportunity to you, chancellor, to testify as to what happens on every campus, and that's why they declined to be here today.
Felix Matos Rodriguez
1:48:26
So that the best information that I have on that, first, there was some confusion because the invites, I think, came to the president's, very late, last Thursday or Friday.
1:48:39
There was some confusion actually because it was not, something coming from the committee.
1:48:44
So there was not There
Inna Vernikov
1:48:45
was notice for over a month about this hearing channel.
Felix Matos Rodriguez
1:48:48
And they knew that I was testifying, on behalf about the Littmann report
Inna Vernikov
1:48:53
How will you stop in the future incidents like I just described right now?
Felix Matos Rodriguez
1:48:58
So again, you do that through a combination of things.
1:49:01
Some of the investments we're doing in constructive dialogue, and getting
Inna Vernikov
1:49:05
You will stop students from blocking other students from coming into class by dialogue?
Felix Matos Rodriguez
1:49:10
Well, so of part of this part of the work that we do here is education.
1:49:14
What what you hope, right, and what I'm sure you and I share is that we have less of these situations happening on our campuses all out through New York City.
1:49:24
Part of this work is education and being and being proactive.
1:49:28
The other part of the equation, which I think is what you're
Inna Vernikov
1:49:30
So you answered dialogue.
Felix Matos Rodriguez
1:49:31
When they when they when they break the rules, right, that they are sort of accounted for.
1:49:37
And the campuses are doing that when they get,
Inna Vernikov
1:49:40
a felony.
1:49:40
Break the rules, what happens to them?
Felix Matos Rodriguez
1:49:43
There's an investigation to sort of to document if that's the case.
Inna Vernikov
1:49:46
Can you give me an example of when students were blocking other students from coming in and there was an investigation and consequences?
Felix Matos Rodriguez
1:49:53
I I I can go back to the campus and give you the example.
Inna Vernikov
1:49:56
Because there isn't any.
