New School administrators override student senate decision to halt funding to student organizations in latest anti-Israel action
Administrators at the New School took control over its Student Senate's allocation of the student fee after the student-led body voted to suspend external funding until the university divests from Israel.
The administrators also said it's a "privilege" handed to student leaders in the Student Senate to allocate the funding.
Administrators at the New School in New York City took control over its Student Senate’s allocation of the student fee after the student-led body voted to suspend external funding until the university divests from Israel.
The Monday announcement found on the university’s website states that the University’s Student Senate has announced to students their intention to “suspend all external funding operations until the Investment Committee votes in favor of divestment.”
Students who attend The New School pay an $8.00 Student Senate Fee. This measure will now make it so that any budget requests that student organizations or groups file will not be fulfilled.
While the university administrators wrote that they “fully respect” the authority of student leaders to make decisions, management of the Student Senate Fee would be temporarily transferred to the Division of Student Success, which will distribute the funding to organizations.
”While we respect any student or student organizations that choose to stand in solidarity with the Student Senate’s decision, it is essential for the university to be able to distribute these resources to our students so that we may enhance campus life and the student experience,” the administrators wrote.
The administrators also said it’s a “privilege” handed to student leaders in the Student Senate to allocate the funding.
Campus Reform has previously reported on anti-Israel protests and measures taken by students at The New School this past spring.
Amidst protests against Israel this last spring semester, protesters at The New School forced a Campus Reform correspondent into oncoming traffic for filming the ‘Gaza Solidarity Encampment’ that overtook a lobby on the university’s grounds.
Professors and faculty at The New School also established an encampment within the university’s main lobby after the university shut down a student-led encampment, with instructors previously refusing to submit grades while protesting inside of the university’s lobby, as reported by Campus Reform.
Campus Reform has contacted the State College Police for comment. This article will be updated accordingly.
