New School University Alum New York Times letter

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Its time for faculty and students alike at the New School to join, in removing the biggest threat to their institution President Bob Kerrey. Mr. Kerrey is a venal and disgraceful reminder many managers take on their job for reasons of lucre, rather than out of respect for the institution they run.

Former Columbia professors founded The New School in the early twentieth century, because they believed open debate should flourish without limits. Later, European refugees such as the philosopher Hannah Arendt sought refuge from fascist persecution at the university.

The New School is today a school that polices and prosecutes its unorthodox thinkers. Calling the NYPD shouldnt be an option when dealing with reasonable student protests. Mr. Kerrey brought in over 100 police and a helicopter, after 20 students peacefully occupied a building for six hours last Friday.

The man who led a CIA secret military unit during the Vietnam War, which unleashed indiscriminate death on the Vietnamese population, now calls his non-violent students terrorists. For Mr. Kerrey, it is state terror by soldiers that is justified; but civil disobedience from civilians should result in jail time for the dissenters.

Earning a salary package of over 1.2 million dollars a year, Mr. Kerrey told a newspaper Sunday that hed only quit if his quality of life deteriorated. For the President, keeping his fancy townhouse on Eleventh Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenue is grounds for his continued tenure.

His quality of life is also grounds for him to sack a third of Parsons design faculty two weeks ago; and for authorizing the police who assaulted students (in the square where the American labor movement was founded).

As alumni, were glad that our New School fees, our government loans and the work we did in minimum wage on campus jobs have paid for Mr. Kerrey to live comfortably even as he destroys the institution that employs him.

But Mr. Kerrey has lived well enough for long enough. We demand the Board of Trustees withdraws its confidence from Mr. Kerrey. If that is not done, permanent faculty at the New School must withdraw their support from Mr. Kerrey by withdrawing their labor from the school.

Bob Kerreys pleasant life in West Village simply does not justify the use of the university as a kleptocratic retirement scheme for the former Senator.

Faithfully,

28 Signatures

  • Charles McPhedran
    • Degree, Graduation Year (New School Branch)
    • MA, New School for Social Research, 2009 (Political Science)
    • Address, Zipcode
    • Elsenstrasse 2, Berlin, 12435
    • Email
    • phedranmcphedran@gmail.com
  • David Calnitsky
    • Degree, Graduation Year (New School Branch)
    • MA, New School for Social Research, 2009 (Economics)
    • Address, Zipcode
    • H2V4K2
    • Email
    • davidhersh.calnitsky@alumni.newschool.edu
  • Scott Carter
    • Degree, Graduation Year (New School Branch)
    • Ph.D. 2004, Economics, NSSR
    • Address, Zipcode
    • University of Tulsa, 74104
    • Email
    • scott-carter@utulsa.edu
  • Alex Julca
    • Degree, Graduation Year (New School Branch)
    • Graduate Faculty
    • Address, Zipcode
    • 10017
    • Email
    • julcarojas@hotmail.com
  • Fabian Balardini
    • Degree, Graduation Year (New School Branch)
    • Ph.D. Economics, May 2006
    • Address, Zipcode
    • 104-60 Queens Boulevard, Apt. 12W, 11375
    • Email
    • balardini@yahoo.com
  • MATTHEW F ABRENA
    • Degree, Graduation Year (New School Branch)
    • MA, Economics, New School for Social Research, 2006
    • Address, Zipcode
    • 320 W 22ND ST APT 1C, NY, NY, 10011
    • Email
    • MATTHEW.ABRENA@GMAIL.COM
  • margarita velasco
    • Degree, Graduation Year (New School Branch)
    • NSSR
    • Address, Zipcode
    • 11220
    • Email
    • velam721@newschool.edu
  • luca fiorito
    • Degree, Graduation Year (New School Branch)
    • phd economics
    • Address, Zipcode
    • via di camollia 53100 siena
    • Email
    • lucafiorito@unipa.it
  • Lucy Law Webster
    • Degree, Graduation Year (New School Branch)
    • 2007 MA in Global Politiacal Economy
    • Address, Zipcode
    • 10016
    • Email
    • lucywebster@lvistas.net
  • Nikolaos Papanikolaou
    • Degree, Graduation Year (New School Branch)
    • PhD. Candidate, Economics Department
    • Address, Zipcode
    • 37-41 81st. street, Jackson Heights, NY 11372
    • Email
    • papan103@newschool.edu
  • David Singer
    • Degree, Graduation Year (New School Branch)
    • M.A., 2004 (Graduate Faculty)
    • Address, Zipcode
    • 240 W. 98th St., New York, NY 10025
    • Email
    • dsinger00@hotmail.com
  • Simone Pitta
    • Degree, Graduation Year (New School Branch)
    • M.A, Spring 2009 NSSR
    • Address, Zipcode
    • 11220
    • Email
    • pittas87@newschool.edu
  • Stevphen Shukaitis
    • Degree, Graduation Year (New School Branch)
    • University of Essex, Essex Business School
    • Address, Zipcode
    • E5 0JG
    • Email
    • sshuka@essex.ac.uk
  • Siddharth Singh
    • Degree, Graduation Year (New School Branch)
    • MA, 2008, Department of Economics, New School for Social Research
    • Address, Zipcode
    • Mint, 16th floor, HT House, 18-20 KG Marg, New Delhi 110001
    • Email
    • siddharth.singh@alumni.newschool.edu
  • Eva Leuprecht
    • Degree, Graduation Year (New School Branch)
    • Mag., MA , 2008
    • Address, Zipcode
    • Burggasse Vienna, 1070
    • Email
    • eva.leuprecht@gmx.at
  • Karl Boyd-Nafstad
    • Degree, Graduation Year (New School Branch)
    • MA Political Science, 2008, NSSR
    • Address, Zipcode
    • Dallas, TX, 75204
    • Email
    • boydnafstad@gmail.com
  • Degaulle Adili
    • Degree, Graduation Year (New School Branch)
    • MS Economics
    • Address, Zipcode
    • 10701
    • Email
    • dasitg@gmail.com
  • Susan Schroeder
    • Degree, Graduation Year (New School Branch)
    • PhD, 2004, Economics
    • Address, Zipcode
    • 20 Woodford Road, Auckland, New Zealand
    • Email
    • schros01@hotmail.com
  • John Mannah
    • Degree, Graduation Year (New School Branch)
    • Ph.d economics, NSSR
    • Address, Zipcode
    • 5023 Riverdale Road, #206, Riverdale MD 20737
    • Email
    • mannj703@newschool.edu
  • Andrew Thornton
    • Degree, Graduation Year (New School Branch)
    • Graduate Program in International Affairs
    • Address, Zipcode
    • 11101
    • Email
    • thora346@newschool.edu
  • Corinne Goldenberg
    • Degree, Graduation Year (New School Branch)
    • MA, 2008, GPIA
    • Address, Zipcode
    • 315 Seigel St, Apt 311, Brooklyn, NY 11206
    • Email
    • corinne.goldenberg@gmail.com
  • Jesse Willard
    • Degree, Graduation Year (New School Branch)
    • MA, International Affairs (NS for General Studies)
    • Address, Zipcode
    • 300 5th Ave #2-L
    • Email
    • jwillard@gmail.com
  • Shaun Randol
    • Degree, Graduation Year (New School Branch)
    • Graduate Program for International Affairs, 2009
    • Address, Zipcode
    • 11105
    • Email
    • rands161@newschool.edu
  • Shaun Randol
    • Degree, Graduation Year (New School Branch)
    • Graduate Program for International Affairs, 2009
    • Address, Zipcode
    • 11105
    • Email
    • rands161@newschool.edu
  • Natalia Cardona
    • Degree, Graduation Year (New School Branch)
    • MSc International Affairs
    • Address, Zipcode
    • 7101 Grays Avenue Philadelphia, PA, 19142
    • Email
    • cardona.n@gmail.com
  • Daniel B. Morrissey
    • Degree, Graduation Year (New School Branch)
    • MA-International Affairs 2010
    • Address, Zipcode
    • 227 27th St. Apt 2 11232
    • Email
    • danielbmorrissey@gmail.com
  • Rex McKenzie
    • Degree, Graduation Year (New School Branch)
    • Phd Economics 2006 (Graduate Faculty)
    • Address, Zipcode
    • 10577
    • Email
    • rex.mckenzie@purchase.edu
  • Luca Zamparelli
    • Degree, Graduation Year (New School Branch)
    • Phd Economics 2008
    • Address, Zipcode
    • 00151
    • Email
    • zampl472@newschool.edu