After traveling for hours, more than 300 students throughout New York gathered in Albany on Higher Education Day, Feb. 26, to meet with representatives to discuss college investment. The trip, organized by New York Public Interest Research Group and supported by state public colleges, enabled students to meet with elected officials and representatives of their districts to present their views and show their support. “It’s a great opportunity for both students to express their support as well as for politicians to see how many students are in support and just how important higher education is to us,” said Tiffany Brown, project coordinator at Queens College NYPIRG. NYPIRG, established in 1973…
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CUNY professors and staff remain without contract after 5 years
All employees of CUNY, from professors to staff members, are still working without a contract as negotiations continue to stall. The last contract was conceived in 2006 and lasted until 2010. CUNY officials pledged to make a deal last semester, but nothing came of it. Francis Clark, communications director of the Professional Staff Congress, said CUNY faculty and staff need a contract in order to help both professors and students. “CUNY is in danger of not being able to offer the rich education our students deserve. The faculty and professional staff represented by the PSC have worked for four years without a contract and five years without a contractual raise,” Clark…
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“Year of South Africa” panel sheds light on the fight against apartheid
A group of students and community members gathered on Feb. 23 at the Godwin-Ternbach Museum to talk about apartheid from a variety of perspectives. The gathering was part of the “Year of South Africa” at Queens College. It is part of a series of events surrounding the current exhibition at the museum, “The Collection of Violet and Les Payne & Next Generation: Emerging Photographers From South Africa.” “The Payne collection is focused on works on paper and paintings by artists from the black township of Soweto, Johannesburg,” the Godwin-Ternbach Museum said on their website. This exhibition seeks to highlight works of art created by members of the disenfranchised African community during apartheid in South Africa.…
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Students of undocumented parents beat out M.I.T. in robotics competition
A documentary was presented at Queens College concerning the challenges minority students face in America while striving to achieve academic success. Underwater Dreams is about how a team of Mexican students from Carl Hayden High School in Phoenix Arizona, children of undocumented workers, managed to defeat prestigious colleges, including M.I.T., in a robotics competition in 2004. The documentary also follows their journeys after their victory. This film touches on issues regarding undocumented immigration including the implications and continuing conversation around the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) Act, ballot measures restricting undocumented students from receiving in-state tuition in certain states, and policies affecting the ability of undocumented students to seek employment after college. The film was presented…
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A victory for one is a victory for all
The Knight News would like to congratulate the Women’s Basketball team for its ECC Championship. It is their first championship since 2009. The game came down to the wire with the team defeating the NYIT Bears 65-63. Things were looking bleak at the end of the first half with the Lady Knights trailing by 16 points. It took a total team effort to rally back. Led by Eastern Conference Player of the Year Madison Rowland, they outscored the Bears 42-24. Madison had a double-double with 38 points and 13 rebounds. She earned the Most Valuable Player Award. With the victory, the Knights have secured a spot in the NCAA Division…