In May, students of the Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art began an occupation of the President's office to protest the institution's plan to begin charging tuition after over 150 years of free tuition scholarships for accepted students. The change would mean that students would have to pay up $19,000 on a sliding scale. After nine weeks, the administration released a statement today with the headline "Occupation Ends," officially announcing that the students and alumni have agreed to vacate the office and were granted amnesty against legal action. The statement also revealed that a "working group" has been established to "seek an alternative to tuition that will sustain the institution’s long-term financial viability and strengthen its academic excellence." Members of the group include: three trustees, three administrators, three students, four full-time faculty members, and three alumni.
Anyone who has been involved in college politics knows that "working groups" or task forces are created for just about every issue and often don't accomplish much. We hope that isn't the case this time around and that Cooper Union reaches an agreement that benefits the school as well as it's student population.
[via ArtinAmerica]