New York University's independent student newspaper, established in 1973.

Washington Square News

New York University's independent student newspaper, established in 1973.

Washington Square News

New York University's independent student newspaper, established in 1973.

Washington Square News

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IEC Moves Days Long Occupation to Kimmel Stairs

Members of the IEC have now moved their occupation of Bobst to Kimmel, hoping to escalate their protest of NYU’s dining services.
Students+walk+past+protestors+who+are+demanding+a+response+from+NYU+regarding+its+dining+services+on+the+steps+of+Kimmel.+
Students walk past protestors who are demanding a response from NYU regarding its dining services on the steps of Kimmel.

After occupying the lobby of Bobst Library for 63 hours, the Incarceration to Education Coalition moved its sit-in to the stairs of the Kimmel Center for University Life late Wednesday night and has remained throughout the day.

The organization hopes the move will escalate its campaign to urge NYU to divest from Aramark and other food service providers that contribute to the prison industry.

The IEC began occupying the lobby of Bobst at 8 a.m. on Monday and stayed until Wednesday night. Participating members of the organization previously claimed that they would stay in Bobst until the university agreed to meet their demands. These demands included a written guarantee from the university to shift toward becoming an independent food service provider and to create a new committee to monitor the university’s transition to self-providing dining services. The IEC also requests that they have a seat on this committee.

In an email sent to the IEC on Monday, Senior Vice President for Student Services Marc Wais said that the university had not agreed to meet the IEC’s demands, but offered to meet with the organization.

In March and April of last year, NYU Divest and Student Labor Action Movement held similar occupations of Kimmel to advocate for greater administrative transparency, student representation on the Board of Trustees, and university divestment from fossil fuels. The second of these occupations prompted university officials to call the parents of protesters and threaten disciplinary action, such as delayed graduation or expulsion, if their activism continued.  

Wais said that disciplinary action was a possibility if the organization decided to occupy Kimmel for more than one night.

“If you hold your protest in the Bobst atrium or you limit the hours of your protest in Kimmel to the period the building is open – no problem,” Wais. “However, should you choose to remain overnight again in Kimmel, please know that the following day we will move forward with conduct proceedings against those who stay.”

In a press release sent out on Thursday, the IEC stated that moving its occupation to Kimmel did not alter their cause.

“It has fallen to us students to serve as the accountability mechanism,” CAS Senior Matthew Perry said in the press release. “We are firmly committed to occupying this space until our demands are met, and feel buoyed by the support we’ve received from other students, faculty, and currently incarcerated persons.”

Members from the IEC declined to comment.

UPDATE Dec. 6, 11 p.m.: This article was updated to include a statement from Senior Vice President for Student Services Marc Wais.

This is a developing story.

Email Meghna Maharishi at [email protected].

About the Contributor
Meghna Maharishi, News Editor
Meghna Maharishi is a first-year in LS planning to major in Politics. As someone who’s lived in New Jersey her whole life, she will probably try to convince you that it’s not that terrible. In the rare event she’s not in the office reporting and writing, you can find her probably buying overpriced coffee, browsing through record stores or endlessly watching Bon Appetit videos on YouTube.
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