STATEMENT FROM NEW SCHOOL PRESIDENT BOB KERREY ON THE RESOLUTION OF THE STUDENT PROTEST

NEW YORK, December 19, 2008 – Early this morning approximately 50 demonstrators quietly and peacefully vacated the New School cafeteria at 65 Fifth Avenue. Senior staff worked through the day and night yesterday, talking to student representatives, listening to their demands, and closely monitoring the situation. An agreement was reached to make changes in university policies to accommodate some of the concerns raised by students.

The following are the resolutions reached in the agreement:

1) To grant amnesty for the participants involved in the occupation and the events related to it.

2) To find a suitable replacement for the library and study space that will be lost with the closing of 65 Fifth Avenue. It was expressed to the students that this was already in the works, as we are completing work on new library and study room facilities at 55 West 13th Street. The construction of this new space will be completed in time for the start of the spring semester.

3) To include student participation in the selection of the Provost.

4) To establish a committee on Socially Responsible Investing for the University’s endowment.

We believe that the agreement reached is reasonable and will improve the shared governance of our university. Today, 65 Fifth Avenue will resume normal operation for our students, staff and faculty.

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