Inside the Current Issue

From the Editor: THE ADVOCATE Year End Overcap

As we come to the end of another school year, we also come to the end of another era of THE ADVOCATE, as I am stepping down as editor after this issue. Be aware that applications are still being accepted for the 2006-07 editorial helm.

I would say to potential applicants: be sure to bring lots of energy to this project, a willingness to commit time, and make sure you really want to be intimately involved in the workings of the Graduate Center itself. Work at THE ADVOCATE, for all intents and purposes, is a labor of love. And you might also want to not mind selling ads.

But enough of the adieus, let's start with the year-end overcap: this academic year started with a continuation of the spring 2005 witch hunt against radical and progressive professors. THE ADVOCATE featured first person accounts by harassed professors and employees such as Andy Smith, Carol Lang, David Graeber, Robert Jensen and Michael Bérubé. We also provided news coverage about repression, including the ongoing saga of CUNY Hostos College student Miguel Malo, who was eventually convicted of assault, but did not receive any jail time. Although bad for copy, this wave of repression seemed to lighten as time passed; we received very little information regarding problems people had in spring 2006.

Other than coverage of academic repression, I also tried to focus THE ADVOCATE on the everyday lives of Graduate Center students. As part of this, we had three special theme issues: on Adjuncting (November 2005), Sex/Love/Relationships (February 2006) and this one, on Race and Ethnicity. Needless to say, the February issue proved to be our most successful, even if we missed our goal of being out before Valentine's Day. We were, uh, otherwise occupied.

Bill Kelly successfully navigated his first year as president of the GC, with few complaints. The DSC successfully forwarded a referendum to raise student fees in order to keep the valuable Wellness Center open. After a huge tuition hike of almost 20% that affected students this year, our tuition was thankfully frozen for at least a year. Nonetheless, hikes are now planned for the next four years. Public education is not what it used to be, but then, what is after the demise of Fordism? In any event, New York City has always been both a little European and a little Third World. Meanwhile, over at NYU the students are still having high-profile demonstrations, after their union lost its recognition following an NLRB ruling that allowed private universities to ignore grad unions.

At home, at presstime the PSC appears to have finally agreed upon a contract with the high level wonks at CUNY. The contract seems to guarantee that the only funding for grad students at Level I and II will be if they replace jobs that should be held by tenured faculty. It's a little like travelling into the future to cut your own throat, but I wish them the best with that strategy.

In international news, the shameful occupation of Iraq has dragged on endlessly, while the current administration rattles sabers for war on Iran. Seeing the political impotence of the massive domestic opposition to Bush has made myself (and undoubtedly many other politically-aware Lefties as well) downright despondent regarding the possibilities of anything good happening in the near future. The only exception seems to be the recent massive immigrants rights demonstrations.

Back at home, we are still stuck with the incredibly poor IT network at the Graduate Center. While it was nice that they distributed flash drives to students, I didn't realize until afterwards that it was a band-aid to try and alleviate the burn of network instability. On a happier technological note, plans to have wireless installed at the GC are going forward. Minimally, the plans are to wire the library, C1 and C2, the 5th and 8th floors. (If you can't read between the lines, this means that the 5th floor DSC offices and the student lounge, and the GC administrative offices on the 8th floor, will be privileged.) Hopefully this will give students alternatives to the network (as well as decreasing traffic on it, which may make it more useful). Now, if the administration would only fund free laptops with airport cards, those of us nursing antique computers could fully benefit from this scheme.

And last, but not least, the bar came and went. After 22 days. Oh, sadness.

-- Spencer Sunshine