Because universities would be zilch these days without a student group demanding one thing or other, the Cornell Progressives jumped into the fray last week to demand a coronavirus-related “student bailout.”
Formerly known as Cornell for Bernie, the Cornell Progressives claim the Cornell administration has “failed to address basic student needs,” according to The Cornell Daily Sun.
The CP posted an online petition for students to sign which includes a now-non-functional link to the demands (one must request access to the document).
Nevertheless, the (seven) CP demands were also posted on the group’s Twitter account:
The group says students “have lost 47 percent of the semester” which includes things like access to “studios, laboratories, [and] libraries.”
Student George DeFendini, who helped draft the demands, said he hopes the demands will help make Cornell a “more inclusive institution.”
“Students within our organization have come together and expressed discontent over a variety of issues we’ve faced under coronavirus,” DeFendini said. “Inconsiderate professors with strict deadlines and harsh grading, feeling left in the dark by administration’s decisions and financial anxieties amidst quarantine, to name a few.”
To respond to professors’ “apathy” towards student circumstances, the group asked Cornell to establish a “formal grievance procedure” for when professors fail to account for inequitable circumstances.
Although the organization has not yet heard from administration, students have positively reacted to the demands, which amassed more than 100 responses and 200 likes on social media platforms in just two days.
“This is very promising for our effort and we are certain we will reach the grand majority of the Cornell student body,” DeFendini said. “We are also reaching out to different student organizations for solidarity, and our demands have already been endorsed by the Cornell Democrats.”
The CP said until its demands are met, “no student should be content.” DeFendini added that it’s because of the students that Cornell can “claim the prestige it does.”
MORE: Cornell U. climate protesters block local traffic during afternoon rush hour
MORE: Cornell bans virtual classroom recording during COVID-19
IMAGES: dzaky murad / Shutterstock.com, Twitter screenshots
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