Students Protest Inauguration of New President at Rider University
The new president has made some tough decisions to solve the school’s financial problems so naturally, he’s evil.
NJ.com reports.
Rider University president’s inauguration draws student protest
A small group of student protesters interrupted the inauguration ceremony of Rider University’s new president with chants of “Students before profits.”
Gregory Dell’Omo took office Aug. 1, but was formally installed as the university’s seventh president on Friday.
The students had stood quietly in the back of the gym, holding signs like “Dell’Oh No,” “I put Rider first, why can’t Rider put my education first?” and “Who’s paying for this party?” But just as Dell’Omo was about to start his address, the students walked out while chanting.
In late October, only months into his new post, Dell’Omo announced plans to slash 13 majors and one minor and eliminate more than 20 jobs to help close its $7.6 million deficit.
The move would have forced 123 freshman and sophomore students to transfer or change majors, but the cuts were avoided when, weeks later, the faculty’s union agreed to a two-year wage freeze and other concessions.
At Friday’s ceremony, Dell’Omo highlighted faculty and student accomplishments and projects that have been or are nearing completion on campus, but also spoke about Rider’s strategic planning process that got underway this year.
“Rider University, like many universities today, has challenges that it must face and overcome,” he said. “As we’ve done for 151 years, we will adapt and we will move forward. … And we are prepared and committed and are ready to move forward to face the future.”
Comments
Students are a transient population. They do not own or run the universities they attend. They are consumers and as consumers, they are free to take their money elsewhere. Many majors never should have been majors in the first place. The marketplace sees no value in them.