From a member of the New School in Exile

Friends,

Last night, at approximately 3 am this morning New School and other students have left the 65 5th Avenue building and declared the occupation successful, ending this stage of the action. , the occupants of 65 5th Avenue, marched out into the streets in victory. After more than two weeks of concerted actions on campus, students in the occupation were finally able to win significant victories in the ongoing struggle to improve the New School. Those victories include: an agreement not to press charges or impose academic punishments for students involved in the protest, the implementation of a Socially Responsible Investing (SRI) committee within the university, more autonomy and power for Student Senate to communicate with the student body, more representation on the Board of Trustees for students and faculty, and finally the creation of more student study space on campus.

This was only the beginning, and we look forward to continuing our work into the new year and Spring in the effort to realize a self-managed university in which students, faculty, and staff operate the university in proportion to the degree to which they are affected.

I want to take this chance to thank you all for your tremendous support. Whether you were outside cheering us on in, or expressing your solidarity online, we truly could not have done this without you.

For now, the occupation is suspended, and should we need to take up our residency again inside our university, we know that not only can we do it, but that you will be there with us.

Thank you,
-The New School in Exile