Hundreds of students peacefully marched from the New University Union to the library fountain Friday, sending a message to administration that they will not be silenced in the fight for the Carribean Student Association’s annual carnival.
The Carnival, an annual event slated for the week of Nov. 7, was placed on indefinite hiatus by Binghamton University officials two days before the end of the previous spring semester because of security issues.
“The Carnival night show has developed from a show that was primarily a student event … into an event whose patrons are predominantly not affiliated with Binghamton University and an event which requires the University to stretch its resources too far in order to provide for the safety of event participants and staff,” Brian Rose, vice president for Student Affairs said.
Students from the CSA and Black Student Union, in additional to other carnival supporters, stood around the fountain chanting “our voices will be heard,” and held signs with messages directed toward administration, such as “[President Lois] DeFleur we’re not taking anymore, Peace, Justice and Carnival. Students are angry as hell.”
Carnival has been on campus since 1977, and traditionally consists of two parts: a day show that includes student performances and a night show that features prominent and Grammy award-winning reggae and soca artists, who exhibit Carribbean-influenced musical genres. In the past these have included Sean Paul and Elephant Man.
The participants of the rally started in the New University Union and traveled to many locations aross campus, including the Couper Administration Building, the Old University Union and the Glenn G. Bartle Library atrium.
At each stop, a skit dramatization was performed between members of the CSA and BSU, with one student representing a dictator and the other a member of CSA pleading for compromise.
To represent the dictator, Christopher Williams, junior financial economics major and activities coordinator of the CSA used phrases like “I’m not making any compromises with you, I won’t meet with you.” The other actor in the skit pleaded with Williams, demonstrating the struggle the CSA has been going through with the administration, according to Williams.
“The Caribbean Student Association (CSA) is one of several cultural organizations that have long enriched our campus community,” Rose said in a prepared statement. “The University’s long-standing support for the many activities and programs of all of our cultural organizations reflects our commitment to ‘foster a campus culture of diversity, respect and success,’ one of the four elements of our strategic plan.”
According to a flier handed out by the CSA during the demonstration, the University has been trying to cancel or reduce the event since as far back as 1997.
The CSA is asking students to reach out to administration through letters to DeFleur and Rose, telling them that they will not sit back silently and will fight to keep the event going.
“After the final decision was given [by the administration] toward the end of May, the CSA worked with Ricky Da Costa, [vice president for multicultural affairs for the Student Association,] and Kristen [Carr, program coordinator for the Student Association],” Williams said.
Early in the semester, CSA executive board members sat with representatives of the SA and tried to make a proposal of a compromised schedule which would take into consideration the concerns of the administration. They planned to have a meeting with Rose and his committee to get the proposal approved.
“We e-mailed the proposal ahead of time, and he [Rose] e-mailed us saying that the proposal didn’t meet the criteria stated in May, and that he can’t approve it. He didn’t try to compromise,” Williams said.
Rose did not return phone calls seeking comment Monday afternoon, but sent a statement through e-mail.
According to that statement, the decision to place the night portion of the event on indefinite hiatus was made after “careful review of the history of the event,” while restrictions were placed on the day show.
The CSA invited administration to a town hall-style meeting on Nov. 3 so they could discuss the cancellation of carnival.
“No administration showed up. The platform was open to them and they didn’t show up,” said senior political science major Daniel Menard, educational coordinator of the Hatian Student Association (HaSA). “It makes you question and wonder that there is a hidden agenda, something that is not being shared.”
The University administration hopes that CSA will take the occasion afforded by the indefinite hiatus to work with the University to “re-imagine and re-invent” the program, Rose said.
“We believe there is the opportunity for fruitful dialogue looking to the future. We look forward to continued engagement with CSA about not only Caribbean Carnival, but all of their programs and activities that have, for so long, enhanced the student experience at Binghamton University,” Rose said.
According to Menard, the college experience is not only about studying and striving for that 4.0 GPA, but also to achieve social awareness and strive for a better tomorrow, which was the goal of Carribean week as a whole and Carnival.
Mari Pfingston-Bigelow, a senior environmental and social justice major, and member of Experimental Media Organization agreed, adding that the cancellation of the event is just one step in the “erosion of human rights happening on campus.”