Students Rally for Audobon

Students rallied at Columbia University on Monday and blocked access to classrooms and offices to save the building in which Malcolm X was assassinated.

Members of the Barnard-Columbia Save the Audubon Coalition are planning two more protests this week to stop the university's plan to develop a biomedical research building located at the Audubon Ballroom, where Malcolm X was shot in 1965.

On Monday, protesters began rallying outside at 11 a.m., and at 3 p.m. they moved their demonstration to Hamilton Hall, an academic and administration building. According to a Columbia spokesperson, the demonstrators blocked access from the inside and prevented many students from entering the building.

Demonstrators asked Columbia's Dean of the College Jack Greenberg to sign a statement opposing the project and demanded amnesty for violating the university's code of conduct.

Greenberg refused to sign the statement but stood in the lobby to answer students' questions. Greenberg told the Associated Press that he "doesn't set policy for the university"

But Columbia senior Peter Wilson said the coalition approached Greenberg because he represents the undergraduates and wields influence among the trustees.

"He ignored us for seven hours before he chose to speak to us. He overtly supports the project without having any knowledge of the Harlem grass roots' community perspective," Wilson said.

Greenberg could not be reached for further comment.

When Greenberg left Hamilton Hall with a police escort, the 150 protesters inside were joined by about 250 protesters outside, and together marched to Broadway, where they blocked traffic, Wilson said. A spokesperson for Columbia said only 75 students were protesting inside Hamilton Hall.

Columbia originally planned to demolish the entire ballroom, but university trustees decided to preserve parts of the Audubon after widespread protests.

The modified plan, funded in part by a $8.1 million grant from New York City, will preserve the Broadway facade of the ballroom at West 165th Street and Broadway, and much of the interior first floor.

Barnard junior Jennifer Nelson, an active participant in the coalition, said her group rejects the plan as "tokenism" and calls the compromise "fake."

The coalition charges that the project will contribute to gentrification and could endanger the health of local residents.

"The university is endangering the safety of Harlem residents by exposing them to environmental and biomedical waste. It is thinking about profits before lives," she said.

The modified plan has been approved by a committee which includes Betty Shabbaz, Malcolm X's widow, and filmmaker Spike Lee.

A permanent memorial, created in consultationwith Shabazz and appropriate city and stateagencies, will be located in the restoredballroom. Columbia has also established a MalcolmX scholarship for Blacks attending Columbia'sCollege of Physicians and Surgeons.

Wilson said he questions whether Lee andShabazz truly represent the Harlem community'sinterests.

"Spike Lee has chosen to ignore us completely.He's basically for himself. He's not in touch withthe community at all. Betty Shabbaz is kind ofignorant of the problems with this project. Whenshe was approached she was told only about thescholarships," he said.

`Appeasement'

Wilson was also critical of the university'sother measures, calling them "appeasement." Hesaid he objects to the fact that the scholarshipsare only for students who work in the center.

The Harlem Community Board 12 voted in favor ofthe project by a margin of three to one, andseveral city and community newspapers haveendorsed the project because of the economicstimulus it will provide the depressed area andthe biomedical advances the research facilitypromises.

Wilson, who attended the community boardmeeting, said he questioned how representative ofHarlem the group was.

"We want the Audubon to be used as amulticultural resource center," which could beused to revitalize the community, he said.

Wilson and several other students have beenaccused by the university's senate of breaking thecode of conduct. If found guilty the universitycould suspend or expell the students

A permanent memorial, created in consultationwith Shabazz and appropriate city and stateagencies, will be located in the restoredballroom. Columbia has also established a MalcolmX scholarship for Blacks attending Columbia'sCollege of Physicians and Surgeons.

Wilson said he questions whether Lee andShabazz truly represent the Harlem community'sinterests.

"Spike Lee has chosen to ignore us completely.He's basically for himself. He's not in touch withthe community at all. Betty Shabbaz is kind ofignorant of the problems with this project. Whenshe was approached she was told only about thescholarships," he said.

`Appeasement'

Wilson was also critical of the university'sother measures, calling them "appeasement." Hesaid he objects to the fact that the scholarshipsare only for students who work in the center.

The Harlem Community Board 12 voted in favor ofthe project by a margin of three to one, andseveral city and community newspapers haveendorsed the project because of the economicstimulus it will provide the depressed area andthe biomedical advances the research facilitypromises.

Wilson, who attended the community boardmeeting, said he questioned how representative ofHarlem the group was.

"We want the Audubon to be used as amulticultural resource center," which could beused to revitalize the community, he said.

Wilson and several other students have beenaccused by the university's senate of breaking thecode of conduct. If found guilty the universitycould suspend or expell the students