Columbia strike comes to an end

U. will not create Ethnic StudiesU. will not create Ethnic StudiesDepartment despite 15-day protest NEW YORK -- Columbia University students scrawled the names of famous minorities -- Gandhi, Malcolm X and Zora Neale Hurston -- in colored chalk on the outside of the "liberated" Hamilton Hall. But their five-day occupation of the main academic building ended here last night at 7 p.m., though their demand that the administration form an Ethnic Studies Department was unanswered. Members of the Committee for Ethnic Studies in the Core Curriculum signed a settlement in which Columbia administrators agreed to search for two Asian Studies professors and one Latino Studies professor. The agreement also guaranteed that the demonstrators will not be expelled but may have a permanent mark put on their school record. Yesterday was also the 15th and final day of a hunger strike that sought the same goals as the sit-in. Student protesters said the three hunger strikers were an inspiration to them. "They're weak. They're tired. But they're utterly resolved to see this through," said student spokesperson Andre Morales while the strike was still in progress. A six-student team of negotiators began meeting with administrators Friday evening to work out a compromise. Their meetings ended Monday night. "They're making it seem like we're asking for the world," Columbia student Jude Julien said yesterday. The atmosphere around Hamilton Hall was subdued for most of the day after students voted against a proposal from Columbia administrators at 8 a.m. yesterday. Several times during the day, the building was deemed "closed" and no one was let in or out. The protesters spent most of yesterday waiting -- waiting to hear what the progress of negotiations was, or for the police to come and arrest them. "I refuse to leave," junior Vivian Santiago said. "Right now it's about each other. If we give up now we're failing each other." Santiago added that she was willing to be arrested. At 2 p.m., students anxiously shuffled in and out of the building as negotiators turned down another proposal from the administration. According to Morales at the time, the police were expected to appear. "We're going to keep this building," senior Raphael Collazo said. But the police did not appear. Last week, New York police did arrest 22 students who were occupying the Low Library -- Columbia's main administrative building. More than 100 students sat on the steps outside of Hamilton -- eating, sleeping and doing homework -- to show their support for those occupying the building. There was also a saxophonist playing throughout the afternoon. "I needed to practice so I figured I could cheer up people a little bit with my music," Manhattan School of Music student Kaoru Watanabe said. Outside of the building, a sign draped on Alexander Hamilton's statue said, "I, Hamilton, demand ethnic studies." Inside the lobby of Hamilton, many students stretched out to sleep while others brought food in from the outside. Only selected students were let in and out of the building. Signs were posted by administrators to advise students where their classes would be held -- although a few students, thinking classes were still being held in the building, tried to get into Hamilton. Across Columbia's campus, students showed their support for the protesters by tying strands of white cloth around their arms. The gates to Columbia were monitored by police and only students with Columbia identification were let on campus. This weekend was Parents' Week-end at Columbia -- when pre-freshmen and their parents view the campus -- and the protesters said they feel they significantly disrupted the weekend's events. Senior Zahra Kassam said the demonstrations this weekend were not unexpected. But she added that she was impressed by the number of freshmen and sophomores that have become involved in the protests. "I'm amazed at the solidarity at this campus," Kassam said.