We’re here on College Walk where in the past few hours, what was supposed to be a silent vigil in support of the hunger strikers turned into a protest when the strikers were notified by the administration that negotiations would be shut down and that their tents would be torn down from the lawn. We have just been told that the University has agreed not to tear down that tents, that negotiations are continuing, and that certain concessions have already been made toward meeting the strikers’ demands.

Just after 11 pm student negotiators informed students that the University had agreed to increase funding for the Office of Multicultural affairs and to update the Major Cultures requirement of the CORE Curriculum.

Striker Organizer: “They are going to be providing specific language that we’ll be working out tomorrow on funding for the OMA and for an update to the Major Cultures requirement to turn it into a seminar on racialization and colonialism.”

The University reversed it’s earlier decision to stall negotiations, which strike organizers saw as connected to the visit of Kofi Annon, which will occur tomorrow for President Bollinger and several alumni. The University will not dismantle the strikers’ tents, and claim it was never their intension to do so. Strike organizers said tonight that the hunger strike will continue until sufficient progress has been made on all four major demands, including a revision of Columbia’s proposed expansion into Harlem.

Strike Organizer: “We still have expansion to deal with.”

Strike Organizer: “And because of that, the hunger strike goes on.”

Christina Chen, Strike Organizer: “Since day 1 we’ve been functioning on their terms and we’ve been really accommodating of the administration and, like, the bureaucracy on campus.”

Dennis Dalton, Professor, Barnard College: “We have to move toward Harlem in a spirit of community instead of takeover.”

Two of the hunger strikers were placed on forced medical leave from Columbia today; according to them, the University abused their rights as students and as patients in an effort to end the strike.

Bryan Mercer, Hunger Strike Participant: “If I did not end the strike, I would be forced on medical withdrawal from the University. I feel that, first, it was a violation of my rights for Health Services to inform the administration on my medical condition and an act taken solely in the context of these negotiations.”

Strike organizers have indicated that the two students, who appear to still be fasting, will fight to be reinstated immediately, and that two new students have joined the hunger strike in their place.

Strike Organizer: “We’re talking about concrete gains in areas that we’ve outlined as well as the ability to keep negotiating, which, ain’t no power like the power of the people. We’re not gonna stop.”

Today at noon there will be a rally in support of the hunger strikers at the Sundial. There is also a vigil be held against the strikers, which will take place on Low Steps at 8:30 pm.