District 15 Candidate Prioritizes Student Debt Relief
A campaign event for Jonathan Ortiz (Photo Credit: Hector Bello)
By Hector Bello
Jonathan Ortiz is running for Bronx District 15’s Congressional seat in the 2020 Democratic primaries on a campaign to eliminate student loan debt, and Lehman students welcomed the initiative.
“We signed contracts to get loans that we didn’t fully understand; we can’t get rid of debt through bankruptcy,” Ortiz told the Meridian in an August team meeting at his Soundview residence.
The Democratic candidate said high school graduates feel less motivated to pursue higher education because they fear the consequences of student loan debt. “One of the main reasons why I am trying to eliminate student loan debt is because it keeps families from getting decent homes and might also contribute to depression,” Ortiz said.
If elected, he plans “to help Congress tax five percent of the wealthiest citizens across the country and use that money to eliminate the debt.” He compared his idea with Elizabeth Warren’s plan of funding student loan debt forgiveness programs by using a two percent annual tax on people whose fortune exceeds 50 million dollars.
“I think it’s pretty cool that Ortiz is trying to relieve student loan debt, which prevents most people from continuing their education. I have a $30,000 debt, and it adds more hardship to my future career plans,” said Lehman junior and studio art major Liz Thomas, 26. “After college, people try to be independent; debt is blocking my independence.”
“After college, people try to be independent; debt is blocking my independence.”
A campaign event for Jonathan Ortiz (Photo Credit: Hector Bello)
Other Lehman students and alums agreed that student debt is often prohibitively high.
“My debt is really high compared to my income, which makes it really hard for me to purchase a home; I will have to rent forever,” said Elise Rodriguez, a 31-year-old who participated in Ortiz’s meeting.
Rodriguez could not graduate from her community college because of student loan debt, explaining, “I’m forced to be in an income-driven repayment plan because I don’t have enough money. I would love a loan forgiveness plan; I wish I was more educated about this before.”
Student loan debt is a problem that currently affects thousands of students across the state. The Department of Consumer Affairs stated that in New York City, more than one in six, or approximately one million adults, have at least one student loan debt that collectively amounts to $34.8 billion. Bronx’s District 15, which houses 731,101 residents, is one of the poorest in the country, with a median household income of $23,894 per year; this includes Lehman’s neighborhood, Bedford Park.
Some neighborhoods within the district include Mott Haven, Hunts Point, High Bridge, University, West Farms and Fordham, where only 10 out 60 percent of high school graduates hold college degrees, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
At Lehman, 21 percent of all undergraduate students, including freshmen, utilize federal student loans to afford a college education, College Factual reported. Lehman’s onine financial section advertises that borrowers have a fixed interest rate of 3.7 to 4.4 percent based on the first disbursement date. But many Lehman students say the entire system of student loans should do better.
“I think student loans are a travesty,” said Lehman senior and journalism major Wayne Townsend. “We’re an advanced, rich and developed country, so education should not be a capitalistic industry!”
Lehmanites Question Petition to Troll Trump with Street Name Change
Trump Tower. (Photo Credit: Shutterstock.com)
By Sally Barrilla
A petition to rename the section of 5th Ave. that runs along Trump Tower after former President Barack Obama has gone viral, but Lehman students are divided on its impact.
Created by award-winning director and actor, Elizabeth Rowin via the sociopolitical advocacy platform MoveOn.org, the initiative calls for the stretch of 5th Ave. between 56th and 57th streets to be renamed President Barack Obama Avenue. By the end of September, it racked up 446,539 signatures.
Rowin claims that she was motivated to create the petition after reading an anti-Trump tweet and thought she could use the opportunity to poke fun at him. The British actress told the Washington Post, “Trump uses Twitter so much to tweet and bully people. I thought it would be fun to troll him back.”
Lehman students, however, are ambivalent about the name change protest.
“A name change isn’t going to wake people up to madness that’s happening nor will it urge people to vote or register to vote,” said English senior at Lehman, Davidia Boykins. “I think this will be an insult to Obama. Trump is work- ing his hardest to destroy everything Obama created and awaken more discrimination.”
““I feel like it will have very little to no impact in New York City, but it’s a big slap in Trump’s face, so go for it.” ”
“I can’t speak for all Trump supporters, but from what I’ve seen, Trump supporters can be pretty extreme. I can definitely see a big protest happening soon.”
At least one Lehman faculty member also pushed back on the proposal. “Naming a street after Obama, regard- less of Trump, seems wrong to me. Obama is a war criminal, an enemy of immigrants and the working class in general,” said philosophy professor Russell Dale. “It is part of the way United States’ society functions that a criminal like Obama is perceived and treated somehow gentler than some other criminal like Trump.”
Even if it has popular support, the petition might be challenging to pass in New York’s City Council, since according to USA Today, the honoree must already be deceased in order for a street to be named after them.
Meanwhile, New York City Council Speaker and City Council Member of District 3, Corey Johnson, a well- known fan of Obama, like- wise does not support the petition nor think it’s effective to oppose President Trump.
“I am not positive this is the best way. The Obamas epitomize class, dedication to public service and respect for the Oval Office,” Johnson told ABC News. “I’m pretty confident we can find a better way to honor the greatest president of my lifetime, than by trolling the worst president of my lifetime.”
Lehman Completes Renovation of Performing Arts Center
A view of the additional 5,595-square-feet-expansion of Lehman’s Center for the Performing Arts. (All photos by Deanna Garcia)
By Deanna Garcia
On its 40th anniversary, Lehman’s Center for the Performing Arts celebrated the completion of a $15.4 million renovation with a grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony on Sept. 19.
Started in November of 2017, the upgrades include a 5,595-square-feet expansion of the lobby, a new box office, handicap-accessible enhancements to the hall’s floors and 2,276 seats, new ramps, new restrooms and elevators that ascend to the balconies.
Lehman students praised the transformation of the center, which bills itself as the largest entertainment venue in the Bronx.
“When you think about the Bronx, you don’t think about an amazing space like this, especially at Lehman.”
-Johana Gracia Lara, senior music major.
“It makes me even happier that I attended here. It’s just rare to even have something beautiful and a legitimate performing arts center here in the Bronx.”
One of the ramps in the Center for the Performing Arts.
“It’s something in our backyard and something that we have a personal attachment to as students who attend this college,” said Kassandra Montes, a Lehman biochemistry and philosophy senior. “So to have other college students come to our campus and say, ‘Wow your college is amazing,’ that’s great gratitude to us.”
“Most of us can take the bus or walk here instead of preparing one day to travel all the way to Lincoln Center,” said Lehman biochemistry senior, Tarialy Hernandez, about the convenience of the center.
According to the center, over 200,000 visit it between September and early June; visitors come from Manhattan, Westchester and even Connecticut. Lehman officials said the renovation’s main goal was for the center to be more compliant for Americans with Disabilities (ADA).
“In 1980, people weren’t thinking about handicapped people as much as we do now,” said Executive Director of Lehman’s Center for the Performing Arts, Eva Bornstein. “Now people are becoming more aware that handicap individuals need access to the same seats and bathrooms as anyone else.”
All costs of the upgrade were covered by the Office of the Governor, the New York State Legislature, the Bronx delegation of the New York City Council and the Office of the Bronx Borough President. The center will receive additional funding with a seat naming initiative.
Goya Foods Inc., the New York State Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Department, the New York State Council on the Arts, Con Edison, The Hyde and Watson Foundation, the Havana Café and the Friends of Lehman Center all support the center as sponsors for the 2019-2020 season.
Bornstein told the Meridian that she wants more national companies to perform at the center. “I’m excited because we get to bring all of these fantastic events from around the globe to the Bronx,” she said. “I think it’s important that people on campus know something about the Lehman Center. This would be a great opportunity for students and faculty to explore their own college.”
Many took this opportunity at the grand opening, where attendees included Lehman President Dr. Daniel Lemons, CUNY Chancellor Dr. Félix V. Matos Rodriguez, Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. and city council members. Lehman’s Urban Male Leadership Program offered tours of the new renovations, and the Lehman Student Jazz Ensemble played live music.
“One, if not the major ingredient of our DNA is music,” said Diaz Jr. about the influence of music on Bronxites.
As they carry on this legacy, some Lehman students are excited to start rehearsing at the center.
“It’s just really nice for me because as a senior, I get to still perform in in this new renovated space now,” Gracia Lara said. “Hopefully I can continue to work in my career and come back here to actually perform.”