Dear Students, Allies,

 

The May Day Coalition is excited to announce this year’s Free University, in order to continue the student tradition of resistance against the privatization of public higher education. All graduates, undergraduates, faculty, administrators, workers, and community members are invited to teach a free, open, outdoor class on April 30th, 2015, on whatever they wish to whomever wishes to come, in order to contrast, and thereby protest, the increasing lack of access and transparency in our university and university system.

 

When: April 30th, all day

Where: SUNY-Stony Brook Main Campus (detailed maps and directions forthcoming!)

Who: Faculty, graduate students, undergraduate students, and staff of SUNY Stony Brook, plus community members, allies, and the general public (especially those denied access to higher education due to financial constraints).

How to participate: Faculty and students are invited to transport their regularly-scheduled classes to the Free University. Faculty, students, staff, and community members are also invited to propose their own classes/discussions/teach-ins for the Free University. All are welcome to participate as teachers, and all are welcome as students.

 

To sign up, go HERE!

Questions? Reach out to the organizers at maydaysbu@gmail.com

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Free University IS HERE! 

Hear ye! Hear ye!  Free U is this Thursday the 30th of April!  It all starts at 10am, but it really kicks off with a rally on the Union Mall at 1pm. Bring your friends, bring your enemies, bring everyone!  Full info below!

Where: Union Mall  (rally),  classes held throughout Main Campus.  Full Map here

When: 10am-6:30pm, Thursday, April 30th

Who: Faculty, graduate students, undergraduate students, and staff of SUNY Stony Brook, plus community members, allies, and the general public

Why: To celebrate what Free, Open, Accessible education would and should look like

CLASS SCHEDULE 2015:

time period	facilitator/instructor	courses	location
10am- 11:20am:	Free U Planning Committee	(Dis)Orientation (What is Free U/ May Day Coalition, Setting of Community Agreement)description: Join us for some tea, coffee, and morning dialog to establish our Community Agreement and to share some working knowledge about the May Day Coalition and Free U are and why there are necessary.	Free U Hub
11:30am- 12:50pm	Victoria Hesford:	Introduction to Feminist Theory (WST 291)description: We will be discussing connections between queerness and disability. The essay we will be using for this discussion is Robert McRuer “Compulsory Able-Bodiedness and Queer/Disabled Existence”	Classroom A
1pm-1:30pm	John MartinGSEU Campus Organizer	Rally for Free + Accessible Higher Education	Free U Hub
1:40pm- 2:20pm	Mathew Sacco	SUNY 2020:description: How SUNY 2020 is a bad deal for students.	Classroom C
	Anthony Levin	“Common Core: Common Sense?”description: The Common Core, part of the Obama administration’s Race to the Top Initiative, has been backed by millions of dollars. Its  mission, to cultivate “career and college ready” students through “evidence-based” teaching methods is hopeful, but misleading and ultimately exploitative. In our presentation, David Vite and I will discuss the misgivings of the Common Core and address how, instead of helping our students, this program will only punish those already struggling in their classes and further the socioeconomic divide that already exists in the United States.	Classroom D
	Hillary Steinbury	“Gendering in Childhood”description: A lecture and interactive class on gendering in childhood using toys, education, and other statistics to show its prevalence in our society. We will talk about the effects of media, peers, school, and parents on how we prescribe gender roles in early life and how this effects equality in adulthood.	Classroom E
	Ashley Rizotto	Alohamora! Unlocking Vulnerability in your Leadership through the Harry Potter Series.description:This student affairs style leadership workshop will combine a love for Ted Talk presenter Brene Brown and the Harry Potter Series! Brene Brown focuses on learning how to reframe weakness so that it can be used as personal strength professionally and personally. Using examples from the Harry Potter book series, we will explore how The Trio and others grew as leaders, and how you can grow as a leader too! Mischief Managed.	Classroom F
2:30pm- 3:50pm	Free U Planning Committee	OPEN FORUM:Reflection on Free U and the May Day Coalition	Classroom A
4pm- 5:20pm	Eva Boodman	What are the dimensions of identity? Kimberle Crenshaw and Intersectional Selves (PHI 100 – Concepts of the Person) description: In this class we will explore the different structural dimensions of identity and their relationship to each other through a reading of Kimberle Crenshaw’s work on intersectionality. How do race and gender (and class? and etc?) intersect, and how should we rethink our definitions of discrimination in response to those intersections? This class session will include some reading together, discussion, and some reflection and writing activities.	Classroom A
	Kayla Sanchez	Gungfu Style Tea Brewingdescription: A short demonstration of gungfu style brewing and an explanation of the tools used.	Classroom B
5:30pm- end	Free U Planning Committee/ GSEU	Pizza Party Celebration	Staller Steps