NEW BRUNSWICK — A group of nine Rutgers University students left the campus administration building in New Brunswick tonight, ending a two-day sit-in to protest tuition increases.
The students left the third-floor landing in the Old Queens building voluntarily shortly after 8 p.m., campus officials said.
"The university made no agreements regarding the students’ six demands. The university continues to consider the issues that have been raised," Rutgers spokesman Greg Trevor said in a statement.
About 20 students began the sit-in around 10:15 a.m. Wednesday with a list of demands. Their requests included asking Rutgers President Richard McCormick to publicly support a tuition freeze. The students also wanted voting seats on Rutgers’ governing board and a change in the university’s new policy of charging students for copies of their transcripts.
Earlier today, the students staging the sit-in protest received support from several university staff and faculty members. About 30 students also remained outside the building in support of the protesters.
"We are here in solidarity with the students," said Lucye Millerand, president of the Union of Rutgers Administrators-American Federation of Teachers union, during a press conference outside the building.
Students contended the protesters in the administration building were denied food, but university officials repeatedly stated the protesters were fed. Rutgers police were at every door to the building, blocking supporters of the protesters from entering.
University representatives said Old Queens was open for normal business during the protest. McCormick, the university’s president, was in California, campus officials said.
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