Below is an the email that the students who were plaintiffs in received from Stony Brook University President Stanley. This is regarding — as per the settlement agreement — for illegally shutting down the campus and “transferring” the Sustainability Programs to the Stony Brook campus.
Please join me and members of my senior staff on Monday, September 12 at 2:00 PM for a meeting in the newly dedicated Sustainability Studies Program academic space located on the first level of the Melville Library, adjacent to the Career Center.
At this meeting we will discuss the transfer of the Sustainability Program from the Southampton Campus to the main Stony Brook campus, your continuing transition to Main campus, and some of the developments that are taking place in the Sustainability Studies Program under the leadership of Martin Schoonen.
Please respond to my Executive Assistant ... [redacted by Patch] ... to let her know if you are able to attend.
Sincerely,
Samuel L. Stanley Jr., M.D.
President
Stony Brook University
I earned my bachelor's degree from and performed all of my studies at the Southampton campus, with the exception of one class in the British West Indies and my foreign language requirement. I am currently a graduate student at Stony Brook University. I asked to attend the September 12 meeting, and this was the University’s response,
"Ms. Klughers, I am writing to let you know that this is a closed, by-invitation-only meeting, and individuals not directly invited by President Stanley will not be able to attend.”
Other people who asked to attend have received similar denial emails. I have since asked for an invitation and have received no reply. Past and present SBU/SBS students and SAVE members (the not-for-profit named as a petitioner on the lawsuit) are not on President Stanley’s "guest list". The six student petitioners, a few politicians, and members of Stanley’s "senior staff" are the only invited guests. The settlement states, “the purpose of the meeting is for the President to have the opportunity to apologize for the disruption to the lives of the student-petitioners and other students caused by the transfer of the sustainability program” Even so, he is refusing to allow students to attend this meeting. President Stanley is NOT adhering to the settlement agreement.
Please let it be known that President Stanley not only ignored State Education Law, (and was found guilty of such in a NY State Supreme Court) disregarded court orders, (he was also found in contempt of court) he is now ignoring the settlement agreement that he proposed (proposed is putting it politely) to the petitioners. FYI: the University admits no fault or wrongdoing, as per the settlement. President Stanley started this mess behind closed doors and he plans to end it the same way. This is outrageous and this “meeting” should be open to whoever would like to attend. Keep in mind that only a few years ago, 78 million taxpayer dollars were spent on this campus. And now it sits, nearly vacant — due to financial reasons? — and at the same time, Stony Brook is building a brand new Hilton Hotel on the main campus and is opening a new SUNY school in Korea.
Also of interest is the source of the $30,000 payment for the legal fees of the student petitioners. The bill was paid for by the Stony Brook Foundation — not SUNY or SBU or taxpayer dollars. Classified as a public charity, the Stony Brook Foundation is a private, 501(c)(3), nonprofit corporation. They cut the check for Stanley’s $30,000 blunder. "The mission of the Stony Brook Foundation is to advance the mission and goals of Stony Brook University by facilitating, accepting, and managing philanthropic gifts and grants for the benefit of the University, the University Medical Center, and the Long Island State Veterans Home."
Apparently, the Stony Brook Foundation also pays legal bills for illegal actions by the University President.
Thank you,
Deborah Klughers
