Board of Higher Education v. Marcus

63 Misc. 2d 268, 311 N.Y.S.2d 579, 1970 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 1577
New York Supreme Court·Decided May 28, 1970·Published·Cited by 6 cases

Opinion

G-uy J. Mangauo, J.

The plaintiff moves for a preliminary injunction in an action for a permanent injunction. The defendants cross-move (1) to vacate the temporary restraining order granted on May 11, 1970, and (2) that a hearing he conducted and testimony taken.

The defendants are students and members of the faculty of Brooklyn College, some of whom are members of an unchartered group designated as the Brooklyn College Strike Steering Committee. The moving affidavit of the dean of students of Brooklyn College alleges the following: Commencing with May 5,1970 the office of the president of Brooklyn College was unlawfully occupied by the Strike Steering Committee. On May 6,1970 the leader of the strike committee entered the president’s private office, and announced they were taking it over because its occupancy had symbolic importance. The president was ordered out of his office. An announcement was then made from the balcony outside the president’s office, “This is strike headquarters — in President Kneller’s former office.”

The avowed purposes of the strike are stated in the policy statement of the steering committee. It sets forth national and local demands. The opposing affidavit of one student states “the purpose of the student strike at Brooklyn College which started on May 5th was to educate the college community to the destructive, illegal nature of the United States involvment in Indo-China and its concomitants of brutality and repression in this country of all dissenting groups. ’ ’

As of May 11, 1970 the following offices were inoperative because of occupation by the students or students blocking access: the offices of the president, dean of administration, asso[270]*270ciate dean of administration, dean of faculties, dean of students, office of college relations, and dean of studies. The students also occupied the office of the superintendent of buildings and grounds, and secured keys to all classrooms and lecture rooms.

On May 6,1970 the students entered the Centrex (central telephone room), stayed for four hours, left because of a bomb scare, attempted to re-enter by a ladder and were repulsed, and finally re-entered on May 7, and remained there.

Examples of breaking in and vandalism were: May 6, broke glass to enter the office of Selective Service Counseling; typewriters were stolen. May 6, a group of 100 students roamed the campus, disrupted activities, knocking on doors, terrorizing occupants; May 7, fire hose cut on fifth floor of Boylan Hall, flooding down to basement; May 8, students attempted to lock faculty members in Whitman Hall when they did not vote on strike issues.

On May 11, 1970 at about 8:00 p.m. the court issued an ex parte temporary restraining order which, inter alia, restrained the defendants from congregating or assembling within or adjacent to plaintiff’s academic or administrative buildings, etc., at Brooklyn College in such manner as to disturb or interfere with the normal activities conducted by the plaintiff, and from employing force or violence or the threat of violence against persons or property on plaintiff’s Brooklyn College campus. The defendants in their opposing affidavits admitted occupation of various offices stated above. It is likewise conceded by both sides that the occupation ended on May 11 at about 11:30 p.m. after the students had been informed that the court had issued a temporary restraining order.

One opposing affidavit of a student states that during the occupation the steering committee was never contacted directly by the president to request that his office be relinquished. Another opposing affidavit of a -student states (a) that the students occupying the office of the superintendent of buildings and grounds discovered the master keys to all locks on the college campus but the keys were not removed from the superintendent’s office; (b) only five administrative offices were occupied and blocked by students; (c) although a glass panel on the door of the office of Selective Service -Counseling was broken, repairmen came immediately to fix it; (d) although there were isolated acts of vandalism students were appointed to clean up and repair the damage; (d) there was no attempt to lock faculty members in Whitman Hall when they did not vote on strike issues; some doors were blocked by students for a short period of time.

[271]*271The supplemental affidavit of the dean of students asserts that after the issuance of the temporary restraining order the following transpired. On May 12 students unlawfully occupied Gershwin Auditorium and refused to leave when asked to do so. On the same day students, numbering approximately 150, ran through the campus, disrupting meetings which were in progress between students and instructors. On May 13, 1970 students locked arms and blocked entrance to the library, thereby preventing others from entering. On May 14,1970 a number of faculty-student meetings were entered by groups of students who conducted sit-ins and refused to leave.

The facts alleged in the complaint and moving papers and the relief requested are such that, if established, the plaintiff would be entitled to permanent relief (Board of Higher Educ. of City of N. Y. v. Students for Democratic Soc., 60 Misc 2d 114). The factors considered by the court are (1) the prevention of irreparable injury to the plaintiff, (2) the inadequacy of any remedy at law and that injunctive relief will avoid a multiplicity of suits, and (3) the plaintiff has demonstrated a need for preliminary relief. The purpose of a preliminary injunction is to maintain the status quo pending ultimate determination (Walker Mem. Baptist Church v. Saunders, 285 N. Y. 462, 474; Bachman v. Harrington, 184 N. Y. 458, 464), and the court may fix the status quo that existed anterior to the suit (7-A Weinstein-KornMiller, N. Y. Civ. Prac., § 6301.16). The object of a preliminary injunction is to stop the continuance of the conduct complained of pending trial (International Ry. Co. v. Barone, 246 App. Div. 450, 457) and to prevent irreparable injury pending final judgment (People v. Long Is. R. R. Co., 113 Misc. 700, 703, revd. on other grounds 195 App. Div. 897). The granting of a preliminary injunction does not constitute the law of the case or a determination of the ultimate issues (Walker Mem. Baptist Church v. Saunders, supra, p. 474; Peekskill Coal & Fuel Oil Co. v. Martin, 279 App. Div. 669) or the plaintiff's right to permanent injunction (Bond Stores v. Turner, 262 App. Div. 417). The opposing affidavits do not show that the plaintiff will not be entitled to permanent relief (Board of Higher Educ. of City of N. Y. v. Students for Democratic Soc., 60 Misc 2d 114, supra; Board of Higher Educ. of City of N. Y. v. Rubain, 62 Misc 2d 978). The plaintiff has shown prima facie sufficient continuity of the acts complained of to call for an order enjoining repetition of illegal acts of the type heretofore occurring on the campus (Board of Higher Educ. of City of N. Y. v. Anderson, N. Y. L. J., Oct. 6, 1969, p. 17, col. 4).

[272]*272The defendants argue that a summary proceeding pursuant to subdivision 10 of section 713 of the Beal Property Actions & Proceedings Law, known as a forceable entry and detainer proceeding, provided plaintiff with an adequate remedy at law. That law was formerly section 1412 of the Civil Practice Act and has been on the books for a long time.

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Board of Higher Education v. Marcus, 63 Misc. 2d 268, 311 N.Y.S.2d 579, 1970 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 1577 (N.Y. Super. Ct. 1970).

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