To discuss government or propagate politics? The approximately 20 students who attended the Stevens Institute of Technology’s forum on local government Thursday were treated to two lessons in provincial civics. One, they were given a lesson on how city government works by the city’s chief officer and his staff. And two, on a more subtle level, they were shown that any speech or forum within two months of an election can cause controversy.
“The intent of the program was to educate the students about government,” said Stevens’ director of university relations, Cass Bruton-Ward, last week. “We want a campus of active students that are informed [about government] on the state, local and national level.”
But Mayor Anthony Russo’s political opponents weren’t so sure the event would be nonpolitical, since posters placed around campus beforehand said Russo also would discuss issues in the upcoming mayoral election.
The invitations to speak at the forum were dated Dec. 20, 2000 and sent out by Kenneth Nilsen, Stevens’ dean of student life, to Mayor Russo, State Sen. Bernard Kenny (D-Hoboken), and U.S. Rep. Robert Menendez (D-13th Dist). Kenny and Menendez are supporters of Russo’s political rivals, the “Hoboken United” team, in the upcoming mayor and council elections.
“This spring semester, we are seeking to invite individuals from three levels of government: local, state and federal,” Nilsen wrote in the letters. “We ask that each individual speak about how their level of government is unique and how it works with the other two. Other issues we would like to highlight are the importance of registering to vote, being involved and informed about the issues in an election, and finally the importance of casting your vote.”
Only Russo accepted the invitation.
“I saw it for what it was right off the bat,” said Kenny about his reason for declining the invite. “It’s a fake forum. It was created in order involve Russo in a good government speech to promote his candidacy.”
Members of the Hoboken United slate, whose mayoral candidate is 6th Ward Councilman David Roberts, pointed to flyer that circled the campus and was mailed out to students and professors via campus mail. The flyer had a picture of Mayor Russo and said that he would be heading the forum. It also stated that the mayor would discuss “The mayor’s role in the political system. Why you should register to vote and what are the issues for the upcoming May 8 election?”
Stevens, in a last-minute attempt to avoid any appearance of political favoritism, sent a letter last Monday inviting the two other mayoral candidates in the May election, Councilman Dave Roberts and Dan Tumpson, to speak on the campus as well. As of press time, neither candidate had scheduled a date.
Not amused
In a letter addressed to Stevens president Dr. Harold Raveche, Roberts campaign manager Michael Lenz stressed Hoboken United’s disappointment that Russo would be allowed to speak.
“Frankly, we are astonished that your institution, which has long steered clear of the political winds of town, should participate, and lend its name to, this thinly-disguised political rally,” wrote Lenz in a letter dated March 19. “We have heard Dean Nilsen’s explanation that this is a non-partisan ‘civic awareness event’ and we categorically reject that claim.”
Lenz added, “This is not simply an attempt to improve the civic awareness of students. If it were, then the speaker would be addressing the ‘civic oriented’ topics contained in you letter of invitation rather than the issues of the upcoming election.”
Dr. Raveche was called for comment, but all questions were directed to Bruton-Ward at Steven Public Relations.
“I can see how the flyer could be interpreted that way, and I wish it was worded differently,” said Bruton-Ward. “But it was always our intent that this forum was to be about civic rented topics and nothing more.”
Stevens needs city approval
Lenz also accused Stevens of using events like this to gain favor with the city. “As for the appearance of impropriety, the facts speak for themselves.” Lenz said. “It does not take a suspicious person to see in your current actions a naked attempt to barter political support for government concessions.”
Currently, the school has a project to build a 700-car garage on the corner of Eighth and Garden Streets before the Planning Board, and a hearing for that site is scheduled for April 10.
Furthermore, the school received approval in December to build a 90,000-square-foot School of Technology Management at Sixth Street near the river. Both projects were met with a great deal of controversy.
Both Russo and Stevens vehemently denied that there was any arrangement between the two.
“The city has not asked for anything and there is no agreement of any kind,” said Bruton-Ward.
“This is such a absurdity,” said Russo. “They are trying to get a story out of this. Their request was for me to speak in front of the students about local government. That was it.”
Russo added, “The entire extent that I even mentioned politics was to say that the city government is non-partisan [neither Republican or Democrat] and the only time that I mentioned my political opponents was to say that [Councilman Dave Roberts, who’s running for mayor] is the city councilman for part of the Stevens campus.”
The forum
At the forum, the mayor spoke about how city government works, then turned over the floor to each of the city directors. Each director discussed his duties and each gave some example as to what kind of project he had worked on.
The forum concluded with a question and answer session. The questions asked did not refer the issues in the upcoming election. Some dealt with voting procedure.
“If I live in New York but go to school here, am I able to vote in Hoboken?” asked third-year student and Stevens Student Senator Joe Kramer. To this question, Russo responded that since most students spend most of their week on campus that are able to register to vote in Hoboken election.
“Is it possible for there to be a place to vote on campus, some of the students have full days and its hard for them to leave campus?” asked third-year student Katie Stodard. The mayor referred the question to city administrator George Crimmins who responded that voting areas have already been established for this election. But students are able apply for an absentee ballot up to a week before the election if they have class conflicts, and if they are interested in voting on campus in the future they should write the board of elections.
Unaware of any undercurrent
“I thought it was informative,” said third-year student Erin Rowe. When asked if she that Russo’s appearance was overly political Rowe responded, “No, I really don’t think so. I think it’s fitting for the mayor to head a forum on local government. He’s the most qualified to do so.”
“I like Hoboken, and would really like to get more involved,” said Kramer after the forum. “Right now I don’t know much about Hoboken politics, but just from watching [the forum], it looked like [Russo] was reaching out to a different voter base and was trying to get them interested. I thought it was informative.”