Ballroom Blitz

High schoolers stake out new territory at CCNYBy Amaani Bhamla.Last semester, CCNY students became fed up with students from the nearby High School for Math, Engineering and Science invading the NAC cafeteria during their lunch hour. In response, President Lisa promised to situate the students somewhere else.  Beginning spring semester, the high schoolers now lunch in the ballroom located on the first floor of the NAC.Problem solved? Far from it. The new location has raised fresh controversy. The Salsa Mambo Club is infuriated over this decision, because it takes away from their time to practice.Angel Pena, vice president of Salsa Mambo voiced his frustration. “It messed up a lot of my events for [last month’s] Dominican Independence Week as well as practice for salsa mambo,” he says. “I’d rather have them in the cafeteria. The ballroom is supposed to be our spot for club events; I am not a fan.”Worse, nobody—neither President Lisa’s office or the Office of Student Affairs--informed club members of the change much less asked permission. “Administration didn’t consult the student leader of salsa mambo?” he says, his voice rising.  “We are the biggest club, and we are paying student activity fees yet not being able to use our space.”Outside of Salsa Mambo, other students feel irritated at the sight of the high school kids.In addition to the Salsa Mambo group who are mostly affected, psychology major  Leann McCurry, 20 thinks “It’s really unfair,” says Leann McCurry, 20. “The first two floors were promised for club space for CCNY students and more and more of the space is being taken away. School is trying to raise the activity fee yet giving students less space,” she adds.It turns out, hardly anyone is happy. Many high students don’t like the move from the cafeteria to the ballroom.  Says Emmanuel Rodriguez, an 18-year-old high school senior:  “It’s cool to be in the same place with college students. I’ve made a few college friends here, but the ballroom turns me off.”His classmate Ana Rivera doesn’t like the ballroom—“it’s hot and almost dark”—and also thinks the college students should stop whining. “I don’t know why they’re complaining,” says the 17-year-old junior. “They get the cafeteria the whole day, we don’t.”Fati Gura agrees.  “These college students need to grow up,” says the 18-year-old senior. “They’re so serious about their lunch room, but I’ve seen them eat at other places. Why should we move out? They’re still going to eat at the McDonald's or Subway.”