50 Boston College Students Seize President's Office in Tuition Fight

Fifty Boston College students occupied two administration offices yesterday to emphasize that the student strike over a planned tuition increase is still in effect.

Students occupied the offices of B.C. president Rev. W. Seavey Joyce and executive vice-president Rev. Francis X. Shea yesterday afternoon and will continue to hold the building at least through today. School officials said they planned to take no action against the occupiers.

Classes at the college had been suspended officially Wednesday night after a student referendum rejected the day before a compromise tuition increase offered by student-administration negotiators

Students said they took over the administration offices because the college's canceling classes served to undercut the strike. "We feel we must demonstrate that the strike is still on, and we feel this action will strengthen the position of the negotiating team," an occupiers' statement said.

Rejected Proposal

Student president Kevin R. Hackett said yesterday that students rejected the proposal on Tuesday because they did not agree with all 19 points on the referendum. "Most students feel that the compromise tuition increase is just, but the major disagreement is over ambiguous proposals which don't offer a guarantee of no future tuition hikes," Hackett said.

Classes Off

President Joyce said that classes will resume only if a proper settlement is reached before the end of the semester. "Presently, we have terminated classes for the year," Joyce said, "but we will continue to negotiate in order to reopen the school."

College officials declared a three-week reading period which would be followed by exams beginning May 12, as scheduled.