Student Threatened with False Fine

On Friday, February 12^th, a New School University student was informed by a security guard that she would be fined for entering Arnold Hall without her New School ID, despite being let in by the very security guard himself.

The student, Cameron Sheedy of the Fine Arts department at Parsons, had repeatedly tried to enter the building without her ID., which she had previously lost but was reluctant to replace due to the $25 fee incurred for getting a new I.D.

When trying to enter without her ID, the security guard was initially very upset with her, Sheedy recalls. “I couldn’t stop smiling. I just didn’t feel like being serious. So he got pissed. After class I tried to apologize, but he wouldn’t get off the phone. Then he said security’s going to get in touch with me. He said they’re going to start doling out fines for students that keep trying to come in without ID. When I asked if I would get one, he said ‘Ohhh yeaaah. Ohhhh yeaaah.’”

Sheedy says she knew she would have to get a new ID. eventually, but was completely unaware of the possibility of being fined for not having one.

In fact, no one at the New School seems to be aware of this fine.

A different security guard at the East 16^th Street building was completely unaware of any such punishment. Upon hearing a student was threatened with a fine, he said it was “messed up” and that the security guard involved must have “been trying to act tough with the student”. Despite being told his quotes would not be used in any form of publication, the guard refused to give his name, adding that “he likes his job”.

The head of security at the New School, Thomas Iliceto, freely responded to questions about security procedures, stating that “There are no penalties/fines for entering without ID,” and that “The only time a student would have to pay a fee is to replace a lost ID card. We strongly encourage all New School staff, faculty and students to carry their New School ID to facilitate entry into university buildings.”

For some students, remembering their IDs is easier said than done. A small piece of plastic is easily lost in these days of mass consumption and obsession with “things”, as many can attest to. Out of a group of 5 students at Eugene Lang College, 3 had lost their IDs at least once.

A man from the New School Campus Card office said the reason for the amount charged to students to replace their ID is that, “If it was just a dollar, people would lose their IDs all the time. Each time we make a new ID for you we have to change information in several different systems.” Although the information he gave lacked any particular controversy, upon being asked for his name he said,  “This is where I get in trouble,” he said. “It always ends up in that school newspaper!”