Maya Little

Tension Between MC Comm Secretary and Proff. Leaves Secretary Heated and Students in Shock and Laughter

Tension in the Communications Department at Manhattan College became palpable when Melanie assaulted Marek in front of an entire class. What started as a minor interruption degenerated into an ugly confrontation.

Secretary of the Communications Department, Melanie waited at the door to be recognized with a head nod by communications professor, Marek Fuchs. “Do you have the key?,” Melanie said while walking into the classroom and ignoring the class of 12 students. “No, I don’t have the key,” Fuchs said with a straight face.

“I know you have the key Marek. Professor Gabowski needs it, can you just give it to me,” said Melanie.

“I don’t have it,” Fuchs claimed.

The back and forth dialogue about the questioning of the key and reasoning for needing it was constant for some seconds until Fuchs randomly asked a student present in class sitting in front of him in the second row, John Banta.

“I don’t have the key. John do you have the key?,” Fuchs said quickly with a straight face.

After questioning Banta for the key, Marek moved a green froggie keychain from behind a peice of paper he was holding and the tone of the conversation took a turn. Melanie threatened to call security if Fuchs did not hand over the keychain.

“I don’t care if you call security, but I am still not giving you the key,” Fuchs said before continuously handing Melanie the keychain, but quickly snatching it back before she was able to grasp it.

Some students of the class began snickering.

Following Melanie’s demand for the key Fuchs remained defiant and said “ I forgot I had the key, but I am not giving it to you. If Grabowski needs it tell him to come up and get it himself.”

“Give me the keychain!,” Melanie said as she began walking closer to Fuchs. After asking Fuchs a few more times for the keychain Melanie snatched the keychain from Fuchs followed by a hit on his shoulder.

Melanie exited the room, mumbling under her breath, still never acknowledging the students.

The students all sat in laughter and shock before Marek continued his class lecture about writing news articles.

This incident marks the second to the disappearance of an item belonging to the department, although the first item, a camera tripod was never found, snatched from a teacher in a room full of students or returned.