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The following article chronicles the situation concerning animal rights at New York University and elsewhere for the last thirty years. See the Editorial for a more in-depth report.

1967

LEMSIP (Laboratory for Experimental Medicine and Surgery in Primates), founded by Edward Goldsmith and Jan Moor-Jankowski, moves to Sterling Forest, New York.

1979

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) moves its contract and the entire colony of LEMSIP chimps to another facility where using chimps costs less.

1981

Seventeen monkeys in the laboratories of Dr. Edward Taub are discovered by investigators for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) in wretched conditions. Taub is charged with 17 counts of animal cruelty, but is found guilty only of six. Taub appeals, and is convicted again of only one count. Taub appeals again, and wins. The court rules that those who experiment on animals and receive federal tax funding do not have to obey State anti-cruelty laws.

1983

Moor-Jankowski prints a letter in his Journal of Medical Primatology from Shirley McGreal of the International Primate Protection League (IPPL) which is critical of the Austrian pharmaceutical company Immuno. Immuno sues for libel. Moor Jankowski refuses to settle and seven years later wins his case before the New York Court of Appeals.

1993

Moor-Jankowski cooperates with USDA investigators over NYU researcher Ron Wood's crack cocaine experiments on monkeys at another NYU facility. Wood is convicted of depriving monkeys of water and his research at NYU is terminated.

1995

USDA fines NYU $450,000 for violations of the Animal Welfare Act. It is the largest such fine ever paid: approximately 10 times the average. NYU is allowed to give part of the cash to the New Mexico-based Coulston Foundation (TCF), headed by Dr. Frederick Coulston. The Coulston Foundation houses the largest captive colony of chimps (600) in the world.

Summer

NYU Medical Center transfers ownership of LEMSIP--along with $2 million and 225 chimps--to TCF.

July 14, 1995

Veterinarian Jim Mahoney recommends in a report that 100 chimps from LEMSIP not be handed over to TCF, citing poor housing, unsanitary conditions, and inadequate space for animals at the New Mexico facility. In the same month, U.S. Department of Agriculture files charges against TCF for multiple violations of the Animal Welfare Act. TCF pays $40,000 fine, but admits no violations.

August, 1995

NYU's Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees passes resolution agreeing to transfer of chimps.

August 8, 1995

USDA informs NYU Medical Center of Moor-Jankowski's complaints concerning Ron Wood. Moor-Jankowski applies for whistleblower protection.

August 9, 1995

Moor-Jankowski is dismissed by NYU Medical Center.

1997

NYU Medical Center pays $15.5 million settlement for overbilling the federal government. It is the largest such payment by a university.

February 5, 1997

Activists hold a memorial service at Washington Square for Jello, the first NYU chimp to die at TCF.

April, 1997

Faculty whistleblowers supply activist and NYU junior Jonathan Weintraub with the memo from Philip Furmanski, Dean of Faculty of Arts and Sciences (see Editorial). Students and alumni lock themselves to Main Building to protest animal experiments and the building of more laboratories to experiment on animals.

November 10, 1997

Sixteen students, members of Students for Education and Animal Liberation (SEAL) and Students Against Animal Cruelty (SAAC), occupy NYU President L. Jay Oliva's office demanding the university send the 20-odd remaining LEMSIP chimps to sanctuaries. After 20 hours, NYU agrees to their request.

November 13, 1997

At a Morse Academic Plan (MAP) Town Hall, Weintraub reads from Dean FurmanskiÕs memo. Weintraub is accused of monopolizing the discussion when others wanted to talk about the MAP.

November 17, 1997

NYU publishes the first of several full-page newspaper ads denouncing the student activism and what it calls the Òverbal hijacking of discussions and meetings.Ó

November 24, 1997

Margo Post Marshak, Vice President for Student Affairs, requests disciplinary proceedings against Jonathan Weintraub for violating University Policy and Procedures Section 1 Rules of Conduct.

1998

January 7, 1998

Michael Haber, Weintraub's attorney, accuses NYU of violating its own disciplinary procedures and behaving with hostility toward Weintraub.

January 20, 1998

Disciplinary proceedings against Weintraub are adjourned after eight hours.

February 20, 1998

Disciplinary proceedings begin again.

February 23, 1998

NYU Student Activities Board refuses to begin hearings based on claims filed by the University to revoke all support for SEAL, the campus animal rights group.

March 3, 1998

Weintraub is given a sanction of suspension. He appeals.

March 11, 1998

An alleged bomb threat clears NYU's Main Building during mid-term examinations. NYU officials blame animal rights activists. These accusations are vehemently denied.

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