Winston Chow

Who is Winston Chow?

Winston K.H. Chow is a student leader and community activist from New York City known for strong advocacy of students’ rights in public higher education and involvement in Asian American and immigrant rights issues.

From 2003-2004 he was elected President of the Student Government representing BMCC of the City University of New York. In office, he represented a student population of 26,000. He is the first Chinese-American to take this office since the college’s founding in 1963.

Strong opinions voiced by Chow’s supporters and faculty of the CUNY administration’s negative treatment of low-income students culminated in a free speech conflict involving the New York City Council in 2004.

According to Newsday reporter Merle English in article dated, June 3 2004, “ Expecting to address more than 2,000 graduating students….Winston Chow started writing his speech on the value of student activism. But two days ago, the Student Government President, was told he wouldn’t be allowed to speak at the commencement exercises at Madison Square Garden. [Chow,] an honors student with a 3.6 grade point average, will transfer to Columbia University or Vassar College in the fall. Because of the transfer, college officials told him Wednesday that he could not speak because he is not a member of the graduating class. Chow, other Student Government officials and their faculty advisors expressed outrage. But in another twist yesterday afternoon, Chow learned that administrators had relented. Administrators, responding to pressure from student leaders and elected officials, agreed to allow Chow to speak for three minutes. ‘We resolved the conflict,’ said Charles Barron, chairman of the [New York City] Council’s higher education committee."