Robin's blog

Written by Adrian Wilson.

It’s been a long time since I’ve seen direct actions, occupations, and militant protests at four University of California campuses in just 48 hours. But given that UC’s bosses are trying to kill public higher education in California, this should hardly come as a surprise.

On Thursday night, 75 UC Davis students occupied Mrak Hall - with 200 more outside in support, facing off against riot police. The UC Davis Student Senate – normally a fairly conservative group – tried to enter the building to join the occupation, but were turned back by the police; they then passed a resolution of no confidence in UC President Mark Yudof. County sheriffs arrested a total of 52 students, all of whom were taken to county jail; the arrestees were still in jail on Friday morning.

SDS members at the University of Minnesota are facing student conduct code charges for dropping banners at freshman convocation on September 3rd of 2009. These charges include theft, disorderly conduct, misuse of university facilities, and unauthorized access of a university building. What is more, these were charged against us without the university having any sort of proof or evidence that any particular individuals did it.

Individuals still enrolled at the U of M were obligated to go to individual interviews with the Office of Student Conduct and Academic Integrity (OSCAI). After the first couple of meetings it was clear to us that the university was employing scare tactics as a way to dismantle the group and “rat” each other out. The OSCAI interviewers claimed that suspension, expulsion, and a revocation of degrees would be possible, and one member did in fact note that the interviewer questioned his ability to graduate.

An outpouring of support for SDS came into the inboxes and voicemails of all the individuals in charge of the reprimands our chapter now faces. Students from across the country called in, alumni spouted their disapproval, faculty, graduate students, staff, grassroots organizations all demanded that university drop their outrageous charges against SDS at the U of M. A warm thank you goes out to all who took the time to stand up for free speech, a right to dissent on our campuses, and most importantly to defend SDS at the U of M calling for overpaid administrators to be cut instead of more tuition hikes.

Reportback from U of MD College Park SDS:
Last night an emergency mass meeting was called by students at the University of Maryland – College Park in response to the dismissal of Associate Provost for Equity and Diversity Dr. Cordell Black. Over 700 students and faculty packed the basement of the Nyumburu Cultural Center and excoriated the administration’s weak commitment to diversity and accessibility, as well as their use of the school’s budget shortfall to push a corporate agenda for the university. Provost Farvardin wants to turn our school into a “public Ivy” corporate playground for research and investment, while slashing less profitable humanities and cultural studies departments.

During the open mic portion of the mass meeting, one student called for a rally for the next day at noon. Today, over 600 students and faculty marched from Nyumburu to the lily-white front steps of the administration building and rallied there for half an hour. Our work on the larger political context of the university budget crisis in the past year allowed CP-SdS organizers to play key roles in facilitating the mass meeting and planning the rally. Before we left, we left our thoughts taped to the front of the building.

Our demands at this time are for:

1. The reinstatement of Dr. Cordell Black as Associate Provost for Equity and Diversity.
2. Public release of all budget and diversity records and documents.
3. A moratorium on all further firings and academic “reorganizations” until students, staff and faculty are given seats at the table.

The newly formed STARE coalition (Students Taking Action Reclaiming our Education) has called for a second mass meeting this Tuesday to decide on further action.

For more information, check out:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/11/05/AR2009110502997.html

More photos after the jump