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March 01, 2005
Students protest administration silence
Last Monday, nearly 20 students protested in the cold early evening over the slow response by the administration concerning the HUSC resolution banning military recruiting on campus.
The resolution was written so that anyone who wishes to recruit at Hamline must do so within Hamline’s discrimination policies. The U.S. military has a policy commonly called “don’t ask, don’t tell,” under which those in the military cannot ask or tell other people about their sexual orientation. Hamline would be denied federal funding if they disallowed military recruitment on campus.
“As a law student, I am approached by JAG recruiters all the time. Part of the reason I came to Hamline was because of its anti-discrimination policy,” law student Kristen Maul said.
The protesters marched in front of Old Main carrying signs, one of which read, “No one is free when others are oppressed.”
The protesters were joined by Professor Earl Schwartz, who echoed the protesters’ sentiments.
“Equal is equal is equal. If we are serious about being conceived in liberty and equality, then we have to be equally serious about all issues of equality,” Schwartz said.
One of the authors of the resolution, Graham Lampa, spoke to the group of protesters. Lampa called on the group to continue putting pressure on the administration and the board of trustees.
Professor Stephen Kellert also spoke to the group. He pondered aloud how it can be ethical for the administrators in Old Main to agree with but not act upon that agreement; they say they don’t discriminate, but they allow it to happen with the recruiters, explained Kellert.
Professor Melissa Embser-Herbert was the last faculty member to speak to the group.
She was excited that so many people showed up to the event, and wanted to make it clear that “ban” might be the wrong word for the group to use.
“We don’t want to ban the recruiters; we want anyone who comes to campus to have to regard our policies,” Embser-Herbert declared to the group.
The resolution passed in HUSC, and a faculty vote unanimously supported the resolution.
According to the protesters, the administration has been slow to implement the resolution.
“The administration needs to listen to the students [because] the resolution passed in December. They need do everything they can to get changes made without losing federal funding,” said Bjorn Johnson, one of the protesters.
On April 7, HUSC president Shona Ramchandani is scheduled to meet with the board of trustees about the resolution.
Posted by msveum at March 1, 2005 07:19 AM
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