Shades of the '60s: Sit-ins planned at HSU
Times-Standard 4/7/07
Sit-in protests may start, students said, depending on President Rollin Richmond's response to four demands the Associated Students -- HSU's student governing body -- made earlier this week.
When Richmond didn't give student government representatives definitive answers to their demands, many AS members walked out of a meeting last Monday. Those demands include a student vote on fee increases and control over how the fees are used.
”When you're excluded from the political system, you've got to work outside it,” said K. Scott Perry, an HSU sociology senior.
Richmond was not available for comment Friday, but HSU spokeswoman Serena Zelezny said students have the right to voice their concerns. “The president is very willing to listen to their concerns until the last moment budget decisions are made,” she said.
Earlier this week, Richmond said he would have preferred to have had a conversation with students. He also said in a letter to the student fee advisory committee that he didn't want to increase fees.
”I sincerely regret that we are proposing to increase fees for the students to preserve the quality of the educational opportunities we offer on this campus,” the letter stated.
Another meeting between AS members and Richmond is scheduled for Monday.
Depending on the outcome, sit-ins could begin following the meeting, said Terra Kentz, HSU wildlife biology and political science senior.
”There will be a variety of student actions to show President Richmond that we're serious,” Kentz said. “The whole point is to make the work environment uncomfortable enough so he reconsiders his decisions.”
The instructionally related activities fee, which is currently $48 per semester, would jump to $250 per semester under a proposed budget plan. If Richmond approves the hike, the increased dollars would free $3 million from athletics, which would be distributed to other areas on campus. Doing so would significantly cut the total amount the university is looking to shave from its 2007-2008 budget -- $4.8 million to $6 million.
Kentz said the sit-ins -- organized by students and AS -- will increase by the hour every day until a resolution is reached.
”The goal is to get enough students to participate so they can relieve one another and go to class,” she said.
And if their goals aren't met, sit-ins in or near administrative vice-presidents' offices may occur, Kentz said.
Perry said he hopes the actions will illustrate to the president that students are united on this issue.
“I see it as stirring things up from both sides of the campus,” he said. “The messages are very similar.”