Labor protest finds way into Jischke's office
>>Print ViewPublication Date: 11/17/2006
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Eleven students chained themselves together in Purdue president Martin Jischke's office Thursday afternoon to encourage Purdue to adopt a proposal that guarantees workers' rights.
Students from the Purdue Organization for Labor Equality entered Hovde Hall around noon and sat down in the office of the president, although Jischke was out of the building at the time, despite requests that they not enter.
Ten officers from the Purdue Police Department waited outside the office while four student organization advisers spoke with group members, who were chained back-to-back with bicycle locks around their necks. The advisers relayed the students' demands to University officials, including a meeting with Jischke in 10 to 12 days and a guarantee of protection against disciplinary action.
Members of the group said the purpose of the demonstration was to encourage the University to adopt a proposal that would prevent the University from endorsing clothing made in sweatshops or places that don't allow labor unions.
The protest was triggered by a meeting Wednesday, during which Purdue's Merchandise, Licensing and Marketing Policy Committee recommended the University not adopt the proposal. Joe Bennett, vice president for University relations, said this was only a recommendation and does not mean the proposal will not be adopted in the future.
Bennett said the act of the students was inappropriate.
"Trying to coerce the University is not the best way to move the University into a decision," Bennett said. "It will not work. Period."
Dean of students Tony Hawkins, who was also present, said he wanted the group to understand the difference between lobbying peacefully in a public place and trespassing on private property.
"We support their right to demonstrate," Hawkins said, "but there is a point where we can't allow this type of disruption."
Hawkins informed the students that University regulations prohibit obstruction or disruption of any University activity, as well as inciting, aiding or encouraging other persons to engage in such conduct.
Although the penalty for this violation would be suspension for the remainder of this semester and all of next semester, Hawkins gave the group members time to unchain themselves and leave the office.
"I'm not in favor of suspending the students involved," Hawkins said. "Hopefully, we can come to some kind of agreement, but you can't barge into someone's office and occupy it because that's a disruption of activity."
Around 1 p.m., about 35 additional members of the group walked from the Class of 1950 Lecture Hall to outside Jischke's office shouting, "Ain't no power like the power of students, because the power of students don't stop."
The students occupying Jischke's office unchained themselves around 1:30 p.m. after they were promised a meeting with Jischke.
Mark Franciose, a senior in the College of Liberal Arts, said afterward that the threat of being suspended for the rest of this semester and all of next semester seemed "tremendously excessive" for the demonstration.
"We decided there are other ways that we can push this campaign throughout the semester," Franciose said. "For Purdue to respond to these issues, we have to be the ones to bring them to the forefront, but this isn't the last of it."
Later in the day, the Purdue Police Department sent two patrol cars to Westwood to make sure the group had not gathered at the president's house.