Video: Student Protest Rally April 2005
Campus Speech Codes at Dartmouth
Student Rights, Congress Weighs In
Fraternity
Fights Sale of House
National Public Radio 1/20/06
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The Video of the FACT Rally at Colgate University is approximately 20
minutes long. Read excerpts below.
On April 12, 2005, FACT, Freedom of Association Coalition
for Truth, held a student rally at Colgate University to protest the administration’s
coercive property takings, threats of non-recognition of fraternities
and sororities, and threats of expulsion and suspension to students who
participate in a banned chapter. More than 350 students and alumni
attended the rally. It was covered by local affiliates of ABC,
CBS, NBC, FOX, CNN, university print and electronic media, local newspapers
and Associated Press. Their list of 13 demands, shown here, were delivered
to Colgate President Rebecca Chopp along with a petition of 1,200
student signatures.
Leigh
Cuttino ‘05
“FACT is a coalition of Colgate University students who have come
together with one mission in mind: To stop Colgate’s willingness
to violate students civil rights. We are students FOR the students,
and will persist in our mission to fight for our rights.”
Greg
Narag ’89, Phi Delta Theta
“A lot of you are feeling like you had a gun to your head. You are
going along with the sale of these houses under duress. Not so Fast, Colgate,
not so fast! In May of 1989 the faculty passed- by an
overwhelming margin, a resolution recommending that the fraternity
and sorority system at Colgate University be abolished.”
Greg
Narag
“Lee Pelton had an incremental, gradual, phase by phase plan
for eliminating the Greek system at Colgate University. In order
for Colgate to get rid of the Greek system, it needed to acquire all of
these properties.”
“It is contemplated that policies, procedures, rules, and regulation
governing the Broad Street Community will evolve and change over time
as circumstances require. Accordingly, these matters shall not be deemed
as contractual and Colgate reserves the right to change all requirements,
policies, rules and procedures without prior notice, in its sole discretion.”
Greg
Narag
“What kind of a partnership forces a private organization to sell
its private property to Colgate University? What kind of a partnership
intimidates and threatens the students of Colgate? Rebecca Chopp,
Dean Weinberg, get the hell of my property!”
David
Horowitz, www.frontpagemag.com
“Freedom is about having independent centers, independent cultures
within a society that are protected by law from the government. A part
of the Bill of Rights prevents government from going into your house or
from taking your house away from you. It’s a property right. Property
is the very basis of human liberty because it draws a line between what
other people – a majority – can come in and do to you if it
wants to. Make no mistake; the “New Vision” is a plan
to destroy the Greek system at Colgate University.”
David
Horowitz
“The fundamental aspect of a democracy is voluntary association.
President Rebecca Chopp says it in so many words: We need to control
you so we can mold you. There isn’t an aspect of campus
life that isn’t under the thumb of the administration of the university.
That’s why I say this is the most basic battle for freedom. This
is an effort to wipe out the one culture on this campus that isn’t
under the thumb of the politically correct party line of the rest of the
campus.”
David Horowitz
“Under the new regulations that Rebecca Chop and Adam Weinberg have in store for you, you will not be able to join or form an organization that doesn’t meet with their approval. This is not just a battle for this house, and the houses along this row. And it’s not just a battle for the Greek system, the independence of the Greek system. It’s a battle for the independence of every student at this school.”
David Horowitz
“You didn’t come here to put yourselves totally in the control
of this university for four years so they can remake you into their image.
That is anti-educational and anti-intellectual. The fight
you are fighting here is really a fight for students across this country
and ultimately for the country itself!”
David
French www.thefire.org
“Free association is fundamental to liberty in a free country.
You’re fighting for something that isn’t conservative,
that isn’t liberal; that is American. The idea that Colgate will
hide behind its private status to say, “Well, we’re doing
it because we can.” No! This is not right. It is not right
to take your property. And, for what?”
David
French
“Are you going to be a better leader when the university takes control
from you? You train leaders by letting them lead. These houses are run
by students. You lead by taking control of your life. You went to Colgate
to get a wonderful education, and one aspect of that education was not
going to be repression and censorship. That’s not an education.
That’s control. You came to Colgate to become a leader. They’re
teaching you democracy by censoring you and that makes no sense
and you should not tolerate it.”
David French
“Be out front. Be persistent. Be courageous. Never compromise
your rights, never. You’re going to win and they do not
have a chance to prevail against you!”
Mark
Bello, ’08 www.colgate-fact.org
“Education in the liberal arts equips students to lead lives marked
by personal success and engaged leadership. What I see before me is a
group of engaged citizens participating in the highest form of
all democracy: a peaceful protest.”
Mark
Bello
“Colgate’s shameless disregard for student’s rights
presents a textbook case. Only at Colgate could I get such thorough training
in the arts of democracy. I see a community of past and present Colgate
students -a community that shares not only a common experience but a common
respect for each other’s fundamental rights as well.
John
“Rocky” Willard, ’65. Phi Delta Theta
“This is the single, most egregious act that has been perpetrated
on this community! Imagine, a buyer, telling a seller, ‘Hey,
we want to buy your property. But before we enter into ‘good faith’
negotiations, we’re going to take away your use of the property
- which is that which it is zoned for – i.e. we’re going to
de-recognize the fraternities, if you don’t sell.’ And, let’s
insult the student body by saying, ‘Anybody who crosses Broad Street
to private property will be subject to suspension or expulsion.’”
Rocky Willard
“It’s the seizing of people’s private property under
coercion and duress. Those who recommended a sale have said unanimously,
‘We didn’t want to sell, we wished there were a better way,
but they had a gun to our heads!’”
Rocky
Willard
Is it discriminatory? Absolutely discriminatory. They’re picking
up this group of people and saying, “Hey, we’re going
to discriminate against your right to assemble and have and make
friendships and bonds for life.” That’s what’s at stake.
Rocky
Willard
“There is only one purpose for Colgate’s existence: the students.
This process may be a long fight. It’s a worthy fight.
We will not be under threats. We will not accept sitting in a negotiation
where students are disenfranchised or threatened with disenfranchisement
or where private property rights are just going to be summarily removed.
Ain’t going to happen on my watch, or on your watch!”
Sean
Fitzmichael Devlin, ’05 www.colgate-fact.org
“I’d like to thank all the distinguished alumni who’ve
come to support our cause. We have collected over 1,200 student signatures.
And we’ve taken your support here today as a mandate for change
on this campus. We the students of Colgate University demand
that the Board of Trustees and the administration:”
“Postpone the New Vision requiring students to
live in college owned housing.”
“Participate
in a campus forum with John Golden, President Chopp, and Dean Adam Weinberg
to debate the New Vision.”
“Give
Colgate students the same Constitutional rights as students
in public schools.”
“Modify the
Student Handbook to require genuine dialogue and negotiation-
as opposed to unilateral administrative action.”
“Add
an effective and neutral dispute process for issues that
result from the New Vision.”
“Make
the application and proposal process voluntary for those
wishing to live in the new townhouses. Set aside a majority of the residences
for students who simply want alternate housing.”
“Affirm the right of the Greek Chapters and other University clubs to choose their own members.”
“Continue
to recognize the existing fraternities and sororities
on campus and re-recognize those that have been placed on probation or
banned.”
“Discipline
students as individuals, not as members of a group.”
“Pledge
to assure the viability of Greek life and to take no
action to undermine its viability.”
“Continue
to allow men and women to join Greek organizations in the fall
of their sophomore year. Allow sophomores to live in the Greek Houses
to begin training for leadership positions.”
“Rescind
the Board of Trustees resolution that subjects students to suspension
or expulsion if they join an organization not approved by the University.”
“Rescind
the demand to purchase Greek-letter Houses.”
“Now
let’s all march up there right now to James B.
Colgate Hall and demand that our demands are followed through and respected
by the university.
We want Chopp! We want Chopp!