Thorp & Co. to review protesting policy

From April's South Building sit-in to September's International Housekeepers Week rally 2008 has seen its fair share of student protests.

And though Student Body Vice President Todd Dalrymple said this year has been fairly typical in the number of protests the student advisory committee to the chancellor presented a policy draft in October to regulate them.

One major protest on the minds of those developing the policy is the sit-in at South Building.

Back in April members of Student Action for Workers decided to spend a few weeks in South Building.

They were protesting former Chancellor James Moeser's decision not to sign the Designated Suppliers Program that would require 75 percent of UNC's apparel to come from factories paying living wages.

The report concerning protesting on campus written by advisory committee members Matt Garza and Corey Cusimano was presented to Chancellor Holden Thorp on Oct. 29.

The report contained a recommendation that administrators consult vice chancellors and Department of Public Safety officials in deciding whether to break up protests.

Dalrymple said the committee had wanted input from the student body but not every group was interested in the new policy.

Laura Bickford member in Student Action for Workers and Students for a Democratic Society" said she didn't want to be involved with the design of the new policy.

She said the policy would limit students' protesting rights.

""The point of protest is to say what's wrong"" she said, By limiting how you protest is taking back power from students.""

In September during International Housekeepers Week" housekeepers along with Student Action for Workers and other student groups meet in the Pit one day for a rally.

After the rally they marched to South Building where Thorp's office is located to deliver a letter requesting a new work schedule.

Other protests that have occurred in 2008 have been against the war. Students burned fake draft cards in February and students walked out of class in March for an anti-war march.

It is unclear when the new protest policy will come out. Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Margaret Jablonski said administrators are still discussing feedback from the student advisory committee for the chancellor.

Garza said they hope to hear something in the next few months.



Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.