ellen@reed.UUCP (Ellen Eades) (01/26/86)
It is now 11:00, Saturday evening. As I'm writing this, a group of 104 students have entered Eliot Hall, the main administration building of Reed College, for a "friendly occupation." I have not been authorized to release any special information, but I'd like to share my impressions with netters. A large movement within the Reed community over the past year has been concerned with divesting all Reed holdings in companies which do business in South Africa. Students have requested that the Board of Trustees comply with a two-year deadline for divestment. Today, in response to that request, the Board reiterated its support for the Sullivan Principles and for companies which uphold them. In response to this, the South African Concerns Committee has led a move to occupy the main floors of the administration building, though students are being admitted to the computing facilities. Part of the inspiration for this action appears to come from similar events occuring at other campuses, primarily the recent action at Dartmouth; Reed students are also drawing strength from a tradition of student activism and particularly the occupation of Eliot Hall by the Black students union in 1970 which brought about the establishment of a Black studies department at Reed. At present, there appear to be no Black students in the occupying group; there are only 5 Black students out of a campus of 1100. Part of the students' concerns involve an emphasis on increased minority enrollment at Reed. A group of nine students who had been fasting since last monday, Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday, broke their fast about 15 minutes after the building was secured. There has been no damage to college property and the group is using a consensual discussion to achieve agreement on goals. The mood is pretty good. Students seem willing to stay "indefinitely" to achieve goals. However, classes begin this coming Monday, and it is yet to be decided whether occupiers will be able to freely come and go between classes . I don't want to espouse any political stand at this time, I just posted this "from the inside," so to speak, because I feel that its a pertinent issue. However, if there's interest I will try to post some more updates on the situation as they occur. Ellen Eades (tektronix!reed!ellen) -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - "Who's been repeating all that hard stuff to you?" "I read it in a book," said Alice. - - - - - - - - - - - - - tektronix!reed!ellen
thill@ssc-bee.UUCP (Tom Hill) (01/28/86)
> It is now 11:00, Saturday evening. As I'm writing this, a group > of 104 students have entered Eliot Hall, the main administration > building of Reed College, for a "friendly occupation." I have > not been authorized to release any special information, but I'd > like to share my impressions with netters. > > A large movement within the Reed community over the past year > has been concerned with divesting all Reed holdings in companies > which do business in South Africa. Students have requested that > the Board of Trustees comply with a two-year deadline for > divestment. Today, in response to that request, the Board > reiterated its support for the Sullivan Principles and for > companies which uphold them. In response to this, the South > African Concerns Committee has led a move to occupy the main > floors of the administration building, though students are being > admitted to the computing facilities. > > ect.. All those rich white kids protesting at an almost all white school... Why that is mighty white of you. :-)