The Daily Collegian

Issue date: 5/11/07 Section: News

Media Credit: Toan Trinh, Collegian Students and faculty rallied outside the Whitmore administration building in protest of Andrew Card's honorary degree yesterday.

Students and staff at the University of Massachusetts made their stance clear yesterday afternoon, as dozens of people gathered on the ramp outside of the Whitmore administration building to protest the administration's decision to present Andrew Card with an honorary degree at this May's commencement.

Graduate students led the march into the administration building and into Chancellor John V. Lombardi's office, blocking the hallways with bodies and chants.

Graduate student Justin Jackson, who will be receiving his Master's degree in history this month, helped to organize the demonstration. He also attended the Faculty Senate meeting last week, where Chairman Stephen Tocco spoke in favor of Card saying the claims by the students of his so-called war criminal status, were untrue and unfair as an opposition to Card's speech last month.

Students from the Graduate Student Senate were joined by faculty members and large undergraduate support. Protestors held signs and loudspeakers from which several professors and graduate students spoke from their perch on a bench.

Jackson said there won't be any physical violence at the graduate commencement, but that they will work to disrupt the ceremony if Card is given his degree.

"We are not going to lie down while impose this on us," Jackson said.

Former Student Government Association president Elvis Mendez also spoke about the administration's "disregard for the people" and failure to follow its own logic and the requirements for an individual to receive an honorary degree from the University.

"We are not in the business of giving degrees to war criminals," Mendez said.

Counter protestors were also present, holding Bush/Cheney signs, though they did not go inside the building. Graduate student Ed Cutting believes the protest would better serve the removal of Robert Mugabe's honorary degree instead of placing the blame of the war on the shoulders of a former Chief of Staff.

"Everyone knows honorary degrees are given to someone with a fancy name so they will come speak at graduation and the media will cover it. They give them to people that can personally give money to the University or raise it," Cutting said.

Continued...

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