2008 Woodie Awards
Mixed reactions surround strike: Republican club leads anti-rally
Derrick Perkins, Collegian Staff
Issue date: 11/15/07 Section: News
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Standing below a display advertising the two-day student boycott of classes in the window of the Student Government Association [SGA] offices, Republican club leaders called the strike a "politically motivated stunt" and the grievances filed by the SGA and Graduate Student Senate [GSS] "ridiculous."
"These two misguided and self-interested student organizations do not care about the best interests of all students," said club President Brad DeFlumeri. "Rather, they are calling a strike to pursue a political agenda that includes the glorification of GSS President Jeff Napolitano."
Speakers took turns refuting the list of demands presented by the SGA and GSS including rolling back student fees, increasing diversity funding and accountability, regaining student control over student space and bringing an end to alleged patrols of plainclothes police officers in residence halls.
"The Republican club feels that the GSS and SGA are not representing their constituents properly," said Greg Collins, vice president of the Republican club.
Collins said the calls for a student strike were encouraging teachers and graduate students to cancel classes thus undermining the education of undergraduates. He also called the grievances filed by the GSS and SGA misguided.
"We feel that the GSS and the student senate and SGA focus too much on racial diversity and socio-economic diversity," Collins said. "We already have diverse organizations in relation to different religions, different faiths, different ethnic and cultural groups."
According to Collins, increasing funding for outreach programs for poorer high school students in the Commonwealth while at the same time rolling back student fees would be illogical.
Collins also called the demand for an end to patrols of plainclothes policemen in residence halls "unjustified."
"The police presence in dorms is exaggerated," he said. "The police obviously target specific areas on campus which historically do have patterns of violence and destruction of property."
Ed Cutting, a graduate student and member of the Chancellor Search Committee, blamed the Graduate Employee Organization (GEO) as being behind the strike, calling it "illegal."
Viewing Comments 1 - 4 of 4
Mike Trabert
posted 11/15/07 @ 12:15 PM EST
How come this story was above the crease? At the most there was only 20 students at the anti-rally. I'm not saying that this isn't news. I just don't agree that it deserved the front page. (Continued…)
Nicholas Limbeck
posted 11/15/07 @ 4:15 PM EST
I'm confused how some students like these Republicans prefer that our government raise their tuition and use the rest of their taxes on bombs.
But of course, every power structure needs their PAWNS. (Continued…)
Matt
posted 11/15/07 @ 5:54 PM EST
They are protesting against police presence in the dormitories. Then when some female student gets raped, they will be protesting against lack of police presence in dormitories. (Continued…)
Aaron
posted 11/20/07 @ 9:59 AM EST
Real Republicans wouldn't oppose populist demands or publicly suggest measures that contradict equal access to education and diversity in the state's flagship public university. (Continued…)
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