Photos couresty of: UP Beacon, Vanity Fair, Top Colleges, New York Times
It’s no secret that the University of Portland is not exempt from the problems and politics that plague other universities and the rest of our society. We are not a special bubble where bad things don’t happen, where everyone is kind and has good intentions at all times. It’s preposterous to pretend that’s the case. We are a community of human beings with varying opinions, attitudes, and actions — conflicts are bound to happen. But, the administration and many of the students would like to act as though we are always this perfect, happy microsociety. I say students as well, because we too are a part of the problem.
Emma Sulkowicz Mattress Protest, 2013
From what I see and hear on my own and from my peers, UP students are notorious for caring about an issue (such as racial diversity or microaggressions against the LGBT+ community on campus) for approximately five minutes before we return to our complacent attitudes. Often the “end” is prompted by an email or statement from some university official who thanks us all for our passion and practice of Catholic values, essentially patting us on our heads and sending us on our way without doing much of anything. As frustrating and problematic as that faux encouragement is, what’s more saddening is how many students just accept it and think the work is done because it was acknowledged. All this does is continue to let the university control how long we care about an issue, and how hard we fight for change. We have to tell them that their statements are not enough, that we want them to lift a finger to do more than type up an empty email that they think will mitigate our anger.
Columbia University Aparthaid Protests, 1970s-1980s
Change does not occur quickly, whether it is on a smaller scale (your immediate community, i.e. University of Portland) or on a larger scale (nation-wide or worldwide). And sometimes, those small scale movements are how the large scale ones move along. What better way to combat campus sexual assaults all over the country, than to start fixing what happens at your own university? This could easily prompt other universities and their students to follow in suit. We can’t always wait for others to start making a change — we have to do it on our own. We can set the example too. We should set an example.
Harvard Strike, 1969
When issues arise on our campus, we can’t be so quick to let it die down. We have to continue to push back. Through breaks from school, through midterms and finals, through other hardships that will surely arise, we must continue to fight for what we want — and need — our university to do. Otherwise, we are giving up.
Redefine Purple Pride, University of Portland, 2013
The last time there was a memorable change at the University of Portland was in 2013 and 2014 — Redefine Purple Pride. UP students went above and beyond to get sexual orientation added to the school’s nondiscrimination policy. They even crashed a Board of Regents meeting, what many would consider was the real game changer. Those students, many who are still here at the university, had to deal with the school’s tough pushback, but they did not admit defeat. The change did not happen quickly but they continued on. That is exactly what we have to do. We can’t stop and move on, then complain when nothing is different. It’s up to us to continuously and consistently make a statement until there is real change. Here is another article on the topic.
Redefine Purple Pride, University of Portland, 2013
This past week groups of students began to make their moves. Two events were geared toward beginning and harboring discussion about sexual assault and how it is handled on the UP campus. The inspiration for this action, and the anger and frustration felt by most of the UP community, came from one freshman. Recently she came forward, after having lost her Title IX case, claiming that the school’s disciplinary conduct process had failed her. Soon, not only had the whole school heard — but other communities as well once her story made it to outside news sources. Then, more students who had experienced similar problems began to talk. But, while this one student has essentially become the face of this desire for change, it’s important to note that it’s not just about her. It’s about all of the others on campus who have suffered due to the mishandling of sexual assault and other Title IX cases. I think that it is also vital that we don’t always die our motivation to help and create change to one or two students — but rather we should realize there are many more who have been going through the same situations and they all deserve justice.
“Sit-in” event, University of Portland, 2016
The first, on Thursday night in the Buckley Center Auditorium, brought in about 400 students. The speakers, students/service and justice coordinators from the Moreau Center, Students Against Sexual Assault club (SASA), and other groups, talked to the audience about Title IX and briefly went over next steps for moving toward change. Then, what seemed to be a majority of the crowd, moved to St. Mary’s Lounge to take part in small group discussions. They were also given slips of paper where they could write what they wanted to tell the administration.
University of Portland Peaceful Protest, 2016
The second event was on Friday night before the Donor’s Gala. As the Vice President of the Feminist Discussion Group (FDG), I was lucky enough to be able to take part in some of the last stages of planning this event along with fellow HerCampus writer, Megan MacInnes (Vice President of the Gay Straight Partnership [GSP] club). Along with the Moreau Center’s Service and Justice Coordinators, SASA, Active Minds, FDG, GSP, and others, a protest was planned that we hoped would give us a chance to communicate with the university’s donors. Students lined the walkways and roads with signs and purple tape on their mouths and jackets (akin to what students did during the Redefine Purple Pride movement), and others passed out letters to the donors they were able to speak to directly about what we were doing there. Four nearly two hours, we stood in the snow and rain, asking the donors to think about what their money was supporting. Unfortunately, we were also faced with an obstacle that came in the form of the administration not allowing us to cross the road to the Commons’ side, and shuttling some of the donors passed us in golf carts and delivering them to the door. However, I was pleased to later hear that the student driving the golf cart and students inside the gala were still talking to the donors about it when they were asked what was happening.
Sign reads: It became increasingly clear to me that the university was unwilling to truly invest in preventing violence on campus. -Kristina Houck, alumna & former Wellness Education and Prevention Coordinator, University of Portland, 2016
“…almost everybody asked about [or] brought it up and I just told them about it and really didn’t censor my opinions about it. Most everyone expressed that they were also upset by it all and pretty much on the same page. If anything, I’d say the general attitude was that of appreciation of your presence,” freshman Luke McCartney (the student driving some of the donors to the Commons) said when he contacted me after the protest.
Gay Straight Partnership and Black Student Union Vigil, University of Portland, 2016
Two events in two days is a great start, but with winter break looming around the corner, it is vital that we do not let this die down. The conversations, the protests, and the sit-ins must continue. If we stop, the chance of ever making a difference grows slimmer as the university learns all the ways they are able to so easily discourage us. So, here are some ideas — that have been used by other universities — for how we can continue this fight!
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Boycotts
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Direct Action
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Hunger Strikes
University of Missouri Hunger Strike, 2015
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Internet-based Protests
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Video made by UP student Michael Gallagher, 2016
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Petitions
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Such as this one that was created recently by UP students, 2016
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Protest Marches
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Sit-Ins
Police pepper spray peaceful protesters at Occupy Wall Street, University of California, Davis, 2011
Ferguson Rallies, St. Louis University, 2014
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Vigils
University of Virginia Peace Vigil (against sexual assault), 2015
Students protest at Ithaca College, 2015
Students at many universities across the country have staged protests over things such as racial discrimination. In 2015, demonstrations took place at a number of schools as the students called for their administration to act. Some you might remember hearing about the ones that took place at University of Missouri, Yale University, and Ithaca College.
University of California, Berkley, Free Speech Protests, 1964-1965
Little Rock Nine, 1957
Columbia University Sit-In, 1968
Student demonstrations have a long-standing history in the United States. We have fought back against so much, from marched in protests against the Vietnam War, and been pepper sprayed by police as we took part in Occupy Wall Street. We have used art to speak out against Apartheid, and initiated hunger strikes against racism on our campuses. We have chanted in response our peers being punished for their freedom of speech. We have stood and marched in solidarity with those suffering from police brutality, and we have held vigils to honor marginalized groups. We have a history of fighting for what is right, and it is adament that we continue that here at the University of Portland. Don’t worry about those who may tell you what we’re doing is wrong, stupid, pointless, etc. If change came easily, this would be no problem. We’ll be called radical or silly, entitled and sensitive. They’ve never like the protesters in the moment — it isn’t until much later that they’ve call them revolutionary. Don’t let it discourage you from doing your part. Don’t let them convince you that it is better to be complaciant and endure a corrupt system, rather than try to change it.
It is our obligation to our community, to the students who will come after we leave, and to those who have left having not seen justice for crimes. We can be a part of making history, just as these many other students once were. It’s up to us to stand up for one another and demand that our university change (for the better). As cheesy as it must sound, we must be the change we want to see in the world.
Columbia University Vietnam Protest, 1968