Students ask administration for Follow Up apology after last week’s demonstration

Mechelle Hankerson News Editor

VCU administrators met with students Tuesday night to discuss what to do in the aftermath of displays from an anti-abortion group on campus last week.

Associate vice provost for Student Affairs Charles Klink, dean of Student Affairs Reuban Rodriguez and director of the University Commons, Tim Reed asked students what they thought the university could do to address their concerns and complaints.

Ultimately, students suggested that they would appreciate some sort of statement from the administration.

Last Wednesday and Thursday, a national anti-abortion group, the Center for Bio-Ethical Reform came to VCU to demonstrate with a display that featured comparisons of abortion to historical genocides and photos that the group claimed to be pictures of abortion.

Many students claimed the photos were not accurate, in addition to objecting to the offensive nature of the whole display.

Freshman Amber McNeal organized a protest on Facebook during the second day of the Genocide Awareness Project's demonstration at VCU.

McNeal told the administrators at Tuesday's forum that she thought nothing short of an apology would be acceptable.

“It may seem inappropriate, but I would like for it to be an apology ... to anyone who was triggered or found it morally offensive,” she said.

Vicki Yeroian said she stood outside protesting the display for four hours because of the misuse of the word “genocide” in the display. Yeroian said she is Armenian-American, and even if VCU does not issue an apology, she said she thinks the university should address the inaccuracies many students took issue with in the Genocide Awareness Project's display.

“Regardless of the stance VCU takes on that demonstration, I really think its absolutely necessary that VCU comes out with something that lets people of ethnic groups that have been (victims of genocide) that lets them know ... that there (was) some misinformation about genocide,” she said during the forum.

In addition to listening to students' suggestions following the demonstration, administrators addressed concerns regarding the university's demonstration policy.

According to Reed, VCU's policy for on-campus demonstrations hasn't been revised since November of 1990.

At VCU, there must be designated areas for anyone to exercise First Amendment rights. The university can control some things – like time, place and manner – but can't do much about a demonstration's content, Reed said.

Students however, wanted more explanation that the university's explanation of how the First Amendment applied to demonstration policies.

Senior Jara Connell told administrators she wanted more explanation than what was given to her.

“I don't understand why (the First Amendment) is the only response from the administration,” she said. “That's the easiest one, certainly, and it's an important one, but its not the only issue at hand. This issue isn't only about free speech, this is about a students right to attend class (at) their university, feeling safe the whole time.”

Connell and other students said they felt as though the display targeted specific groups of students and was overly offensive because of its graphic nature and bold comparisons to historical genocides.

“I think its important that we protect students right to free speech, but I also think its important that VCU protect female-bodied students' right to walk to class without being equated to Nazis in Germany for making personal health decisions,” Connell said, referencing the display's comparison of abortion to the Holocaust. “That's not in the constitution, but tons of VCU regulations are not in the Constitution.”

Reed, Rodriguez and Klink made no commitment to students at the forum that the university would make a statement or issue an apology. CT attend to voice their opinions on the code: April 18 from 6 to 7 p.m. at the Academic Centre on the Monroe Park Campus and April 26 from 6 to 7 p.m. at the Larrick Student Center on MCV campus.

An email sent out last week linked to the proposed code and a site where students could comment on it. Student feedback has already led the committee to review the wording of the “demonstrations/riot” clause of the document, Klink said.

“Ultimately, if people feel like they’ve been heard and that we’ve been responsive to their concerns, I think they’ll feel more like it’s their document and that they have some investment in it, which is what we want,” Klink said.

Klink said the committee is working with the SGA on the document.

The committee will be collecting feedback until May 1, Klink said. If the revised code is approved by the Board of Visitors, it will take effect by the start of the 2012-2013 academic year. CT

Thursday, April 5

Alcohol violation Monroe Park – A male visitor was arrested for possession of an open container of alcohol in public.

Grand larceny Student Commons, 907 Floyd Ave. – A female employee advised that an unknown person(s) removed items from an unsecured location.

Grand larceny Cary Street Gym, 101 S. Linden St. – A male student advised that an unknown person(s) removed items from a secured location.

Grand larceny Goshen Market, 826 W. Broad St. – A female student advised that an unknown person(s) removed an item from an unsecured location.

Grand larceny Rhoads Hall, 710 W. Franklin St. – Change in case disposition

Petit larceny Cabell Library, 901 Park Ave. – A female student advised that an unknown person(s) removed items from an unsecured location.

Trespassing 421 W. Broad St. – Two male visitors were arrested for trespassing.

Friday, April 6

Drug offense Rhoads Hall, 710 W. Franklin St. – Two male students were arrested for possession of marijuana.

Disorderly conduct At the corner of West Grace and North Harrison streets – A male visitor was arrested for disorderly conduct.

Drug offense Cary Street Gym, 101 S. Linden St. – A male student was arrested for possession with intent to distribute within 1,000 feet of a school and possession of marijuana with intent to distribute.

Fraud offense 7-Eleven, 1003 W. Grace St. – A male visitor was arrested for defrauding a convenience store.

Motor vehicle theft 1335 W. Broad St. – A victim stated that an unknown person(s) stole a vehicle.

Saturday, April 7

Disorderly conduct At the corner of West Cary and Belvidere streets – A male visitor was arrested for unlawful entry into the street.

Drug offense Rhoads Hall, 710 W. Franklin St. – A male student was arrested for possession of marijuana

Theft from motor vehicle 1125 W. Grace St. – A male victim advised that an unknown person(s) removed items from a vehicle.

Sunday, April 8

Alcohol violation 400 block of West Broad Street – A male visitor was arrested for possessing an open container of alcohol in public.

Alcohol violation EE Parking Lot, at the corner of West Grace and North Belvidere streets – A male visitor was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol.

Assault offense Club Xscape, 814 W. Grace St. – A female student advised that a known person assaulted her.

Monday, April 9

Alcohol violation 900 block of West Cary Street – A male visitor was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol.

Trespassing West Broad Street Deck, 1111 W. Broad St. – A male visitor was arrested for trespassing.

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