Daily Staff Writer

The following excerpts were taken from a tape of the meeting between the Iowa State administration and The September 29th Movement. The meeting was held Oct. 29.

Speakers in the transcript include the following: Senior Conciliations Expert Pascual Marquez, of the Department of Justice, Iowa State President Martin Jischke, Vice President for Student Affairs Thomas Hill, Professor Barbara Mack, and Movement members Milton McGriff, Meron Wondwosen and Bob Mohr.

This portion of the conversation focuses on why the meeting was not open to the public.

Marquez: I think I’ve said from the beginning that in order to have good faith efforts in these talks, I want both parties, and I realize, Mr. McGriff, that your side has no problem at all with the media or anybody else knowing about what is going on, OK. …

Now, ISU representatives have stated they don’t want the media involved either while we’re talking or to be notified. Now, if they do contact me, then I will talk with you about how we want to respond to this. That’s part of the guidelines.

McGriff: Confidentiality in meetings is one thing. We’ve never asked for them to be in the meetings —

Marquez: Right.

McGriff: — even though there is a precedent for that happening in meetings with President Jischke. There is a precedent, in the spring, when he met with the coalition to which we belong. That — it’s almost like you’re deflecting from what I’m bringing up.

What we’re saying is an announcement that meetings are taking place. I happen to know that’s a rather common procedure.

Now, secrecy and confidentiality are two different things. We’ve agreed to confidentiality. There is no question on confidentiality. We did not agree to secrecy —

Marquez: Let me ask you —

McGriff: — we are objecting to secrecy.

Marquez: OK, let me ask you representatives of 9/29, are you interested in a process in which your concerns could be brought to the ISU at representatives, so that hopefully resolution of your concerns can be reached? This is what we’re about.

McGriff: Yeah, and I understand that, and I have to respond since I was on the telephone with you twice about this issue. Yes, we are. And we’re also concerned that the Iowa State community know that this process is taking place…

The following conversation took place when a member from the administration’s side noticed a tape recorder was sitting on the table.

Mack: I have one quick question. Is that a tape recorder?

Wondwosen: Yes, it is.

McGriff: Yes, it is.

Marquez: Didn’t I tell you guys you weren’t allowed to bring any recording device?

Wondwosen: Our understanding was that we did not come to an agreement on that, and we’re here to discuss that today.

Marquez: Let me say that this meeting is over as far as I’m concerned, OK.

Wondwosen: Could you, could you repeat that?

McGriff: Can you say why?

Marquez: I said this meeting is over.

McGriff: Can you say why?

Marquez: Yes, I can tell you why. Because of the tape recorder in this room and that was something specifically that I addressed that there would be no recording and no stenographer.

Mohr: We had never agreed on that point.

McGriff: It was something that we specifically addressed also.

Marquez: Well, I’m afraid you will have to find your own process for doing this.

At this point in the meeting, Marquez says he will no longer take part in the meeting if the tape recorder remains on.

Wondwosen: So you’re walking out on, you’re breaking off this meeting?

Marquez: There has been a violation of ground rules.

Wondwosen: No there hasn’t.

McGriff: No, we didn’t agree to those ground rules.

Marquez: Well —

McGriff: We never agreed to that. And you know how strongly we objected to it.

Marquez: Well, I told you that there would be no tape recorders, no stenographers, earlier.

McGriff: But you were ordering us, and you never gave us a reason.

Marquez: That’s why I say, if you don’t like this process, you are free to choose another one.

McGriff: You never gave us a reason.

Marquez: You don’t have to use mine.

McGriff: You never gave us a reason.

Wondwosen: I think what we were asking for is clarification —

McGriff: That’s all.

Wondwosen: — as to why.

Mohr: From the university as well.

Marquez: I’m not, you know, I’m not going to beat a dead horse here, and I’ve told you before, you’re a very intelligent group, you know. You know, I told you on the phone and I know it upset you and I didn’t mean to, but just what the hell part of no don’t you understand?

McGriff: Well, what part of no don’t you understand, Mr. Marquez?

Wondwosen: I have a question of the administration of why you do not want the meetings recorded?

Marquez: This is my process, OK. This is my process. You, and the group collectively, do not tell me what it is that I can do.

McGriff: But you didn’t come to us to find out why, you’ve never explained to us why —

Marquez: OK, hey, before I get out of here, I’m going to ask you one more time because I’m not coming back — it costs too much money to come back up here. Do you want to continue dealing with the issues that you wanted to discuss up here or do you want to play around?

The conversation turns to a discussion between the Movement members and President Jischke.

Wondwosen: Can we ask the administration what their objection is to the taping?

Jischke: This is an informal meeting.

Wondwosen: OK, how —

Mohr: How does taping make it formal?

Jischke: I believe it detracts substantially from the informality.

Wondwosen: Could you explain that?

Mohr: — explain that?

McGriff: How?

Jischke: In a second? I am trusting Mr. Marquez’s professional experience of 26 years that he knows how to organize such discussions.

Wondwosen: OK, I understand about Mr. Marquez’s professional status. My question is I’m not really clear on how taping —

Jischke: He recommended that it not be taped, and I frankly agree with him. I believe it changes the tenor of the discussion if every single word that every individual utters is a matter of record and I believe it creates a more formal environment. It doesn’t allow for honest dialogue. I really am disappointed in this. I thought it was altogether clear —

Marquez: I’m going to leave if that tape recorder is not shut off right now, OK? Until we, you know, there is a meeting of the minds on my part. If the tape recorder goes off, I go on.

After Marquez, Jischke and Mack leave the room, Hill addresses the Movement members.

Hill: We need to talk.

Wondwosen: There’s nothing to talk about.

McGriff: About? I mean, I’m not saying no, I’m just saying about what? No, about what?

Hill: Well, where we go from here, what do we do?

McGriff: I don’t know, I don’t know. I truly don’t know.

Hill: OK. Um, I’ll give you a call.