For thirteen months, the September 29th Movement has been trying to deal with the President’s office in good faith. They have stated their goals and asked for a response to them but none has come.

Their goals include the re-opening of the naming process of Old Botany Hall as well as better funding for cultural studies programs, multicultural programs, and better recruitment and retention of LGBT students and faculty. These goals may seem lofty, but I assure you they are simple.

Their goals pivot on one request: that The September 29th Movement meet with Iowa State President Martin Jischke in a mediated discussion. That’s all.

These are legitimate goals and they require serious cooperation on his part. If there is no serious consideration on his part, how will there be resolution? The truth is there will not.

You see, if there is no mediation, there is no cooperation between the two sides. If there is no cooperation, decisions will be made not by a group of concerned students and their concerned president, they will be made by President Jischke and President Jischke alone.

President Jischke has stated his opinion on the Catt Hall issue numerous times in the past. If the decision is going to be made by him and him alone, then how can the result be anything other than his own opinion?

If he is to make decisions unilaterally, what has the Movement achieved by entering into a meeting with him?

Nothing. Absolutely nothing.

So for those of you out there who are wondering why the September 29th Movement is still around, there is only one clear answer. The issues on the table are serious.

The issues are so serious that the university is dead set against addressing them. The issues are so serious that some of them were almost kicked out of school, had it not been for the support from the ISU/Ames community and the help of some very good lawyers.

The issues are so serious that a man named Allan Nosworthy is willing to put his life on the line to point them out.

Allan Nosworthy is on a hunger strike. I know Allan well, care for him deeply and want very much to see things turn out for the best. Of course, President Jischke claims to care for Allan as well.

He said, in a brief statement on Monday, that his “first concern is for [Allan’s] well-being.” The truth is that President Jischke had better care for Allan’s well-being because what I don’t think he understands is the fact that Allan’s health lies solely with him.

So, President Jischke, how long will you wait before you take action? How long will it be before you realize what is wrong with this university? Will you wait for someone to die?

Robert Mohr

Junior

Architecture