University students across the nation have made it clear that the benefits of free speech through demonstrations may outweigh the consequences of their actions.

And while promising not to lose control of their campuses, university officials coast to coast tout themselves as backers of the college-student rite of passage, as it is, to protest.

The State University of New York at Binghamton is an example.

No action has yet been taken against students who stormed a closed student government meeting on Oct. 15. Security officers used pepper spray and physical force to detain nearly 1,000 students.

Paul Huegel, director of public relations at Binghamton, said an external investigation is being conducted to review the actions of students and officers. He said Binghamton will not seek legal action against students who peacefully protested the incident during a seven-day sit-in at the administrative building.

Iowa State is also an example.

University officials have charged 20 ISU students who participated in the Nov. 5 unauthorized town hall meeting in the lobby of Beardshear Hall with violating rules detailed in the student handbook. Still, expression is encouraged.

“I don’t think we ever want to be in the position to say one can’t question or express a point of view,” ISU President Martin Jischke said.

Part of the college experience

“I vividly remember Indiana University on the day the students were killed at Kent State,” said Tom Thielen, vice president for student affairs, who went to graduate school at Indiana.

He said student leaders from Kent, which is an hour away, came to the Indiana campus the next day. “The campus just went berserk. There was much anger, confusion and hostility.”

Thielen said he remembers looking out his office window to the center of campus at the mass of people protesting and demonstrating into the “sea of humanity.”

In 1971, the following year, Thielen was dean of students at the University of Maine when students protested the U.S. bombing of Cambodia.

“The students in protest were burning mattresses and throwing them out their windows. Not a good picture, not a good scene at all,” Thielen said.

He said the university was able to survive the protests through communication between administration, faculty and students.

“The whole country was in a turmoil. It was played out more on college campuses than anywhere else,” Thielen said. “Really, that’s where your free speech begins and is strongest.”

Freedom of expression

Though the 1960s protests may not have provided a productive learning environment, most agree they had merit. “It did change the universities in how we saw our students,” Thielen said.

ISU has a basic protocol for ensuring free expression and to keep the university business running smoothly, said Kathleen MacKay, dean of students.

“When a group crosses the line and disrupts university business, we start holding them accountable,” MacKay said. “None of us [wants] to sanction or arrest students, but if they blatantly attempt to disrupt university business, we’ll do what we have to do.”

Thielen said the time, place and manner law (which details basic rules of when, where and how an event can take place on public property), does not allow students to demonstrate anywhere at anytime.

“The university wants to encourage freedom of speech,” Thielen said, “but we’re not going to give up the right to govern.”

Enforcing the rules

Loras Jaeger, director of the Department of Public Safety, said his perception is that people think of the DPS as an oppressor of free speech.

“We understand that a university is there for the open and frank expression of views,” Jaeger said.

He said it is important for the campus security force to develop good communication with protesters. “I think the biggest problem that causes events [like those at Binghamton] to get out of hand is the lack of communication,” Jaeger said.

Milton McGriff, a September 29th Movement member, agreed.

He said it is fortunate the Movement, the most active group of protesters on campus in the last few years, has a good relationship with DPS. McGriff said there are indications that DPS won’t respond as brutally to civil disobedience as officers did at Binghamton.

“Student protesters at ISU have said again and again that we are committed to non-violence in achieving our ends,” said Rob Ruminski, an ISU Activist and Movement member.

However, McGriff said he is aware that power responds with force if need be. He said the Movement does not take any actions without thoroughly studying the consequences.

“We will pay the consequences,” McGriff said. “All along we have understood this is more than just about a woman’s name on a building.”

The Movement has organized to change the name of Catt Hall, named after Carrie Chapman Catt, who some say was racist.

The consequences

“My one big worry is that I want students to know what the consequences would be,” MacKay said. Students who are involved in civil disobedience may not be aware that employers and graduate schools can look at their judicial records, she said.

“I just want people to know what the consequences of their actions are on the rest of their lives,” MacKay said.

Thielen said Nov. 5 student protesters understood potential consequences.

Some have a different view.

John Scriver, an ISU Activist and a protester at the rally, said, “I don’t think anyone knows exactly what the consequences could be.”

Scriver said continued protests by Movement members may result in possible expulsion and “the infamous black listing of their names.”

Why resort to civil disobedience?

Last week’s unauthorized rally was held because the Movement would not settle for “no response,” by the administration, McGriff said. “They need to be asked, ‘do they realize the consequences for not listening?'”

The future

Neither students nor administrators — both here and at Binghamton — say they want to see violence erupt on their campuses. So now that the Catt Hall debate is at a standstill, what can be done to ensure peaceful protests?

“One can seek other forums to be heard, but in any debate, one must understand there is the possibility others will not agree with the position they take,” Jischke said.

Despite disagreement, Jischke encouraged students to strive to be heard.

His advice may be heeded. Some students foresee increased protests if communication remains stagnant.

“If we don’t see a change in the old conservative guard, we can only expect groups to get more radical, things to get more ugly and the situation to get more desperate,” Scriver said. “The channel now is for Jischke to open up discussion and involve students, or students will work outside of the democratic means.”

But even if there are future protests, Jaeger said he is confident they will not get out of hand. Still, he said DPS is prepared.

“We are still the law enforcement body and there may be that time in the future where we need to act.”

Jaeger did offer a hint of sympathy to protesters. “We must keep in mind that to make change, somebody must feel uncomfortable.”