Parallels between uprisings at Iowa State and the State University of New York at Binghamton have administrators and students split over the form and severity of future student protests.

Last month, 1,000 students at SUNY Binghamton demanded admittance to a closed student government meeting. Protesters were met by security officers who, once the students stormed the meeting room, used pepper spray and force to detain them, according to The Pipe Dream, the campus newspaper.

Student activists and administrators differ sharply on whether campus conflicts here could rise to such a level. Administrators say it isn’t likely. Students aren’t so sure.

The process of change

“In all societies at all times, there exist conditions, perhaps dormant, that may provide the basis for a social movement seeking to introduce or further social change,” said Robert Mazur, an ISU sociology professor.

“However, if we look only at the conditions that are responsible, we’re missing the point,” Mazur said.

Mazur cited an analogy to help explain the formation of a social movement or the onset of a revolution, however slight. When a house burns down preconditions may exist in the house, such as a furnace in the basement or using the basement as a storage area, he said. But these items do not, by themselves, cause a fire.

Catalysts that may cause the fire — a series of hot, sunny days or oily rags piled by the furnace — may create a potentially explosive environment. This environment could be vulnerable to a stray spark from a match. The spark might be sufficient to trigger the fire that could destroy the house, he said.

By all accounts, it remains to be seen whether ISU simply has a basement furnace or one with nearby oily rags.

At many recent demonstrations and news conferences, members of the September 29th Movement have expressed concerns that they are being ignored by the administration, except when they use civil disobedience.

“Everyone knows where they are and what side they’re on. [ISU President Martin] Jischke is going to have to open up or the students are going to have to give in,” said John Scriver, an ISU Activist. “I don’t think the students are going to give in.”

That’s a familiar notion.

“It’s not about how often we protest, but about how to get change,” said Milton McGriff, spokesman for the September 29th Movement.

“I look back at the 60s and then I look at Binghamton and Berkeley, whatever it takes is the question for us,” McGriff said, “not what the consequences are that they place on us.”

Defining the problem

Mazur said all social movements begin because someone has successfully defined a condition as constituting a social problem.

There — At SUNY Binghamton, students returned to classes this fall and discovered the position of vice president for multicultural affairs (VPMA) had been terminated within their student government. The decision was made by the president of the student government, Anthony Benardello, in the final days of the spring semester.

Here — On Sept. 29 of last year, an Iowa State publication, Uhuru, published a story that depicted Carrie Chapman Catt as a racist. Old Botany Hall has been renamed after Catt, a leader in the women’s suffragist movement.

Students opposed to the name of the hall organized into the September 29th Movement. The ISU Activists, a group assembled to promote communication, was also assembled this summer.

“No one gets involved in movements like Sept. 29 or ISU Activists just for the sake of being involved in big, violent, media-circus protests like Binghamton,” said Rob Ruminski, ISU Activist and Movement member.

But Ruminski said the civil disobedience tactics embraced at Binghamton and at California universities in protest of Proposition 209 have merit. “On the other hand student movements, when they’ve had to resort to these tactics, have gained some ground in the past.”

Defining a solution

After the problem is articulated, Mazur said the central group must begin identifying possible solutions and work to get the word out.

There — Binghamton students, upset about the termination of the multicultural position, attended the first meeting of the student government on Oct. 8 in droves.

Katie Ellis, assistant director for media relations at Binghamton, said the first signs of student disapproval appeared in the campus paper when students wrote letters demanding the position be brought back.

Here — The first sign of trouble was Feb. 26 of this year when “a group” of students met to discuss ways to change the name of Catt Hall, specifically a letter-writing campaign to Jischke.

Mobilize

“You have to convince people to join you in such a way that they see their participation is both necessary and sufficient for the group to succeed in realizing its goals, ” Mazur said.

There — After Binghamton students protested at the student government meeting on Oct. 8, the president announced there would only be 30 students allowed to attend the next meeting. On Oct. 15, nearly 1,000 Binghamton students gathered to protest the closed meeting.

Students who attempted to force their way into the meeting were pepper sprayed by security officers. The following day a rally was held to protest the action. Students then mailed 2,000 signed letters to a central committee which oversees the New York state institutions.

Here — On March 6 of this year, a crowd of nearly 100 ISU students and faculty marched from Parks Library to the steps of Catt Hall. “The protest, which was labeled ‘The September 29th Movement,’ is a call for action after a number of students and faculty questioned the appropriateness of the naming of Catt Hall,” said the Daily’s news account.

The Movement has since garnered support from Asian, Native American and some white students. About 200 people attended an unauthorized town meeting in Beardshear Hall last week.

The university is charging 20 protesters with violating campus rules as defined in the student handbook.

Rejection

Once a group has the support and contacts it needs, Mazur said the situation often becomes polarized. “In order for the movement to be successful, the evolving conflict must force the fence sitters, usually the majority of the population, to get involved and take a stand.”

He said the groups must then deal with authorities challenging their structure.

The authorities usually attempt to define the situation as non-problematic in order to delegitimize the movement, Mazur said.

If the protester demands are rejected by authorities, Mazur said three scenarios may take place. Protesters may admit defeat, revise their goals or revise their strategies and tactics to achieve their original goals.

Can ‘there’ become ‘here’?

Still, many university administrators say ISU and Catt Hall are not a reflection of SUNY Binghamton and its multicultural position.

“I can’t imagine that ever happening here. We have a good working relationship with our students, even the protesters,” said Dean of Students Kathleen MacKay.

And — said Tom Thielen, vice president for student affairs — the September 29th Movement has conducted is protests orderly, until now.

“I think they will continue to do this because a portion of the community supports their rights to express themselves. If they go out of the bounds, they’ll lose support.”

Activists disagree.

Many students said the Binghamton-scale protests are not only possible here, but likely if someone doesn’t give.

“I definitely think it could [happen here],” ISU Activist John Scriver said, adding that the ISU administration is a product of 30 years of conservativism at the state and university levels.

Now, for the first time since the 60s, Scriver said there is student activism on campus. A clash may be inevitable, he said.

“For 30 years the administration has not given in to anything. It’s going to be their lack of compromise and lack of communication if things get ugly,” Scriver said.