Day 1 - February 1st - Monday
On Monday, February 1st, the forty students from Liberation through Education overtook Alexander Hall, an administrative building in Pomona College, locking out any administrators from entering the building. The forty students were not the only protestors though: 100+ students and faculty supported them by also protesting outside of Alexander Hall. With chants and signs that claimed, “Building is closed due to racism,” more awareness was raised over the concern of culture and diversity.
The students who occupied the building respected the values of civil disobedience. Although they used shift tools and rope to lock the doors from anyone outside, they did not inflict any damage to the materials or equipment within the building. The students kept to a peaceful demonstration, remaining very intent and determined to have their demands met because they knew that their campuses were failing in providing equal education. As noted by Yusef Omowale, a 20-year-old Pitzer student, "We're being treated almost as campus radicals, criminals. This is one of the most rational things we have done in years. All we're doing is standing up for our right to a quality education."
Many supporters joined these students in protest. Among them, even several professors participated in this takeover. The students continued their emphasis on the list of demands they had presented earlier: increasing the hiring of minority faculty by 50% and creating more creating more attention for the other communities on campus, such as in Black Studies/Asian-American Studies/Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual focuses.
Timeline
Monday
7:30am: First "scouting team" of students enter Alexander Hall.
10am: "Speak-out" begins on the front step of Alexander Hall. Lists of demands given out.
11am: Some students leave Alexander to pull more students from classrooms to participate in the protest.
2pm: Large "speak-out" and demonstration. Fifteen Scripps students meet with President Bekavac in her office to talk about the Chicano Studies position at Scripps.
7pm: An hour-long meeting occurred between administrators and students. Still no negotiations were set.
For the rest of the night: students camp inside and outside of Alexander Hall to continue on with their protest.
The students who occupied the building respected the values of civil disobedience. Although they used shift tools and rope to lock the doors from anyone outside, they did not inflict any damage to the materials or equipment within the building. The students kept to a peaceful demonstration, remaining very intent and determined to have their demands met because they knew that their campuses were failing in providing equal education. As noted by Yusef Omowale, a 20-year-old Pitzer student, "We're being treated almost as campus radicals, criminals. This is one of the most rational things we have done in years. All we're doing is standing up for our right to a quality education."
Many supporters joined these students in protest. Among them, even several professors participated in this takeover. The students continued their emphasis on the list of demands they had presented earlier: increasing the hiring of minority faculty by 50% and creating more creating more attention for the other communities on campus, such as in Black Studies/Asian-American Studies/Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual focuses.
Timeline
Monday
7:30am: First "scouting team" of students enter Alexander Hall.
10am: "Speak-out" begins on the front step of Alexander Hall. Lists of demands given out.
11am: Some students leave Alexander to pull more students from classrooms to participate in the protest.
2pm: Large "speak-out" and demonstration. Fifteen Scripps students meet with President Bekavac in her office to talk about the Chicano Studies position at Scripps.
7pm: An hour-long meeting occurred between administrators and students. Still no negotiations were set.
For the rest of the night: students camp inside and outside of Alexander Hall to continue on with their protest.
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