Recently our campus has been under attack from homophobic legislators who take issue with our CollegeReads! program for assigning the award winning graphic novel Fun Home, which depicts the experiences of a young woman's struggle with her sexual identity, particularly coming out to her family as a lesbian. State Legislators like Garry Smith have called the book "Gay Propaganda" and "Pornographic". They take issue with the inclusion of experiences and voices outside the confines of the hetero-normative. We, as an institution of higher learning, have a duty to include and explore the experiences of ALL people, including LGBTQ people, people of color, and women.
Please join #FightforCofC, and many other participating groups, in gathering to celebrate our LGBTQ classmates, colleagues, and friends. Please join us in declaring with one voice that we are committed to making this campus a safe space for them to learn, to grow, to flourish. Please join us in sending the message that we reject the delusional, homophobic rhetoric that has been spewing from the Statehouse recently.
We will unite the community for 'Creative Resistance: The Art of Protest' to continue our unified movement against political corruption here at the College of Charleston, displayed by the Board of Trustee's illegitimate representation of the campus community.
This art event will express our sentiments of betrayal and discontent with the Board of Trustees and with unjust political systems overall.
Everyone is encouraged to participate in the art display, so long as your artwork represents a social justice theme. (For example: ideas of freedom of speech, freedom of expression for minority voices, equality, political transparency, interconnectivity, unity, resistance, or political satire) You get the idea- just express how you feel about what is happening with current issues! On the day of the event, every passerby will vote on their favorite piece. First, second, and third prize winners will win a gift certificate. Sweet!
The Board of Trustees has kept their heads buried in the sand, hoping the controversy over their politically motivated choice of the Lt. Governor to be the now CodC president will blow over. We are here to tell them that it will not. The Board of Trustees should be representing the Students and the Faculty, both of whome gave strong opposition against the Lt. Governor prior to his election. Find it on Facebook.
This will be a call-a-thon, we will pass out packets with information and phone numbers for you to contact your representatives in the statehouse and tell them exactly how you feel. Please bring your phones and yourselves. We would love to hear from poets, songwriters, speechmakers and anyone else who would like to address the crowd :)
-Post Note: Resolution UNANIMOUSLY PASSED!!- The faculty senate will hold a meeting in which a BOT no-confidence resolution will be considered, and hopefully passed. The no-confidence bill references both the anti-LGBTQ comments made by BOT members, and the suspect selection process regarding Glenn McConnell. Students are welcome to come, and a show of support would likely be greatly appreciated.
A vote of no confidence is the strongest reprimand that the Faculty Senate can pass against the BOT. As many of you know, the SGA senate passed a similar bill of no Confidence against the BOT about a week ago. We are so appreciative of everyone who came to show their support at the SGA Senate Meeting, and hope you will make it out to the Faculty Senate Meeting, aswell. Here is a link, so you can read The Resolution.
This is an event open to any and all wishing to protest the budget cuts for the College Reads! program at CofC and the behavior of the board of trustees, especially concerning their involvement with the presidential search and selection.
Information will be provided to write and/or call our leaders. Snacks will be provided! Bring your friends! Bring a laptop if your wish to email and most importantly BRING YOUR PASSION FOR COFC!
We have created a petition, that we hope you consider signing! We ask the College Foundation Board, who supplements the President’s publically funded salary with private Foundation Funds, to speak for us, by awarding the Lt. Gov. $1 per year for the duration of his term as president.
The Board of Trustees has approved a salary of $188,000 for McConnell. This $9,000 increase from the current presidential salary is made possible by public funding. However, why should the president’s salary increase while South Carolina legislators are cutting funding to the College Reads' Program?
If McConnell is accepting the presidency for selfless reasons he should be satisfied with his generous six-figure salary (which is over three times his current salary as Lt. Governor).
We are holding a campus wide walkout. Everyone will get up and leave class at 1:15 (faculty, staff, and students are all welcome) and converge on the Cistern, where we will congregate.
Bring intruments or something to entertain everyone and make a little noise. This will not be a rally like Monday, this will be an occupation. Slow burn, not quick flame. Bring trash bags and umbrellas, we won't leave even if it rains!
Check the Facebook Event
To whom it may concern,
We are gathered here today, in a spirit of community and goodwill, to voice our opposition to the tainted and secretive process by whch the Board of Trustees selected Lt. Gov. McConnell as the next president of CofC, against the manifest vocal opposition of the students and faculty of this fine institution.
WE ARE NOT here to disrupt your work, or cause any kind of disturbance. We will occupy this space for a limited amount of time, in respectful silence, and exit the building in an orderly fashion before the closing of regular business hours for Randolph Hall, leaving no trace of our presence in terms of litter or vandilism. We simply wish to make a symbolic gesture to voice our concerns, particularly to underscore the Vote of No Confidence in the B.O.T. passed overwhelmingly yesterday by the Student Government Association. If we must be construed as having any kind of "demands" they would simply be that the B.O.T. fully comply with the terms of S.B. -49-2014, including a 'yes' or 'no' answer to the question of whether the B.O.T. inserted the names of candidates in the final pool not recommended by the search committee.
Futhermore, we would like to extend an invitation to the entire staff of Randolph Hall to dine with us on the Cistern Yard at the conclusion of this demonstration. Please let us know ASAP a headcount of those who wish to attend, so that we can be sure to have food for everyone. Please extend this invitation to any public safety officers you feel it is prudent to alert.
Respectfully yours,
Concerned Students and Alumni of The College of Charleston
President Benson sincerely thanked us for showing our commitment to the College of Charleston and accepted our invitation to have dinner together:) ps Thanks D'Allesandros Pizza for giving us a discount on our especially large order!