Students to stage rally on College Green

UA Chairperson Bill Conway stressed that the rally would focus on the lack of consultation, not alcohol policy. Undergraduate Assembly Chairperson Bill Conway accused University administrators of ignoring students' concerns and of "turning a deaf ear" to their "collective voices" during a press conference yesterday held to announce today's student rally. Around 30 Penn students and several local media outlets attended yesterday's press conference in front of the Fisher Fine Arts Library, at which Conway, a Wharton junior, delivered a brief speech criticizing the administration for taking action last week without first considering student input. On Thursday, the University surprised students by announcing that alcohol would be banned at registered undergraduate campus events. The plan also provides for stricter enforcement of existing alcohol policies. But during his speech, Conway did not specifically mention alcohol or the dry issue even once, emphasizing instead that today's rally scheduled for 3 p.m. on College Green is about addressing the need for student involvement in University decision-making. Many students -- both Greek and non-Greek -- have claimed that the new University policy will endanger students by forcing drinking off campus and into unmonitored venues. In addition, students have expressed anger not only because alcohol has been taken away from campus parties but because they were not consulted immediately prior to the University's announcement. But University President Judith Rodin maintained yesterday that the latest announcement comes following two years of student consultation and that the administration needed to take a proactive stance on the issue. Still, student leaders hope the rally will show the administration that undergraduates will no longer tolerate being excluded from important decision-making processes, Conway told the crowd during the press conference yesterday. "The student body will be having a rally tomorrow? to demonstrate to the University how seriously we oppose our being ignored," Conway said. "Since the administration has failed to allow us, as representative student leaders, to contribute to the policy-making process, perhaps they will listen to the students themselves," he added. Conway also accused both Rodin and University Provost Robert Barchi of "reversing previously made promises" to confer with students before making any decision. According to Conway, Rodin announced at Wednesday's University Council meeting that she would not take any action until first consulting with students. But, he added, these consultations have "yet to occur." He also accused the administration of failing to acknowledge repeated requests to move the date of today's meeting of the alcohol task force. The students wanted to meet yesterday rather than today -- a day when, according to Conway, many students will be traveling home for Passover and Easter. "It seems a little peculiar that although the decision was made last Thursday, the administration has chosen not to meet with student leaders until shortly before they go home before religious holidays, further delaying the issue," he noted after the press conference. And Conway claimed that these actions breed a "hostile social and academic setting" by teaching students that "regardless of what is taught in the classroom, what goes on behind closed doors is an entirely different story." "The University failed to practice what it preaches," Conway added. InterFraternity Council Executive Board members have been careful to publicly distance themselves from the rally, saying instead that they will keep quiet about this issue until they speak today with the provost. "IFC and [the Panhellenic Council] have nothing to do with that rally," said IFC Executive Vice President Andrew Exum, a College junior and Daily Pennsylvanian columnist. Other student leaders joining Conway at the press conference included College sophomore and UA Vice Chairperson Michael Bassik and Senior Class President Sarah Gleit. Also in attendance were Sphinx Senior Honor Society Chairperson Joshua Zeichner, Friars Senior Honor Society Abbott Scott Glosserman and College senior and student representative Liz Bernard, Panhel's former executive vice president.

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