University of Iowa - Hawkeye Yearbook (Iowa City, IA)

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llWe'll stay here until the University divests even if that means all summer RACISM IGNITES PROTEST t started out like so many noon hours had in the spring of 1985: a rally on the Pentacrest, opposing apartheid and calling for university divestment from South African Corpora- tions. This one, on May 1, featured members of the Writers' Workshop reading their own and others' poetry. By 1 P.M., the protesters had moved in front of Jessup Hall, and by 1:30, over 300 students had taken over the Presidents office on the first floor. uWe'll stay here until the University divests, vowed Andrew Sinning, 'Even if that means all summer. Sinning, like 20 others, wore a white arm band to show that he had been fasting since midnight April 28, in protest of University involve- ment in South Africa. Others wore black arm bands to support the fasters, or red bands to show they were willing to be arrested for their involvement in the set-in. lf they arrest us, said Craig Perrin, student senator, 'that will be the spark that touches off the entire campus. We're showing that we're not willing to continue profiting from apartheid. We don't want an education at the price of discrimi- nation. Dean of Student Services Philip Jones served as University spokesperson to the media in the ab- sence of President Freedman, who was attending a Regent's meeting in Ames at the time of the takeover. uThe University welcomes stating viewpoints as far as divestment is concerned, Jones said. 'However, it is not the role of the University to tell society what to do, and thus we're taking no political stand on this issue. When asked why the University was not taking a political stand on what many consider to be a thoroughly political issue, Jones offered no com- ment. Ul student Keith Royal, standing in front of the receptionist's desk in the presidents office, along with approximately 30 other students sitting on the floor and in chairs, explained why he was taking part in the sit-in. l'We need to make sure people don't forget fthe situation in South AfricaJ, he said. People took time to come here as a reminder. Mary Ann Witsgall said she was at the sit-in in support of the fasters. 'Ji think a lot of us are going to stay over night. Apartheid And approximately 100 students did just that. By noon of the next day, more than 300 students had joined a rally in support of the sit-in, encircling Jessup Hall, chanting and waving placards. Many people not involved in the sit-in did not understand the point of it. llBrandstadfs going to sign a bill against fapartheidJ, said one of the onlookers at Thursday's noon rally. 'lWhat's the point of all this? At the time of the takeover, Governor Brand- stad was considering a bill that would call for iowa divestment in those South African companies re- fusing to comply with the Sullivan Principles. This would result in 5500,000 of the 52.4 million held by the university in South Africa being withdrawn over a three year period. The Principles are de- signed to promote a higher degree of racial equa- lity in South African factories. l'The Sullivan Principles are simply not accept- able to us, explained Tricia Johnston, one of the participants in the sit-in. 'lThe Principles are illegal in South Africa, so they wouldn't really accom- plish anythingf' At the beginning of the sit-in, on Mayday, po- lice officials stated publicly that there would be no arrests. This was proved untrue when, after 26 hours of occupation, officers moved in and forci- bly removed protesters from the building. 137 students were arrested, most of them car- ried away by officers, taken to North'Hall, booked, and released on their own recogni- zance. The people who were taken into custody, said Russ Hagen, assistant director of the Office of Public information, Pwere impeding official university business and charged with criminal trespassing. They were arrested because they were walking around in the hallways at Jessup, and going in offices. Although the University did not press any charges, 'Because we have no police or court system of our own, said Hagen, the City of Iowa City did press charges, and scheduled a court date for all 137 demonstrators. After the police had completed their arrests, the crowd in front of Jessup dispersed. But wav- ing in the breeze was a reminder of those 26 hours: the banner that proclaimed the building was l'Stephen Biko Hall. - Ann Roan

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History tends to repeat itself. Un December 26 an Iowa air attack, commanded by quarterback Chuck Long, branded its name in Texas history. The battle the Longhorns I 1.l