A rally denouncing the Board of Trustees' decision to keep the Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps program drew about 100 students, professors and administrators to the steps of Parkhurst Administration building yesterday afternoon.
The 14 speakers leading the rally vented fury over what they call a betrayal of the College's nondiscrimination policy.
Dave Cohen '94 ripped up a copy of page iii of the Student Handbook, where the College's Equal Opportunity policy is written, during his speech.
He also tore up Board of Trustees Chairman E. John Rosenwald's picture, which appeared on the front page of yesterday's issue of The Dartmouth, along with the Board's statement.
Cohen, one of the demon-stration's organizers, called the Trustees' decision a "blatant violation" of the College's nondiscrimination policy.
English Professor Peter Saccio, who spoke before the Faculty of Arts and Sciences seven weeks ago in favor of abolishing the program, said yesterday that the Board does not deserve any credit because they did not defend or explain their position.
"We are scholars. We are students. We like to be treated as such by those who govern us," Saccio said. "The statement of the Board talks about their own pain, talks about knowingly discriminating. It calls on the whole Dartmouth community to cease to discriminate against gay and lesbian people. Apparently that paragraph excludes the Trustees from that community."
Co-chair of the Dartmouth Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Organization S. T. Shimi '94 blasted the Trustee decision, saying it "sold us down the river for old money."
"What guarantee do we have that they will follow through on pressing for change in the military?" she asked the crowd.
Shimi, one of the rally's organizers, also said the Trustees' decision ostracized the gay, lesbian and bisexual community at the College and "has clearly put us on the outside."
The Trustees voted Saturday to continue the ROTC program but acknowledged that the Pentagon's current "don't ask, don't tell, don't pursue" policy is discriminatory.
Organizers passed around a list of six demands, including an immediate reversal of the vote; a letter from College President James Freedman and Chairman Rosenwald to U.S. President Bill Clinton, Senate Armed Services Committee Chair Sam Nunn and House Armed Services Committee Chair Ronald Dellums; and that the entire Board of Trustees be "required to attend a workshop on homophobia and gay/lesbian issues."
Drama Professor James Steffensen suggested the College submit a report to the community every six months to show what steps it has taken to try and change the Pentagon's policy. The Trustees said in their weekend statement that the College will try to influence federal policy by "pressing administration officials, members of Congress and the military leadership," working with other schools and filing amicus briefs in court challenges to the Pentagon policy.
Administrative Services Librarian John Crane, a co-convenor of the Coalition for Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Concerns, said he wants to establish a liaison between the gay, lesbian and bisexual community and the Board to facilitate communication. Interim Provost Bruce Pipes said after the demonstration he would be interested in filling that position.
English Professor Bill Cook said yesterday's rhetoric sounded all too familiar.
"I've heard this before. And I went running through my papers and I said, 'Yes.' I remembered some of the same explanations for not doing anything about race," Cook said. "People may argue they are not parallel. But I say that's bull ... "
As the one-hour demonstration carried on, business went on as usual inside of Parkhurst. But Dean of the College Lee Pelton was outside listening to the rally.
"It is a clear expression of disappointment for some and anger for others at the decision made this weekend," Pelton said after the rally. "It's in the tradition of academic institutions to have these occasions where the community can express their views on particular issues."
English Professors Tom Luxon and Ivy Schweitzer, Bart Bingenheimer '94 , Earl Plante '94, Heather Searles '94, Michele Seldin '95 and Carter Wray '97 also spoke at the demonstration.
News Editor Scott Anthony '96 contributed to the story.
