Rehnquist protesters engage Old Chapel

Author: Anthony Adragna

Nearly 30 students and faculty members rallied in front of Old Chapel on Friday to protest the new Rehnquist professorship. The protest came amid news that President of the College Ronald D. Liebowitz had agreed to better accommodate student interests in the naming of future endowed professorships.

Student leaders of the protest said that the administration had agreed to create an endowed professorship in addition to the Rehnquist post, that would be named after a figure supported by students. The announcement followed a lengthy meeting with Liebowitz on the matter, and students said they were already in contact with alumni about funding the new post.

Protest leader Louis Lobel '08.5 said the meeting went well with Liebowitz. "We met with him for an hour on Wednesday," he said. "He was very responsive. We are [now] trying to make a professorship that is as long-lasting as the Rehnquist one will be."

Explaining the administration's response to the protesters' concerns, Liebowitz said he will make an effort to include student input in naming future endowed positions.

"When donors come forward to endow future professorships, I will suggest they consider naming their professorships for distinguished individuals, and I will provide the names of individuals who are our current students would like to see honored," Liebowitz said. "I reminded the students that we did not go out seeking an endowed professorship for former Chief Justice Rehnquist."

The administration would not consider changing the Rehnquist professorship to another important figure, however.

"[The President] would not go beyond the idea of Rehnquist being a scholar of the Constitution," said Lobel. "He accepted the anonymous donation of someone who wanted the gift dedicated to Rehnquist."

Liebowitz said that the College wanted to work constructively with students who cared about the issue, and hoped that students would take the time to learn all they could about the issues at stake.

"I support strongly students who come forward to challenge things that are going on here on campus and in the larger world," said Liebowitz. "When they do exercise their right to challenge, however, they ought to be well versed in the issue, not simply eager to chant the mantra of a particular political viewpoint."

Protest leader Alexandra Garcia '08.5 said that "Liebowitz hasn't given us a time frame [for creating professorships named with student input]. He said he will work with us and we're relying on that commitment."

Garcia said that the administration had been very helpful on certain issues related to the protest but seemed to work against students on others. "It's hard to tell with the administration," she said. "The meeting went very well but other than that we are not satisfied. The administration has also prevented us from spreading the word by not allowing us to send a campus-wide e-mail."

At the protest, students chanted their objections to the scholarship and displayed a banner with the words "Rehnquist Does Not Represent Us" in spray paint. Students and several faculty members chanted against sexism, racism and homophobia, in addition to other contentious issues during the hour-long event.

Dean of the College Tim Spears said the administration respects students' right to protest the creation of the professorship.

"The free expression of ideas and political perspectives is a vital part of academic culture and the traditions of the campus," said Spears. "I would not say that the administration 'encourages' students to protest in this manner but it respects their right to do so."

Lobel delivered a speech decrying the professorship as going against his values.

"Many see Rehnquist as a scholar of the Constitution," said Lobel. "I respect Justice Rehnquist for his scholarly works but a certain number of his views are immoral."

Liebowitz agreed that a thoughtful consideration of Rehnquist's scholarship and his record was crucial.

"Demonstration and protest demands understanding the issues," Liebowitz said, "lest the calls for change be based more on emotion and politics and less on the soundness of the viewpoint and the best of what the open exchange of ideas can bring to a community like this one."

Following Lobel's speech, several students offered spoken word performances on the creation of the professorship. Finally, students were asked to leave their own comments on the professorship on the banner. Lobel said he hoped the protest would encourage other students to get more involved and fight for issues that they care about.

"There is no real presence here that stands up on campus and no one fights back," said Lobel. "The point was to do something. I wish everyone would take a stand on the issues they care about."

Protester Nick Cloutier '08 said that the administration should acknowledge the validity of student claims that the Rehnquist professorship is inconsistent with the College's mission statement.

"I hope that when inconsistencies are pointed out in their mission statement that they will be [accounted for]," said Cloutier.

Other students agreed, hoping the administration noticed the level of student awareness on the professorship.

"This campus needs to have some representation," protester Will Hunt '08 said. "I'd hope they are noticing that we're speaking out. That's why we're here."