'Camp-in' protests UI's lack of purchasing code



	By Danielle Stratton-Coulter - The Daily Iowan Daily Iowan March 22, 2005 Students Against Sweatshop members huddled under a red all-weather tent Tuesday, vowing to spend the night to protest what they described as the UI's slow movement on creating a purchasing code of conduct, which would outline the university's expectations for companies it does business with. The group hopes the measure would encourage Coca-Cola, the university's official beverage distributor, to stop alleged human-rights abuses. Organization members maintain that Coke uses child labor and was responsible for the murder of some of the company's Colombian workers, allegations Coke denies. Last month, group members asked UI administrators to draft a code by March 21. After the deadline passed, they decided to hold the 26-hour demonstration. Doug True, the UI vice president for Finance, said the Purchasing Advisory Committee, the panel he appointed to discuss university policies, isn't on the same timeline as Students Against Sweatshop. "We wanted to try to make substantial progress this academic term," he said. "My personal objective is this spring." True said he wants to involve UI Student Government representatives and the UI Human Rights Committee in the development of a code. The advisory committee must also consider fairness to vendors and consumers, as well as Students Against Sweatshop's demands, he said. "We definitely want to consider its concerns, but we also want to discuss what's plausible," True said. The UI has reprimanded the sweatshop group for past demonstration techniques, such as a surprise mass balloon distribution on campus. This time, the group requested permission from the UI Office of Student Life to camp out on the Pentacrest. Phillip Jones, the UI vice president for Student Services, denied the request in a two-page letter outlining university policies, including the prohibition of sleeping bags. Jones said he didn't allow the sweatshop group to camp because of problems that arose during a two-month-long 2002 peace camp opposing the Iraqi war. UI police had to remove a non-protester who was camping, Jones recalled. "We have become informed by our experiences and have clarified our policies," he said. The Purchasing Advisory Committee has invited the sweatshop group to a March 28 meeting in which they will further discuss an ethical purchasing code. Sweatshop-group members plan to remain at their Pentacrest camp today, despite the weather, Slocum said. "It's going to be nasty out there, but if this is what it takes to get the administration to pay attention, that's what we'll do," she said. E-mail DI reporter Danielle Stratton-Coulter at: danielle-stratton-coulter@uiowa.edu

By Danielle Stratton-Coulter - The Daily Iowan
Daily Iowan
March 22, 2005

Students Against Sweatshop members huddled under a red all-weather tent Tuesday, vowing to spend the night to protest what they described as the UI's slow movement on creating a purchasing code of conduct, which would outline the university's expectations for companies it does business with.

The group hopes the measure would encourage Coca-Cola, the university's official beverage distributor, to stop alleged human-rights abuses. Organization members maintain that Coke uses child labor and was responsible for the murder of some of the company's Colombian workers, allegations Coke denies.

Last month, group members asked UI administrators to draft a code by March 21. After the deadline passed, they decided to hold the 26-hour demonstration.

Doug True, the UI vice president for Finance, said the Purchasing Advisory Committee, the panel he appointed to discuss university policies, isn't on the same timeline as Students Against Sweatshop.

"We wanted to try to make substantial progress this academic term," he said. "My personal objective is this spring."

True said he wants to involve UI Student Government representatives and the UI Human Rights Committee in the development of a code. The advisory committee must also consider fairness to vendors and consumers, as well as Students Against Sweatshop's demands, he said.

"We definitely want to consider its concerns, but we also want to discuss what's plausible," True said.

The UI has reprimanded the sweatshop group for past demonstration techniques, such as a surprise mass balloon distribution on campus. This time, the group requested permission from the UI Office of Student Life to camp out on the Pentacrest. Phillip Jones, the UI vice president for Student Services, denied the request in a two-page letter outlining university policies, including the prohibition of sleeping bags.

Jones said he didn't allow the sweatshop group to camp because of problems that arose during a two-month-long 2002 peace camp opposing the Iraqi war. UI police had to remove a non-protester who was camping, Jones recalled.

"We have become informed by our experiences and have clarified our policies," he said.

The Purchasing Advisory Committee has invited the sweatshop group to a March 28 meeting in which they will further discuss an ethical purchasing code. Sweatshop-group members plan to remain at their Pentacrest camp today, despite the weather, Slocum said.

"It's going to be nasty out there, but if this is what it takes to get the administration to pay attention, that's what we'll do," she said.

E-mail DI reporter Danielle Stratton-Coulter at: danielle-stratton-coulter@uiowa.edu