A History of Student Activities, 1991-1993
Compiled by Sarah Finger
1991
Sept 19
The Hampshire Union of Musicians, HUM, writes a letter to Greg Prince and Community Council demanding more practice space be made available to musicians. [Permanent Press: September 19, 1991]
Sept 22
The Pet Co-op holds a meeting to discuss the pet policy after President Greg Prince threatens to take action about the pet problems if Community Council does not. There are rumors of dogs killing two farm center sheep and dogs being left in rooms over summer break. The Pet Co-op decides that all dogs pictures will appear outside the post office for identification and dogs must be supervised at all times. [Permanent Press: September 26, 1991]
Sept 28
A used condom is left on the door handle to the Women's Center. Two students find and report the incident to Public Safety. [Permanent Press: November 14, 1991]
Oct 3
The Hampshire Union of Musicians writes another letter stating that the new proposed practice spaces in FPH 101 and 102 are inadequate due to the lack of storage space and sound proofing. [Permanent Press: October 3, 1991]
Oct 24
Community Council members threaten a mass resignation due to dissatisfaction with Council. Members reported being overwhelmed with work, dissatisfied with the bureaucracy and the amount of time Council spent working on itself. Council Chair asks that only those members who no longer wish to be members resign. [Permanent Press: October 24, 1991]
Oct 31
Source and LGBA student groups write a letter to the Permanent Press complaining about the FiCom funding process, which is done by group consensus. Both groups claim that they are important to the campus and provide support and services to students. They ask to be exempt from the funding process in the future. SOURCE demands $10,000 be allocated to them for cultural and educational programming. [Permanent Press: October 31, 1991]
The Pet Co-op writes a new charter which requires pet owners to register and be responsible for their pets. The Pet Co-op now has the power to fine for violations. [Permanent Press: November 21, 1991]
Nov 7
Community Council officially passes a new alcohol policy outlined in the 1990 NSNS. Community Council has fought to retain power over social policy through the Judicial Council. [Permanent Press: November 7, 1991]
ARID (Advance Registration is Dumb) publishes a letter encouraging students to boycott preregistration. ARID claims that preregistration hurts students by eliminating the shopping period and preventing students from getting into classes they need for Division II and Division III. [Permanent Press: November 7, 1991]
The Women's Programming and Services Co-op asks to be exempt from the FiCom funding cycle and be allocated $25,000 each year. They claim the current process is discriminatory and benefits those who fight the loudest for money, and not those who use the money to the best benefit of the community. [Permanent Press: November 7, 1991]
The Hampshire Union of Musicians (HUM) receives a new practice space in the basement of FPH. [Permanent Press: November 7, 1991]
Nov 14
Community Council votes to allow the snack bar, located in the airport lounge, and the bookstore to combine. The textbook will now be in the old snack bar, and the bookstore and snack bar will combine. [Permanent Press: November 14, 1991]
Nov 18
The first course preregistration takes place for the Spring semester. Students complain of long lines and a disorderly process. One student calls it "a lower level of hell." [Permanent Press: October 17 and November 21, 1991]
Nov 21
The board of Trustees and administrators discuss relocating the National Yiddish Book Center to Hampshire. The decision will be made at the January 31 Board meeting. Student Trustee Christina Bell co-authors an article asking students to share their opinions with the Trustees. [Permanent Press: November 21, 1991]
1992
Feb 11
Responsible Ecology proposes a paper conservation act for Hampshire College. They propose designating bulletin boards for specific uses such as memos, events, rides/sales. The goal is to eliminate wasteful use of paper, while still disseminating information on campus. The proposal would mean that groups would no longer need to make numerous copies of a poster or stuff mailboxes with flyers. [Permanent Press: February 11, 1992]
May 5
Students of color take over Cole Science Center during the night. [Community Newspaper: May 7, 1992]
May 6
Students in CSC read their demands which include more faculty and staff of color, increased space and money for the multicultural center, and a review board for the third world expectation. The students state that the building was taken in solidarity with UMass and Amherst College actions as a part of a five college movement for a more multi-cultural American education. [Community Newspaper: May 7, 1992]
A student rally is staged outside of Cole at 10 p.m. to show support for students in the building. [Community Newspaper: May 7, 1992]
At 7 p.m. students meet with President Greg Prince to discuss the demands. The president leaves three hours later to write up the administrations proposal. [Community Newspaper: May 7, 1992]
Sept 18
President Greg Prince writes a memo to the community which is published in the Hampshire College Community News stating that it is important for the community to continue the work and discussion about multiculturalism. A number of committees have been created to ensure that multiculturalism is addressed in terms of academic life and student affairs. [HC Community News: September 18, 1992]
Sept 25
A public forum is held to discuss "the aftermath of the student takeover of Cole Science Center." [HC Community News: September 30, 1992]
Sept 30
The Counselor Advocates, who have been without a coordinator for several semesters, have decided to terminate all positions except educational services. Administrators plan to hire a new Counselor Advocate coordinator by November 1. [HC Community News: September 30, 1992
SeXpressions, a student group that deals with issues of sexual identity and people as sexual beings, plans to bring X-Plicit Players to perform at Hampshire on October 26. X-Plicit is a group of performance artists and activists from Berkeley, CA. They plan to perform an audience participation piece, in which performers and audience members engage in non-sexual touching, clothed and unclothed. [HC Community News: September 30, 1992]
Oct 15
The administration wants to postpone the performance of X-Plicit Players, they feel they need more time to discuss and prepare for the performance. The administration is concerned with the emotional well being of participants as well as sexually transmitted diseases. SeXpressions sees this as an act of censorship. SeXpressions book the group for a workshop that would take place the day before so that participants could understand and talk about the performance before deciding to participate. They also said they are willing to take precautions such as using condoms to meet the concerns of the administration. [The Hampshire Examiner: October 15, 1992]
Oct 18
Several students provide an information sessions about the Clinton/Gore campaign. They show a video and answer questions in the dinning commons and airport lounge. The information sessions are planned to take place the day before a national Presidential debate. [The Hampshire Examiner: October 15, 1992]
Oct 29
A Campus Work Plan, that would require every student to work on campus, is put to referendum and passes with a 58% majority. Tom Scully who co-drafted the plan says that work study students spend on average 10 hours less a week studying. The proposal will now go to the trustees. Some students complain that the proposal while good in spirit is not well thought out in details. [The Hampshire Examiner: October 29, 1992]
1993
Jan 23
The first issue of The Omen is released. Editor, Stephanie Cole, calls it a "newsmagazine" that will come out regularly and frequently to get the news out "to be acted upon and reacted about." The Omen is open to all submissions from the community. [The Omen: January 23, 1993]
Feb 2
Community Council unanimously votes to make The Hampshire Community Newspaper a subcommittee of Council in attempt to create continuity in the school newspaper. The chair of the subcommittee will be responsible for convening a Newspaper Advisory Board of students, staff and faculty to evaluate and suggest changes to the paper. [The Omen: February 14, 1993]
Omen staff member, Cathu Davis, interviews Graffiti Artist "Bask" Gretchen Grothwohl. Bask was caught writing graffiti on windows and mirrors around the school. The administration considers her writing an act of vandalism and she has been assigned to scrub walls for Physical Plant. Bask claims her writing is political and now puts up flyers around campus. [The Omen: February 4, 1993]
Feb 9
White Students Against Racism plan a forum to discuss white privilege at Hampshire, as well as an anti-racism workshop. The group formed last year in response to the Cole Science Center student takeover. The group recently put up controversial posters around campus attempting to raise awareness about white privilege. [The Hampshire Examiner: February 9, 1993]
The Hampshire Examiner editor writes about changes that will take place in the paper to make it a more diverse voice of the community. The Examiner will now publish more stories and letters from the community which will be organized in a way so that readers will understand they are not typical "factual" reporting. The paper is looking for non-white members to write for the paper so that a variety of voices will be included. [The Hampshire Examiner: February 9, 1993]
Bernice Gero, hired in November as the new Counselor Advocate coordinator, wants to reach out to both men and women and increase awareness about the program. [The Hampshire Examiner: February 9, 1993]
Community Council votes to table the Spring 1993 budget until the next meeting, due to concerns with bookkeeping procedures and unfair procedures. Student groups are asked to submit written notice if they feel their semester's allocation is unfair. [The Omen: February 14, 1993]
Feb 19
Community Council tables the Spring budget for the second straight meeting despite FiCom member objections. Council will review bookkeeping procedures and budget allocations before voting on the budget. Student groups will continue to receive funding even though no budget has been passed. [The Omen: February 19, 1993]
The third Natural Science teach-in on racism is held. The focus of the teach -in is the Cole Science Center take-over. A panel discussion is held with President Greg Prince and students involved in the take-over. Teach-ins are now to be held every year as laid out in the Cole Science Center agreement. [The Hampshire Examiner: March 3, 1993]
Feb 22
The Community Work Program proposal, which passed in community referendum last year, was brought to the Campus Life Committee of the Board of Trustees. Students urged the board to put it on the agenda for the next meeting. Penina Glazer, Dean of Faculty, said the administration needs to come up with a clear response to the plan. [The Omen: March 3, 1993]
Trey Williams, Dean of Students, reports to the Campus Life Committee about "exit interviews" of graduating students. Williams says a significant number of students expresses that they were uncomfortable with nudity in the sauna. Students at the meeting are puzzled by the findings. [The Omen: March 3, 1993]
Feb 23
After almost a month of deliberating Community Council approves the Spring budget. There are still discrepancies in the bookkeeping and the budget was passed including estimates of some expenses. [The Omen: March 12, 1993]
Chris Keroack sends a letter to The Examiner and The Omen claiming The Examiner is out of date by the time it goes to press, gives incorrect information, and has poor reporting. Keroack says that the proposed changes to The Examiner is just an attempt to make it more like The Omen. [The Hampshire Examiner: March 3, 1993]
Mar 3
The Men's Resource Center, located in the basement of Dakin H, is being recreated under new director, Joe Minton, a Hampshire alumn. The Men's Resource Center holds regular meetings, provides resources, referrals, and limited counseling. The Center is working to bring an end to sexual harassment and rape on campus. [The Omen: March 3, 1993]
Mar 12
A new draft of the Hampshire College Constitution will go to the Senate and Community Council for approval. The new version reduces the size of Community Council and defines the powers of Community Council. [The Omen: March 12, 1993]
Mar 26
A proposal that would give Community Council the ability to allocate part of its budget to the Student Endowment Fund is being considered by Council. Money is currently added to the fund by donations. President Greg Price and College Treasurer, Jack Fortier, both support the proposal. [The Omen: March 26, 1993]
Apr 16
Trey Williams discusses with Community Council the upcoming verdict in the Rodney King police brutality case. Williams wants to have a discussion with interested members of the community about the implications of the verdict. An All Community meeting is suggested to take place the day of the verdict. [The Omen: April 16, 1993]
Sept 17
Over the Summer President Prince sends out a letter announcing a ban of pet on campus. The new student handbook says that pets will not be allowed on campus after December 10. A number of abandon pets were found early in the summer, and thousands of dollars of damage was found in one of the Greenwich pet mods. [The Omen: September 17, 1993]
Sept 24
Andrew Morrison, co-manager of the Pet Co-Op claims that Community Council and the administration made discussions regarding the pet policy without the involvement of the Co-Op. Morrison claims that last semester Council disbanded the Co-Op and created a Pet Affairs Committee with out consulting the co-managers of the Co-Op. The Pet Co-Op continues to meet and is fighting to keep pets on campus. [The Omen: September 24, 1993]
Nov 12
A meeting is held to discuss the pet policy with President Prince and Sheila Moos, Director of Facilities and Services. Students have a number of proposals that Prince promises to read. [The Omen: December 3, 1993]
Dec 3
Andrew Pollock, a Dakin House Intern publishes his resignation letter to Dakin House Supervisor, Cindy Beal. Pollock says he is resigning because of Beal's failure to address concerns of interns and residents, her abusive of power, silencing of dissenting opinions, and economic blackmail that forced Pollock to accept changes in policy. Resigning intern Joshua Beckman cosigns the letter. [The Omen: Dec 3, 1993]
Dec 6
Students involved in the "Democracy Wall" have an open Judicial Board hearing scheduled to hear charges of vandalism and endangerment to the safety of Physical Plant workers and themselves. Two months earlier students painted a wall near the library to create a forum for political discussion. When Physical Plant workers came to remove the paint students stood in front of the high powered hoses used to blast paint off walls. [The Omen: December 3, 1993]
Dec 10
KAGFLORT, a campus comedy group, holds a Bar Mitzvah Reception Dance. Some students are offended by the event which they claim stereotypes Jews and creates an anti-Semitic climate. The comedy group, which is made up of mostly Jewish students claims that the event was not meant to be offensive but was meant to be satirical of their own experiences with Judaism. [The Omen: December 10, 1993]