A History of Student Activities, 1983-1987
Compiled by Tim Shary
1983
Mar 3
Robert L. Manning has been sentenced to over 80 years in prison by Hampshire County Superior Court for the kidnapping, rape, and beating of a Hampshire student the previous April, and other crimes. [Apostrophe: March 3, 1983]
Mar 11
Despite a planned march by dozens of students to their meeting, the Trustees' Finance Committee votes against divestment from companies involved in nuclear arms development; John Watts, chair, states that the committee does not discuss its opinions. [Apostrophe: March 17, 1983]
Mar 17
Students Imani Benhassen and Greg Anderson have formed the Pan African News and Information Service, a national group providing reports and news to and from national news services throughout Africa and the rest of the world. [Apostrophe: March 17, 1983]
Mar 28
Hampshire post office employee Allan Tardy is arrested for stealing mail from students over the past year; after a number of students filed complaints, an investigation led to the discovery of marked mail money and undelivered mail in Tardy's possession. [Apostrophe: April 14, 1983]
Apr 8
The scheduled college Town Meeting on April 12 is cancelled by its steering committee due to, among other things, threats by certain students to disrupt it, and a lack of administrative support. [Apostrophe: April 14, 1983]
May 9
An all-community meeting is finally held after months of planning; the agenda includes items on housing, women's center and counselor advocates, the academic program, governance, and two motions by students to effectively impeach President Adele Simmons. [Community Council Misc.: 83S-ZO8 to ZIO]
May 16
The second all-community meeting in a week takes up votes on issues discussed at the previous meeting; among the approved motions are changes in the heterosexist off- campus housing policy and the power of the community to impeach Trustees. [Community Council Misc.: 83F-ZO7 to Z19]
May 20
Two of the more unusual Hampshire degrees, one in stand-up comedy and the other in freesyle frisbee entertainment and education, are awarded to Kevin Brown and John Dwork, respectively. [Apostrophe: April 14, 1983)
Sep 1
The Division Free Bell is installed in front of the library; a gift of alum Jonathan Frank, the bell encourages a tradition for students who ring it after passing their divisional
exams; student John Dwork is the first to ring it. [Apostrophe: October 6, 1983]
Oct 14
Student trustee Chris Lyon, along with student Peter Morris, finishes and installs a large site-specific wooden sculpture that winds its way up the Hampshire flagpole. [Apostrophe: October 20, 1983]
Oct 22
In the continuing movement of students demanding that the Board of Trustees' meetings be open to the public, a group hangs effigies of students in the Trustees' Blair Hall meeting room, stating that "these dolls must unfortunately attend in our stead." [Apostrophe: November 3, 1983]
Oct 25
Third-year student Doug Hasbrouck is elected Chairperson of Community Council; together with an active membership, his record two-year term produces some of the most effective legislation in Council history. [Community Council Minutes: October 25, 1983]
Oct 26
Residents of Prescott mod 100 are evicted for what students claim are exaggerated charges of filth and noise complaints, starting a lengthy controversy over students' housing rights.[Apostrophe: February 24, 1983]
Dec 8
The administration and Admissions is now in an embarrassing spotlight as alum John Dwork gains national news and television attention in promoting his "frisbee degree". [Apostrophe: December 8, 1983]
Dec 8
Students Lyn Libert, Theron Albis, and Steve Ausbury have begun editing the first issue of "Varsity Bread", a new and soon-to-be controversial literary magazine featuring candid writing and artwork by students. [Apostrophe: December 8, 1983]
Feb 17
Treasurer of the College Allen Torrey and President Adele Simmons write a motion to the Board of Trustees calling for the college's reinvestment in South African companies whose sole purpose for being inSouth Africa is news-gathering or transportation. [Apostrophe: February 24, 1983]
Apr 4
Community Day is held, featuring outdoors trips, games, and workshops for students and staff; that afternoon an all-community meeting is held at which demands include better communication from the administration and more input in decision-making. [Community Council Misc.: 84S-Z42 to Z45]
1985
Jan 26
The Amherst town police are called in by Hampshire security to break up a party in Greenwich donut 2; while students are forcibly asked to leave, a police cruiser is doused with red paint and liberated of its hubcaps. [Communique: February 5, 1985]
Jan 26
Student Harry Wilson and his wife are asked to move off-campus after they are told by the Director of Housing that due to his wife's pregnancy and the expected arrival of the child within weeks, they may no longer live in Greenwich donut 1. [Community Council Misc.: 84F-Z17 to Z19]
Mar 5
Funding for the Intran TV show "Voice of the Top Two", produced by students David Taub and Steve Herman, is cut by Community Council after they receive numerous complaints about the show from groups on campus who allege that the show is offensive. [Community Council Minutes: March 5, 1985]
Mar 8
A flood of mail from supporters of "The Voice of the Top Two" begins to arrive, declaring that the cut in funding the show is a limitation in freedom of expression; an appeal for funding is denied by Community Council on April 30, 1985. [Community Council Misc.: 85S-Z14 to Z30]
Apr 16
After months of deliberations, Community Council votes to indefinitely freeze the funds of "Communique", a newspaper edited by student Michael Karmody, after allegations of sexism and racism pertaining to a cartoon, and general irresponsibility. [In Black and White: May, 1985]
Apr 26
13 Hampshire students are arrested in a demonstration at Westover Air Force Base in Chicopee, protesting U.S. military assistance to El Salvador and Guatemala, when they cross police lines and illegally enter the base. [In Black and White: May, 1985]
May 3
"In Black and White", a student newspaper under the editorship of Jessica Applestone and Jennifer Kogan, debuts. [In Black and White: May, 1985]
Sep 1
Student enrollment falls to a low of 936. [In Black and White: October 24, 1986]
Oct 30
Over 150 people participate in a Take Back the Night rally, organized by Women's Center coordinator Ann Hackler and Counselor Advocates oordinator Sarah Ovenden.[In Black and White: November 13, 1985]
1986
Feb 2
A fire in the Dakin House room of Vanessa Veselka raises suspicious shortcomings on the part of Hampshire security; the self-extinguished blaze is not reported to the Amherst Fire Department for three hours. [In Black and White: March, 1986]
Mar 1
Students have rallied in support of Roland Wiggins, a black professor of music, who has been suspiciously denied reappointment; an all-community meeting is held on the issue, and students hold a candlelight vigil in front of Adele Simmons's house. [In Black and White: March, 1986]
Apr 1
Carol Boardway, coordinator of Merrill House, announces the conversion of Merrill AB-3 from a wood shop to a recreation room; students and staff will complete the project for the fall semester.[In Black and White: April, 1986]
Apr 17
Andrew Hermann, an accepted student and brother of student Steve Hermann, kills himself by ingesting cyanide on a live television show broadcast on Intran; the producers and viewers were under the impression that the suicide act was feigned. [Press Release]
Sep 23
Community Council Treasurer Dane Afman puts forth a motion to effectively disband the Council altogether, citing numerous problems in the operations of Council that lead to apathy and inertia; after a long and tense meeting, the motion fails. [Community Council Minutes: September 23, 1986]
Oct 20
A student's dog is shot and wounded by hunters on the nature trails north of campus; Security advises students to wear bright colors when in the woods, and to not allow pets to roam.[Memorandum: James Lyons to the Community, 10/27/86]
Nov 14
The staff of In Black and White, students Stacy Hochheiser, Jennifer Kogan, and Stefan Ellis, announce that the newspaper has ceased publication due to apathy and workload.[Memorandum: I.B.& W. to the Community, 11/14/86]
1987
Feb 12
The biennial referendum to approve the Masspirg student fee results in unrest for all involved; Council alledges that the referendum was conducted against their policy, Masspirg argues that the policy is unfair. [Community Council Minutes: February 12, 1987]
Mar 19
A rumour that Adele Simmons has been developing plans for an indoor tennis court facility have been confirmed by student trustee David Smathers, beginning a two-month controversy in which overwhelming student opposition to the facility surfaces. [Community Council Misc.: 87F-Z12]
Apr 8
Adele Simmons states that "Hampshire is in a good position to take advantage of... self-financing proposals... such as a multipurpose space" that would include indoor tennis courts, a track, and weight room. [Memo to the community from Adele Simmons: 4/8/87]
May 4
On the eve of a scheduled community meeting regarding the indoor tennis court facility, first-year student Tim Shary randomly surveys 100 students in Saga and finds 95% in opposition to the facility as planned. [Personal account]
May 5
At a meeting of the College Senate, Adele Simmons presents a 27-page packet of information on the up-coming multipurpose tennis facility, indicating that ideas and development on the project started as early as the summer of 1986. [Community Council Misc.: 87F-Z29]
Oct 3
A sign directing negative comments at the black, handicapped, lesbian, hispanic and third world communities at Hampshire is found outside the Merrill Master's House; second-year student Dianna Frid, who found the sign, organizes a vigil that night. [Name This Paper: October 9, 1987]
Oct 9
"The Permanent Press, as yet unnamed and running as "Name This Paper", debuts under the collective editorship of students Chris Dick, Michael Dorfman, Mary Ellen Doyle, Stacy Hochheiser, John Keh, and Leah Melnick.[Name This Paper: October 9, 1987]
Oct 9
The Mixed Nuts Food Co-op has been moved from its home in Greenwich donut III to "temporary" housing in the Prescott tavern, due to cockroach infestation in Greenwich. [Name This Paper: October 9, 1987]
Oct 23
After holding an unpublicized first meeting of the semester on October 13, Community Council has come under scrutiny by students and even some of its own members, beginning the most disorganized and least productive semester in Council history. [Name This Paper: October 23, 1987; Council records]
Oct 29
The Student Workers Coalition holds their first meeting to begin an arduous and enduring effort to raise student workers' wages; its organizers are Mary McDonald and Barbara Reiser. [Nearly Named: November 6, 1987]
Nov 6
Three students have identified themselves as being involved in the sign vandalism incident on October 3; Kyung "Rich" Lee, Tim Wilson, and Jenna Senechal maintain that an off-campus friend actually wrote the graffiti, which was meant to be satirical. [Nearly Named: November 6, 1987]
Nov 7
Student Joe Macau's car bursts into flames while parked in front of the Robert Crown Center; the cause of the fire remains undetermined. [Legal Grafttiti: November 20, 1987]
Nov 20
Dakin resident Michelle Lavallee has gone on leave in response to continuing verbal and physical racial harrassment from an unknown assailant which began on October 18; despite hall watches and police investigation, a suspect is never found.[Legal Graffiti: November 20, 1987]
Dec 7
A petition signed by 250 students is presented to Adele Simmons, asking that the library be kept open until 2 a.m.; AdCom responds by setting up an ad hoc committee to investigate the possibility. [The Permanent Press: December 11, 1987]
Dec 11
The Permanent Press prints under its newly accepted name, coined by students Sage Guyton and David Sullivan; after numerous complaints, "Legal Graffiti", Andy Arnold's previous idea for the title, was dropped. [The Permanent Press: December 11, 1987]
Dec 11
Community Council Treasurer Eric Young has resigned after the Finance Committee fails to accept a proposal for new funding procedures submitted by Council member Erik B.[The Permanent Press: December 11, 1987]
Dec 11
The Mixed Nuts Food Co-op has opened in a permanent structure behind the Prescott Tavern. [The Permanent Press: December 11, 1987]