The Journal

Issue date: 10/5/06 Section: News

Media Credit: JOURNAL FILE PHOTO Webster students quietly protest the war in Iraq on the quad April 12 in this 2006 file photo.

As the election season gears up students are faced with issues and the lines are being drawn ? on the sidewalk. When students feel the need to voice their opinions they usually take to the streets and state their case using brightly-colored pieces of chalk.

Forty years ago, when students were upset they held sit-ins, marched, chanted, sang, held signs, waved flags ? anything to get themselves heard. Today, the only sign of students' discontent is the block lettering that adorns each major sidewalk on campus.

Gary Gottlieb, assistant professor of audio production, is the faculty adviser for the Campus Anti-War Society, which held a protest last year on the Quad. Gottlieb said he thinks there is a rich history of students protesting on campus. He said some people protest all their lives and he wishes others would not become complacent over time.

"This is the time in your life when you should be questioning existing constructs and making your voice heard," Gottlieb said.

The Campus Anti-War Society was founded in spring 2006 and received official Student Government Association recognition around the same time. Because the Campus Anti-War Society is a recognized group, they do not need to give notice in order to protest. However, students not affiliated with a recognized group must alert Dean of Students Ted Hoef 24hours in advance.

There are no forms involved, Hoef said. Students wishing to stage a protest simply need to present the desired date, time, location, expected attendance of the activity and type of activity planned, Hoef said.

Gottlieb said he thinks it's easy for students to protest.

"I just wish that more would publicly express their opinions," Gottlieb said.

However, there are times when 24-hour notice is not possible and Hoef will make exceptions, he said. He uses the example that if a major world event happened students might want to show their support that day.

"We want to be flexible and allow that sort of thing to happen as long as it occurs within the appropriate parameters of time, place and manner," Hoef said.

The parameters of time, place and manner are listed in the Student Life Policies under rallies, demonstrations and public assemblies. Restrictions require the public activity to be lawful; not disrupt any campus activity, class or traffic; jeopardize the public or an individual's safety; or include obscene, defamatory expression.

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