Around the Ivies
Brown University: Alongside community members, studentsfromBrown and the Rhode Island School of Design staged a “die-in” on Sept. 12 to protest police brutality against people of color, the Brown Daily Herald reported. More than 100 people attended the protest to show solidarity and respect for the recent casualties in Ferguson, Missouri.
Columbia University: Hundreds gathered to protest Columbia’s handling of sexual assault on campus last Friday, the Columbia Spectator reported. Standing behind a line of mattresses, students held signs that supported survivors and condemned administrators.
Cornell University: On Sept. 10, Cornell’s Climate NeutralityAcceleration Working Group presented recommendations to change Cornell’s target date for cutting its net carbon emissions to zero from 2050 to 2035, the Cornell Daily Sun reported. The recommendations included constructing more efficient buildings, using wind projects and developing local biofuels.
Harvard University: Two members of Pussy Riot, a Russianpunk rock protest group, spoke at Harvard’s Institute of Politicson Monday, critiquing Russian President Vladimir Putin’s oppression in Russia and Ukraine and advocating for the right to free speech, the Harvard Crimson reported. The pair also investigated the arrest of a Harvard alumnus who had been banned from campus after a previous protest, and had illegally attended the forum.
Princeton University: In a unanimous vote, Princeton facultymembersapproved a set of recommendations on handling sexual misconduct by the Faculty Advisory Committee on Policyon Monday, the Daily Princetonian reported. Changes include removing students from the adjudication panel, reducing the burden of proof for sexual assault cases, granting both parties the opportunity to have an advisor from outside the Princeton community.
University of Pennsylvania: The University of Pennsylvania’s2014 Annual Security and Fire Safety Report has increased its emphasis on sexual violence, complying with the Violence Against Women Act and the Campus Sexual Violence Elimination Act to increase transparency and accountability in reporting sexual violence crimes on U.S. campuses. The report, which aims to inform the community about fires and crimes on and around campus, included reported offenses of domestic and dating violence and stalking for the first time and a section listing support services for victims of sexual violence.
Yale University: More than 300 attended a speech by Somali-born American activist Ayaan HirsiAlion Mondaynight without significant interruption or disturbance, even though Yale’s Muslim Students Association sent a letter signed by more than 30 other student organizations, voicing concerns about Hirsi Ali’s lack of academic credentials on Islam.