The General Assembly are meeting tonight in Fayerwether 201 to vote on the Steering Committee’s proposal to mount a series of demonstrations over the remainder of the spring term.

The protests will focus on the racism of the university (especially pertaining to the new gym), the repression of student organizers (the IDA six included), and the college’s complicity in the war/involvement with IDA.

The Steering Committee voted to approve the demonstrations on April 12th.

We need all members out tonight to discuss these proposed actions.

Yesterday (April 9th), SDS staged a successful walk-out of the University-sponsored memorial service to honor Martin Luther King Jr., who was assassinated on April 4th. Thanks to those who organized and participated!

Mark Rudd, SDS Chairman, took control of the pulpit during remarks by Provost Truman, to remind the administration and the student body of the hypocrisy of the university. Columbia supports systematic mistreatment of blacks and workers, two groups MLK Jr. spent his life protecting. King was also an outspoken critic of the Vietnam War.

After Rudd spoke, he and forty other students walked-out of the chapel.

SDS will not sit by and allow the administration to lie. We are supported not just by many students and faculty, but by the clergy who organized the service. The administration can be angry, they can call us “Nazis”, but we will not stop and we will not back down.

President Kirk has decided to take disciplinary action against 6 students for yesterday’s protest in Low Library. Of course, all identified students are members of our SDS steering committee, including Mark, the current chairman.

We will not stand by and allow our fellow students and revolutionaries to be unfairly punished (and possibly expelled) for exercising their rights guaranteed by the Constitution. Kirk’s rule against indoor demonstrations is unjust, and we will not stop fighting until it is abolished and the IDA Six (and all student protestors) are granted amnesty by the administration.

We will get justice!

100 SDS members marched into Low Library this afternoon, which as you know, is where Pres. Kirk’s office is located. We successfully disrupted the administration, and protested both the unfair rule against indoor demonstrations and the university’s connection to the IDA.

“Dare to struggle, dare to win!”-Fred Hampton

We have elected our new Steering Committee and officers.

Chairman- Mark Rudd. Rudd is a junior who has been involved with SDS since his first year at Columbia. He is a member of the Action Faction, and is committed to fighting U.S imperialism. He ran on the platform “How to Get the SDS Moving Again and Screw the University All in One Fell Swoop”. He has recently returned from a trip to Cuba, where he learned first-hand about their successful revolution. He is committed to non-violent confrontational politics.

Vice-Chairman- Nick Freudenberg. Freudenberg is a sophomore and a member of the Praxis-Axis. He has been involved with SDS for the past two years, and has played an important role in building a strong base for our organization

We will be electing our new SDS Steering Committee and Officers at the General Assembly meeting this week.

The SDS Steering Committee is made up of 25 SDS members, including one chairman and one vice-chairman (McCaughey 441). We are now accepting nomination.

Please come to the 201 Fayerwether on Wednesday March 13th at 7:00 p.m.

200 students marched in to Low Library yesterday to protest Dow Chemical recruiters on campus. Low Library, of course, is where both the Provost and President’s offices are located. 80 students then marched to Dodge Hall and held a sit-in. We were successful in disrupting activity for several hours and getting the attention of students, faculty, and the administration.

Not only did we call out the university for supporting military recruiters, but we also successfully confronted Pres. Kirk’s oppressive rule against indoor demonstrations.

None of the protestors were identified or punished.

Remember, successful protest comes from careful organizing.

JOIN with thousands of other New Yorkers to show support for 5 Americans who will be arraigned for their speaking out against the war:

• William Sloane Coffin, Jr.
• Michael Ferber
• Dr. Benjamin Spock
• Mitchell Goodman
• Marcus Raskin

Monday, January 29, 8pm, the Manhattan Center, be there. click here to view flyer!!

Come to Fayerwether 201 at 7:30 PM on Thursday, January 26th for the first General Assembly meeting of the new semester. All new and interested students are welcome to join us. Come to our literature table on College Walk to become a member.