Date: Fri, 21 Oct 1994 07:14:05 EDT From: Jarrod Karau Subject: Queer Press Release - Houghton, MI October 13, 1994 Press information written by: Copper Country Gay & Lesbian Alliance P.O. Box 501 Houghton, MI 49931 (906) 487-3441 Email: ccgla@mtu.edu Dear Sir or Madam: We the Copper Country Gay and Lesbian Alliance would like to make public an incident that has occurred on the campus of Michigan Technological University. On the night of October 10, 1994 we the CCGLA members chalked the campus sidewalks of Michigan Tech in recognition of National Coming Out Day. Chalking campus sidewalks is a standard method for student organizations to advertise activities and events at MTU. After we had finished chalking the campus, other students chalked anti-gay slogans on and around the CCGLA chalkings. Some examples of these anti-gay slogans included: "Die Fags!", "I hate queers!", "Thanks for AIDS, fags!", "We don't need no ass packers!". We expected these anti-gay slogans, because of similar incidents that occurred last year. However, we saw an opportunity to use these hateful slogans to begin discussion about homophobia on campus. At about 10:00 a.m. on October 11, 1994 the University grounds crew were scrubbing the sidewalks with large street cleaners. They only reached the area around the student union and the library, which is the hub of campus activity. CCGLA members went to the Dean of Students Office to find out why the sidewalks were being cleaned, we were directed to Facilities Management who directed us to campus Public Safety. Public Safety informed CCGLA members that because of the vulgarity and obscenity of the anti-gay chalking they had ordered campus to be cleaned. Later that afternoon we learned that supposedly, the Executive Vice-President and Provost, Fred Dobney ordered the grounds crew to stop because he felt they were violating the students' First Amendment rights. Not willing to let our message be washed away, CCGLA members chalked the clean areas of campus again on the nigth of October 11. However, on the morning of October 12 at 6:00 a.m. grounds crew were again "cleansing" the campus. This time the campus was scrubbed before 7:00 a.m. CCGLA members called the head of grounds crew at 7:00 a.m. and were told that the sidewalks were cleaned because it was Career Day on campus and they had planned to make campus look "good" for recruiters. Later in the day, CCGLA members were informed by a local student reporter that the university was also enforcing a little know about policy against defacing campus without permission from the Provost. Knowing this, CCGLA members went to the Provost's office to gain permission to chalk campus the rest of the month, since it is Gay and Lesbian History Month. Provost Dobney wasn't aware of his responsibility to give permission for chalking campus and immediately turned the "job" over to the Dean Of Students Office. Provost Dobney also warned that Facilities Management had now planned to clean the sidewalks on campus every day for the rest of the month! At the same time, the Provost orderd that a committee be formed to set policy on the chalking of campus sidewalks. CCGLA was given two of the nine seats on this committee. --