Photos courtesy of Robbie Lynch ’24
On Sunday, Feb. 26 at 10:25 p.m., around 30 students entered Fanning Hall to occupy the building in protest against the current administration’s handling of Dean Rodmon King’s recent resignation. Fanning holds administrative offices, including that of President Bergeron, and various classrooms. Students entered the building equipped with supplies to last up to five days, including sleeping pads and bags, suitcases filled with necessities and limited food supplies.
As student activists entered Fanning, campus security attempted to stop the protest, entering buildings and banging on locked doors. Students quickly moved upstairs and barricaded themselves on the upper floors. Campus Safety chased students around the area; a student said that one officer called out, “You’ve got to be f*cking kidding me. Stop. Stop.”
While student activists locked themselves in Fanning, large crowds of students gathered across campus, attempting to divert the attention of campus security away from the academic building. Students drove around campus, honking horns and blaring music. Others gathered in the MOBROC Barn to play music as loudly as possible. Various songs, through speakers and the voices of hundreds of students, rang out across campus. Students in South Campus screamed and chanted for change. One student even blared a trumpet while walking alongside Tempel Green.
In accordance with Student Voices for Equity’s list of demands, “Should the BOT fail to meet our demands, SVE is devoted to advocating until they are met. This alliance is not temporary and will remain persistent for the improvement of Connecticut College.”
Students have occupied Fanning Hall three times in the past: first in 1971, then in 1986, and recently in 2016 during President Bergeron’s tenure. Fanning has once again become a symbol of student dissent at Connecticut College.
I woke up this morning to a message that the Fanning administration building has been taken over by students once again. Wow! I participated in the 1986 Fanning Takeover and never thought that students would need to go to such drastic measures, AGAIN, to effect change. Shame on the President of the college and the BOT for their lack of self-awareness regarding the needs of the students. Give the people what they want- MEANINGFUL CHANGE.
I guess you decided to omit the fact that they were pulling fire alarms, driving recklessly almost hitting students, driving on sidewalks and the green, and breaking into buildings (other than fanning). You are lucky no one got seriously injured. Classic one side journalism
“Do not get lost in a sea of despair. Be hopeful, be optimistic. Our struggle is not the struggle of a day, a week, a month, or a year, it is the struggle of a lifetime. Never, ever be afraid to make some noise and get in good trouble, necessary trouble.”
A quote from the late Senator John Lewis
Lame student
If some students feel this is a cause worth protesting, then by all means protest. I have no problem with that as long as it is non-violent and doesn’t affect other students’ abilities to attend classes and learn. However, you cannot hide behind the “we want the best for Conn College” motto if folks are driving on sidewalks, damaging property, breaking into buildings, pulling fire alarms. That is not fair to campus security and if that is in fact the case, you will lose a lot of support for this cause.
It is unfair for you to cite a few reckless students’ actions and claim that they are the actions of the majority. As a participant in last night’s distraction, the vast majority of us were driving carefully or remained in parking lots. There will always be a few people who take a movement too far and do not align with the actions of the majority—I urge you to focus on the actions of the majority and recognize that last night’s actions were solely intended to assist our peers attempting to occupy buildings.
Golly gosh it sure is rude when people are protesting. It’s almost like that’s the point of protesting. Civility politics is the tool of the oppressors. Solidarity forever <3
Get that witch out!!!! She’s so evil. Happy to see students taking matters into their own hands.
Just went on a tour yesterday with my son, of course read the paper article while waiting for the tour. On the tour saw remanence of the protest along with hand written signs. My son was impressed with the school, including the student and teacher involvement, but I have to say as a parent, I was sad to see students needing to go to these lengths. I hope the students get what they need.