For the past week, about a dozen students at UNC-Chapel Hill have staged a sit-in just outside the chancellor's office.
CHAPEL HILL -- For the past week, about a dozen students at UNC-Chapel Hill have staged a sit-in just outside the chancellor's office. Thursday, they also held a rally.
The students say they'll continue protesting until Chancellor James Moeser adopts the specific program that would guarantee none of the university's licensed clothing is made
Chancellor Moeser's e-mail about the upcoming meeting:
The purpose of this meeting would be for me to listen to an orderly discussion of the complex issues of applying UNC's commitment to fair labor to actual practice, to include but not be limited to, a discussion
of the DSP from those who advocate it as well as those who oppose it.
Second, I would like the committee's advice on the charge that I should give to next year's committee, recognizing that this is not only a complex, but on-going issue that will require the committee's attention
as it provides advice to the next chancellor.
One of the complaints from SAW is that I have not met directly with LLCAC. As an advisory committee, appointed by me, I am more than happy to meet with you and to listen directly to your discussion of the issues and to receive your advice.
I realize that any meeting of LLAC requires appropriate public notice, and I request that this meeting take place next week, if possible, before people begin to leave the campus.
in sweatshops.
Since last Thursday, several students have spent all day, and all night, sitting outside the chancellor’s office.
“It's hard, but we can study here,” explained Sarah Hirsch, a part-time student at UNC-CH and one of the students participating in the sit-in. “It's a moral obligation that we have.”
They're demanding Moeser adopt the Designated Suppliers Program, which they say would not license sweatshops to make UNC apparel.
“We'll stay in here until he passes it,” Hirsch said.
While several students stayed in South Building for the sit-in, the rest went outside to the quad for a rally, hoping to gain support from more students.
Wednesday, Moeser called for a special meeting of the university's Licensing Labor Code Advisory Committee. That’s the group that explores labor issues and makes recommendations to the chancellor. The meeting will be next Friday, May 2, from 9-10:30 a.m.
No one from UNC-CH would talk to News 14 Carolina on camera, but the chancellor said in a letter to the committee co-chairs he wants to, "listen to an orderly discussion of the complex issues" and "would like the committee's advice on the charge [he] should give to next year's committee...as it provides advice to the next chancellor."
The letter implies Moeser will not take any action on the issue before he retires on June 30.
However, students say just another
Thursday, students held a rally along with the sit-in.
committee meeting isn't enough to end their protest.
“The licensing committee has been meeting all year and he hasn't come and listened to what it says, so we'll wait to see what happens,” Hirsch said. “But we'll stay here until he adopts the policy.”
Spending 24 hours a day, seven days a week has already been challenging for the students. Some have missed classes when other students weren’t available to take their places in the sit-in. The decision to maintain the sit-in indefinitely could pose the biggest problem next week, during final exams.