RPI's Save the Union Protest

Introduction

Save the Union was a student-led protest that took place at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, NY. The Save the Union protest group was formed to oppose RPI's student union being transferred from student leadership to RPI's administration. RPI's union had been led by students for 127 years. On October 13th, 2017, hundreds of students marched across campus in hopes to keep their union led by students, for students.

Save the Union Protests

Organization

Save the Union was organized by RPI students Bryan Johns and Michael Gardner in March 2016. Johns had previously sent an application to the school's administration for permission to host a peaceful protest. This initial application was promptly denied. After a second denial of a peaceful protest application, students led by the Save the Union group occupied their area of protest anyways. Students felt that RPI was denying their first amendment right to freedom of speech. RPI's Student Bill of Rights also guaranteed students freedom of expression. Protesters believed they were within their rights as students to hold a a peaceful demonstration to help their voices be heard. The intended message of the protest was to convey to RPI administration that the overwhelming majority of the RPI community wanted the RPI Union restored to a student-run organization. The protest consisted of gathered students marching through campus and gathering in the grass outside of EMPAC where an alumni event was taking place. The protesters took turns leading chants through a megaphone and most of them held signs they waved while chanting. Many of the signs were identical, reading "Save Our Union" with "RPI" inside the letter O. The protest remained peaceful, beginning at 4pm and continuing to 6:15pm.

The Results

RPI administration had fences put up before the protest took place in order to separate students from their alumni event. RPI employees were also recorded removing signs advertising the protest the morning of October 13th. Both Johns and Gardner were summoned by RPI and charged with trespassing, failure to comply, and operating a business. Following the charges, the NYCLU wrote a letter to RPI administration expressing their concern for the legitimacy and morality of RPI's actions against their students. Ultimately, the charges against the students were dropped, likely due to the negative attention towards RPI regarding the matter, as well as the administration being unable to back up their claims with their student handbook. On February 13, 2018, The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) named RPI as one of the worst universities for free speech. Although Save the Union remains an active group working to reclaim student leadership of the RPI Union, the RPI Union is currently controlled by the university's administration.

References

Jilani, Zaid. “This College Is Charging Students with Trespassing for Holding a Peaceful, on-Campus Protest.” The Intercept. The Intercept, November 16, 2017. https://theintercept.com/2017/11/16/rensselaer-rpi-student-union-protest-free-speech/.

Parslow, Brookelyn. “Gallery: Save the Union Protest.” The Polytechnic, October 14, 2017. https://poly.rpi.edu/2017/10/14/gallery-save-the-union-protest/.

“Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Students Face Sanctions for Protesting President's Black-Tie Fundraiser.” The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression. FIRE, November 13, 2017. https://www.thefire.org/news/rensselaer-polytechnic-institute-students-face-sanctions-protesting-presidents-black-tie.

Robarge, Mark. RPI protesters face disciplinary action. troyrecord, November 12, 2017. https://www.troyrecord.com/2017/11/12/rpi-protesters-face-disciplinary-action/.

“RPI Clears Peaceful Student Protesters of All Judicial Charges.” Accessed February 1, 2023. https://savetheunion.xyz/assets/Dec20PressRelease.pdf.

Vahey, Emma. “Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Blocks Students' Protest of Student Union Management Change.” The Free Speech Project. The Free Speech Project, March 19, 2018. https://freespeechproject.georgetown.edu/tracker-entries/rensselaer-polytechnic-institute-blocks-students-protest-of-student-union-management-change/.

Ward, Courtney. “RPI Students Hold Demonstration to Protect Student Union.” NEWS10 ABC. NEWS10 ABC, October 14, 2017. https://www.news10.com/news/rpi-students-hold-demonstration-to-protect-student-union/.