Marilee Lorusso
Staff Writer

The Faculty Assembly approved a resolution re-affirming student and faculty civil liberties.

In the May 9 vote, there were 41 in favor, two opposed and one abstention on the measure. Such resolutions have been passed on 45 college campuses and by roughly 375 cities, towns and counties as a response to the PATRIOT Act, which opponents claim has limited civil liberties in the name of homeland security.

“The idea of the resolution is to make people aware of the PATRIOT Act and to express concern over our civil liberties,” said Professor of Sociology Hector Delgado, chairman of the Coalition for Diversity.

“It’s difficult to know how people’s lives may be affected, although I suspect some people may become more careful about what they read and say. Hopefully that will not be the case. Principally, we wanted to educate people,” he added.

Delgado said the resolution urges University offices, including the library, bookstore and laboratories, to inform students and faculty that what is read, spoken and written here may be monitored by the federal government.

The University has a population of students and faculty of different races, genders, religions and nationalities, including a number of students from the University’s former campus in Greece.

“The campus is very diverse and it is important to maintain and preserve everyone’s civil rights,” said sophomore business major Jennifer Chavez.

The resolution highlights that the University is committed to protecting the civil rights and liberties of all students and faculty on campus.

In the wake of Sept. 11, every aspect of life in the United States was altered.

The resolutions were passed in order to affirm that the rights and liberties of those affiliated with the University are not taken away or harmed in any way.

“We believe it is important for faculty to reaffirm their commitment to civil liberties and freedoms so dear to us in academia,” Delgado said.
“We want an academic atmosphere in which people are not afraid to say and read what they want,” he added.

Marilee Lorusso can be reached at mlorusso@ulv.edu.