Yesterday, 13 students staged a sit in at USC to demand that, after an eight year campaign, the university affiliate with the WRC and adopt the DSP. Instead of meeting with the students and listening to them, their administration lied to them, claimed to have been at meetings with students that never existed, locked out their legal observers, manipulated their parents, and, at 5 pm, threatened them with suspension and demanded that they move out of university housing by 9 am the next morning. Please call and email President Sample today and tell him that this is no way to treat students and workers! President Sample (213) 740 - 2111 Hello. I am calling to express my outrage over the way that students were treated yesterday. Students engaged in a peaceful protest in a public space should not be lied to, manipulated, and threatened with suspension. Yesterday, your university proved that it has absolutely no concern either for the workers producing its apparel, or its own students. Change your policies both for students and workers now!

Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,

I was shocked to hear about the way in which you responded to yesterday's civil disobedience. Students on your campus have brought attention to the fact that USC apparel is produced in sweatshops for the past eight years. Throughout this time, the university has refused to make a good faith effort to address this problem, over which the university has a great deal of leverage. Not only that, but given that you have refused to meet with them even once throughout this entire school year, students were forced to engage in a civil disobedience to draw attention to this very serious issue.

USC should have been proud of the dedication of its students to such an important cause. Instead, however, you have chosen to respond with lies, threats, maniupation, intimidation, and, once again, a refusal to listen. The University Vice President, Todd Dickey, who has not met with students all year, lied to their face and told them that they had met on several occasions. Legal observers, there only to ensure that the rights of students were respected, were locked out of the building. Campus security promised students that they could have access to the bathroom, and then locked them out when they attempted to return. University personel called the parents of some of the students, including sick parents who were in the hospital, attempting to scare them into pressuring them to leave. And, to top it off, for engaging in a peaceful demonstration in a public space, you threatened to suspend these students, take away their scholarships, and forced them to move out of their university housing, with no where to go, by 9 am the next morning.

These students presented USC with an opportunity to became a leader in the struggle to ensure that workers' rights are protected. Instead, your university chose to distinguish itself in another way, setting itself apart as a callous and manipulative university that clearly has no concern, or respect, for its own student body.

Your lack of regard for the rights of workers and students is unacceptable, and both policies need to be changed immediately. USC must affiliate with the WRC. USC must adopt the DSP. USC must apologize to these students and change its policies so that students truly have a voice on campus!

Sincerely,

Campaign Launched:
April 11, 2007