LSU SDS mobilizes faculty to fight against university’s Title IX attacks
Baton Rouge, LA – On the afternoon of November 10, members of the LSU Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) gathered at the university’s faculty senate meeting to mobilize support from faculty leaders. The LSU chapter of SDS has been fighting a campaign against the university’s recent attacks on Title IX, and for admin to expel Damien Shanklin, a football player found responsible for forcible rape.
SDS has formed a coalition to fight for their demands with organizations like Feminists in Action, Tigers against Sexual Assault, Injustice Reform, and Tiger Prison Project. The coalition’s demands are for the university to expel Damien Shanklin, reinstate the Title IX office of engagement to its full capacity, and to reopen and restore funding and full staffing for numerous cultural centers. Those affected by these attacks include the Women’s Center, African American Cultural Center, Intercultural Center, Latinx Center, and LGBTQ+ center.
Members of SDS attended the meeting as a way to garner support from the faculty senate. They handed out flyers and gave public comments asking for the faculty senate to put forth a resolution supporting their demands. Students received resistance from the president of faculty senate, Daniel Tirone, who didn’t want them to speak and informed them that they had to leave after handing out flyers or else they would be removed by police.
“We come to you as a coalition of student organizations who are all affected by these issues. We are calling on University faculty to help protect your students and advocate for a safer campus by supporting our demands,” SDS member Toby Gonzalez told the senate.
Despite the resistance from Tirone, the students’ public comments were extremely well received by faculty, who have also struggled from the administration’s attacks on Title IX. Students gave faculty flyers asking them to support the coalition’s demands. The student coalition is eager to continue attending these meetings to mobilize faculty for a supportive resolution.