Student activists demand new college of 'Power and Liberation' at WWU, more

A group calling itself the Student Assembly for Power and Liberation last month issued a list of demands to administration at Western Washington University, including a new College of Power and Liberation.

The group, which formed after a series of online threats around talks about changing the school's mascot last November, had also asked for funding to pay for students and faculty working on "de-colonial" work, a committee to work on similar racial issues, and more.

The Student Assembly set a deadline of March 1 for a response from WWU, which didn't come directly, according to the group's Facebook page.

Instead, WWU President Bruce Shepard CC'd the group on an email to the Associated Students board of directors, alerting them to the proposal and noting several problems with the list of demands.

"The proposal would fundamentally contradict our policies, practices, mutually bargained contracts, and federal law and policy on such matters as faculty evaluation and discipline, student conduct and discipline, the investigation of alleged racist behaviors, and the planning of facilities, spaces, and residence halls," Shepard wrote in the email.

WWU hired an outside consultant to review its response to last November's online threat to a student after many students expressed frustration at how the school dealt with the incidents.

That consultant, the University of Washington's university police chief John Vinson, found WWU's response appropriate, but made suggestions for improving things.

The Student Assembly doesn't appear to agree with that analysis.

In an online petition listing the group's demands, the organization puts responsibility for oppression squarely on the shoulders of the university.

"We are a growing group of students from a multitude of communities and disciplines around campus combating the systemic oppression embedded within our society that is inevitably upheld through this institution, as it was created to uphold white supremacy at its core," the group wrote on the petition page.

News of the demands has spread beyond the borders of Whatcom County, with The Daily Beast covering the topic under the headline "The College That Wants to Ban 'History.'"

The Student Assembly for Power and Liberation did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Beyond asking for an entirely new college within the university (the student organization would have "direct input" on hiring new faculty for the college), the Assembly asked for new buildings to house the college and temporary space until it is built and $50,000 for a grand opening event.

But the problematic issues for Shepard appear to arise from policies in the demands that would create a three-strike disciplinary system for faculty, staff and administration, along with new surveys and other information to be collected as part of faculty reviews, as well as a new housing option: a "multicultural residence building."

This new residence hall would "celebrate student's (sic) different identities and to give us a chance to live together in order to build a community and connections," according to the petition.

Admission to this hall would require a new application process (to be reviewed by the Committee for Social Transformation, another ask on the list) that suggests students not interested in contributing "to the community" need not apply.

Daniel DeMay covers Seattle culture, business and transportation for seattlepi.com. He can be reached at 206-448-8362 or danieldemay@seattlepi.com. Follow him on Twitter: @Daniel_DeMay.