ON CAMPUS
HARVARD CRIMSON: In one of the largest anti-sweatshop demonstrations to date, about 300 to 400 Yale University students rallied Tuesday to demand that their administration withdraw from the Fair Labor Association and join the Workers Rights Consortium. Both the FLA and the WRC are organizations designed to monitor overseas sweatshops, but activists said clothing manufacturers have too great an influence on the FLA . . . The action at Yale continued a two-week flurry of anti-sweatshop activism on campuses across the country. Protesters have staged sit-ins at four schools, including the University of Pennsylvania. A two-day sit-in at Johns Hopkins University is still ongoing.
BOSTON GLOBE: Following a wave of anti-sweatshop protests on college campuses in the past month, Harvard University is considering throwing its weight behind a monitoring organization that students believe is more progressive and less constrained by corporate interests than the one to which most schools now belong . . . Officials say they're maintaining a "wait and see" attitude about joining the Worker Rights Consortium, a rival anti-sweatshop group without corporate board members. "If this is a constructive way of dealing with the problem [of sweatshops], we are all ears," said Alan A. Ryan, Jr., a Harvard attorney.
JOHNS HOPKINS OCCUPATION [THURSDAY]: It's about 1:40 PM and we're entering hour 52. Having kept ourselves motivated by the original tide of press and community support, we're starting to feel that, as our demands are being overlooked for the third straight day, we are going to be here for a while, and we're preparing for that. The President has not yet agreed to meet with us, nor has he spoken with us. The only contact we've had with the administration comes from our fortunate position in the building; that is, we get to speak with administrators individually as they enter and leave the building . . . The security is still posted here, 3-5 guards at all times. It makes it difficult for us to discuss tactical considerations, but they have been very friendly to us . . . We had a candlelight vigil last night with about 60 supporters: students, local clergy and Baltimore city council members. We exchanged sentiments with the group using two-way radios, singing and chanting, which raised spirits considerably. The Gospel Choir also stopped by and sang us two really great songs from outside. . . . The first night, 9 people slept over. Last night we grew to 12, and we're shooting for 20 for tonight. During the day, our numbers fluctuate considerably as students come and go, stopping between classes to offer their support.
MEMBERS OF WRC: Brown, Loyola New Orleans, Haverford, Bard, Oberlin, Indiana, Michigan, Wisconsin, Smith, Loyola Chicago, Transylvania, New York University
STUDENTS PROTESTING UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN ethnic policies have been occupying the Union for more than 25 days, throughout spring break, and without response by the U-M administration. Participants note that UM students involved in a recent anti-sweatshop occupation given an acceptable response after only 3 days of protest.