At approximately 1 p.m. on Oct. 2, a group of protestors occupied the Seaverns Football Field, delaying the homecoming football game against Hamilton College by 90 minutes. The protestors, a contingent of approximately 30 Colby students, took to the field in an effort to publicize their grievances with the College.
Calling themselves One Colby, they published a list of demands online, ranging from holding students accountable for sexual assault to improving dining and housing options.
Spectators reported that Dean of the College Karlene Burrell-McRae `94 met the students on the field, where she spoke with the proterstors. The protesters eventually left the field, allowing the homecoming game to begin.
On Oct 4., Burrell-McRae sent out a campus-wide email writing that the College supports its students’ right to protest, but that students may not do so in a manner that “significantly [disrupts] or [interferes] with the operations of the College or the activities of other community members.”
She noted in her email that “this protest was not the culmination of ongoing conversations with these students,” and “whatever the circumstances, [she and Provost Margaret McFadden] are always open to meeting with students, learning more about their experiences, and working in partnership to make improvements where we can.”
The Colby Echo is currently reaching out to students and faculty regarding the matter and will feature a full article covering the protest and any associated effects on Colby’s campus in our next issue.
~ Milo Lani-Caputo `23 and Conall Butchart `22
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