Although administrators submitted two dates for members of controversial satirical student newspaper the Koala to submit appeals countering the publication’s eviction from its office in the wake of a June discovery of alcohol and drug paraphernalia, both deadlines have passed with no administrative action, and the paper has kept its office.
Because drug and alcohol possession is against university policy, members were ordered to leave their Media Lounge office space by Oct. 25. However, members protested, accusing the administration of failing to provide adequate time to submit an appeal.
In response, Assistant Vice Chancellor of Student Life Gary R. Ratcliff gave the Koala until Nov. 9 to submit an official written appeal. That appeal, however, was never formulated because members felt, as Eleanor Roosevelt College senior and Koala Editor in Chief David Gregory stated in a letter to Ratcliff, that the deadline was “”artificial and arbitrary.””
“”Your office has held evidence against us for over four months – one week is an insufficient time to determine our defense and possible course of action,”” Gregory stated.
In addition, Gregory stated that the administration’s appeal option – which would have given Ratcliff the final decision regarding the appeal outcome – gave too much power to one person.
“”In this case, the Koala would be denied due process because of its inability to depose witnesses, have a fair and public hearing and have an impartial mediator, arbitrator or student jury,”” Gregory stated.
Ratcliff responded with his own letter, offering the Koala a later deadline, Nov. 21, with a decision on the eviction to be delivered to the Koala by Nov. 27. However, the Koala did not submit an appeal by the second deadline either, and the organization remains in its Student Center office.
“”The administration is not handling this situation correctly,”” Gregory stated in an e-mail. “”They’re making up bullshit procedure as they go.””
Gregory also accused the administration of being biased against the newspaper because of a historically rocky relationship with the university, including the publication of content that lampooned Ratcliff himself.
Ratcliff, however, stated in an e-mail that the university “”has no bias against the Koala,”” and said its interest in the case is solely keeping campus facilities free of prohibited substances.
In June, a Student Center employee walking by the organization’s office noticed the prohibited items in plain sight and notified campus police. The items, which included a bong that contained residue that tested positive for marijuana, have since been disposed of because the incident was not handled as a criminal matter, according to Ratcliff.
Gregory said that the Koala is not worried about losing its office and that members were “”laughing at [the administration’s] impotence.””
“”Ratcliff’s actions show that we’re in the right,”” Gregory stated in an e-mail. “”Why else would he be afraid to face us in an appeal process?””
The administration has not offered any additional propositions, according to Gregory.
Readers can contact Matthew McArdle at [email protected].
