Governance

This year we have seen unprecedented suppression of, and intolerance for, student voices, and the past few days have been a direct culmination of this. Both the events on Dunn Meadow and the police presence in the Union have left students terrified and confused. Union Board, and the Indiana Memorial Union which we govern, exists to give students a home on campus; it is supposed to “welcome all” and build a united community. But as a result of the administration’s abruptly instituted policy, and the egregious use of the IMU that followed, we are left as a community united in fear. This is the antithesis of Union Board’s mission to unite students. We condemn this policy, its result in silencing student voices, and the harm it brought to students and the IU community.

Students have the authority to help create and govern the Union where everyone can feel a sense of belonging. Union Board came into existence during a similar time of tension on campus–our founder’s goal was to create an organization that unified the students and brought peace to campus. Today’s tension is unlike any in our history, and this time, neither the Board of Trustees nor the administration are here to support us. In fact, the administration created the division, violence, and unrest on our campus that Union Board exists to resolve.

Over the past three days, students perceived that there was a sniper on the roof of the IMU. Students on our Board also watched as Indiana State Police walked through our office with guns. We were never initially consulted or notified about the State Police setting up on our roof. We want to be unequivocally clear in saying that in this instance, we do not believe the student Union is the space for them to stand. The IMU stopped being a safe place for students to gather and rest when it became a space to intimidate and silence student voices.

We’ve been unofficially told that the officer on our roof was holding a scope rather than a firearm, to observe and monitor the event. Considering the photos circulating social media, this casual explanation is far from compelling. We’re deeply disturbed that no member of the administration has made a thorough and transparent statement to the entire student body regarding police presence or the nature of the officers on our roof. The administration’s silence and lack of clarification has created a situation where there is confusion about whether or not a weapon was pointed at students from the IMU roof. Accurate or not, the fact that any confusion exists is unacceptable.

We refuse to have our voices silenced.

We demand:

• Clarity on exactly what took place and what weapons were in our building, the chain of command through which this occurred, and what preventative measures will be taken to ensure this never happens again.

• That President Whitten, Provost Rahul Shrivastav, and IU Superintendent of Safety Ben Hunter communicate with Union Board by the end of day on Monday, April 29, 2024 and provide answers to these questions.

Response to these issues is critical to the 115th Indiana Memorial Union Board’s waning confidence in this administration.

Signed: The 115th Indiana Memorial Union Board of Directors, April 27, 2024

There is no simple or succinct way to address the campus events of the past 24 hours. The emotions caused by the deployment of the Indiana State Police in response to peaceful protests on our campus are nearly impossible to put into words. Seeing police in riot gear on Dunn Meadow and what was perceived to be a sniper on the roof of the IMU is beyond alarming. We are tired, frustrated, angry, confused, scared, and outraged. The Student Voice Coalition–made up of IU Student Government, the Indiana Memorial Union Board, the Graduate and Professional Student Government, IU Funding Board, and the Residence Hall Association–is going to do what the administration has failed to do: provide clarity and demand accountability. The Student Voice Coalition denounces the unilateral action taken by the Provost and University administration. 

While many questions persist, here is what we know to be true: In recent communications with faculty, the President and the Provost reference BL-ACA-I18, a policy concerning the designation of an area on Dunn Meadow as the Indiana University Assembly Ground. This policy also describes how the Provost may convene an ad hoc committee to review and suggest modifications to this policy. While the policy does recommend the inclusion of the President of IUSA, now Indiana University Student Government, and the President of the Bloomington Faculty Council in such reviews, neither were invited to join the committee’s discussions. Furthermore, the policy emphasizes that the University should refrain from physically enforcing these regulations, a principle that was overlooked in recent actions by Indiana State Police. 

The Provost convened a meeting of this committee on Wednesday evening in response to external safety concerns, made relevant by similar incidents across the nation such as at Northwestern University. It was in this meeting that the committee added an addendum to existing policy that would prevent the use of temporary structures, including tents, on Dunn Meadow without prior approval by the Office of Student Life and University Events in an attempt to ensure student safety. 

After an assembly has begun and it becomes apparent that University policies have been violated, the Office of Student Life’s Demonstration Response and Safety Team provides students with three warnings by means of verbal communication and printed documentation. Should demonstrators remain in violation of such policy, it is protocol that IUPD enter the scene, at which point the Office of Student Life’s staff are no longer in charge. We have been informed that it is the responsibility of the Superintendent for Public Safety to authorize the entrance of Indiana State Police in addition to IUPD if deemed necessary. Once deployed, the university no longer has command over the actions of the state police, per a mutual aid agreement between the University and the State. 

Yesterday, a total of 33 people, including students and faculty, were arrested with zip ties, placed on an Indiana University bus, and brought to Harry Gladstein Fieldhouse before being taken to Monroe County Jail. In addition to the arrests, police issued a series of trespass warnings indicating that the recipient is banned from reentering all IU properties for a year. It is important to note that these warnings were not issued by the Office of Student Conduct but rather by the IU Police Department. As such, any appeals of such a warning must be made to IUPD. In a statement from an IU spokesperson, those affected by the trespass bans were encouraged to engage in the appeals process as these notices will be suspended during the proceedings in nearly all cases, allowing students and faculty alike to finish out the semester. The Office of Student Life will be sending a letter providing information for such appeals. 

We are committed to addressing these concerns collaboratively and constructively, ensuring the active participation of all relevant stakeholders in policy discussions and implementations. The sudden adjustments made by the ad hoc committee to this policy have raised significant questions regarding constitutional legality and the principle of 'neutral time, place, and policy' regarding assembly restrictions. Any revisions to assembly policies must adhere to principles of neutrality and reasonableness as prescribed by First Amendment law. It is imperative to ensure that policy changes uphold fairness, avoid disadvantaging specific groups, and align with both legal standards and university policy.

In a similarly urgent manner with which the initial committee was convened, the Student Voice Coalition demands that Provost Shrivastav and the IU Administration reconvene the ad hoc committee by Monday evening and reconsider this policy change. This is necessary to thoroughly assess the effectiveness and potential unintended consequences of the addendum. We urge the inclusion of key stakeholders such as the Student Body President and the President of the Bloomington Faculty Council to ensure a comprehensive review and evaluation.

Furthermore, we urge the IU administration to avoid deploying the Indiana State Police for a non-violent, non-threatening policy violation. We emphasize the importance of providing the student body with a transparent and public explanation regarding the rationale and details behind the decision to amend university policy BL-ACA-I18. It is crucial for the administration to demonstrate its unwavering commitment to preserving Dunn Meadow as the primary Indiana University Assembly Ground.

The events that occurred on April 25th, not just at Indiana University but at Universities across the country, have highlighted the critical importance of safeguarding free speech and peaceful assembly on college campuses. The Student Voice Coalition remains steadfast in its commitment to transparency, accountability, and the preservation of democratic values within our academic community.

If our demands are not met, we fear the student body will have no confidence left in this administration.

In pursuit of free speech, 

Indiana University Student Government
Cooper Tinsley, Student Body President
Nicole Santiuste, Student Body Vice President

Indiana Memorial Union Board
Laurie Frederickson, President

Residence Hall Association 
Keeton Gibson, President 2023-24
Julianna Ervin, President 2024-25

Indiana University Funding Board
Larry McDowell III, Executive Director

Graduate & Professional Student Government
Chelsea Kaminski, President 2023-24
Ahmad Jeddeeni, President 2024-25

• 1/11 Meeting: January 11, 2024 Meeting Minutes
• 1/18 Meeting: January 18, 2024 Meeting Minutes
• 1/25 Meeting: January 25, 2024 Meeting Minutes
• 2/1 Meeting: February 1, 2024 Meeting Minutes
• 2/8 Meeting: February 8, 2024 Meeting Minutes
• 2/15 Meeting: February 15, 2024 Meeting Minutes
• 2/22 Meeting: February 22, 2024 Meeting Minutes
• 3/7 Meeting: March 7, 2024 Meeting Minutes
• 3/21 Meeting: March 21, 2024 Meeting Minutes
• 3/28 Meeting: March 28, 2024 Meeting Minutes
• 4/4 Meeting: April 4, 2024 Meeting Minutes

As the heart of campus, the IMU must remain a welcoming and inclusive space for all students. Union Board has been dedicated to modernizing and diversifying the art collection of the IMU to better reflect the mosaic of our student body. 

The art initiative was born in 2020 when Union Board appointed a task force to look at the art collection. The task force produced a quantitative assessment that examined the diversity of the media used; the ethnicity, gender, and place of origin of the artists; the subject matter(s) being depicted; and, if it was people, the known/assumed ethnicity, gender, and place of origin of those subjects. From there, they produced recommendations for the acquisition of additional art that could diversify the IMU/UB art collection in a way that would be more representative of our current student body and more reflective of the lived experiences of modern-day Hoosiers.

In 2020, former Union Board president Sadia Habib, in collaboration with People of IU, created the "Hoosier Story Gallery" in the Georgian Room of the IMU. This display includes pictures and stories of recent, excellent leaders from across IU's campus. This display will be updated in the spring semester of 2024.

In 2021, Union Board partnered with the First Nations Educational and Cultural Center to bring in Steven Paul Judd, a Native American (Kiowa-Choctaw) award-winning contemporary visual artist and filmmaker, to create a portrait of Jim Thorpe. Jim Thorpe, a member of the Sac and Fox Nation, was a multi-sport professional athlete and was the first Native American to win a gold medal for the United States in the Olympics. He was also an assistant football coach for IU in 1915. This portrait helps to celebrate the often untold Indigenous histories of Indiana University. This was an interactive event that allowed students to assist in painting the mural, which now hangs outside of the IMU dining area.

Thanks to generous donations from Union Board alumni, the art initiative has continued updating the art in the IMU. In the fall of November 2023, Union Board and IUSG purchased three new pieces by Black artists from the Butter Art Festival. These stunning pieces include Tasha Beckwith’s Empowered Tresses, Kyng Rhodes’s Reasons, and India Cruse-Griffin’s Glorious Day. These pieces hang outside the Georgian Room, the dining area, and the South Lounge in the IMU. This semester, Union Board has received further funds from alumni to bring more Latine art to the IMU. Union Board is partnering with La Casa and hopes to partner with Latinos Unidos to bring this project to fruition by the end of the spring semester.

To get involved with or support the Union Board Art Initiative, please email Laurie Frederickson at ubpres@indiana.edu. 

The Student Involvement Tower of the IMU holds 30 offices, 11 cubicle spaces, and 27 closet spaces for student organizations to use. It is the largest collection of spaces exclusively for student organization use on campus. It is an important resource for many clubs on campus, and Union Board is the governor of these spaces.

Annually, Union Board evaluates how the space is being used and how to grant more spaces to more student organizations. We review dozens of applications each year and work to allocate office spaces so that as many organizations as possible have space in the IMU. This past fall, we were able to grant space to 12 new organizations. This year, we hope to continue to increase the number of spaces available to student organizations and advocate for the renovation of these spaces.

Applications open in August and agreements renew in October. Costs of tower spaces are kept at an absolute minimum price to keep them accessible to student organizations, and all of those funds go back into maintenance of the tower spaces.