Student activists staged protest concurrently with Board of Trustees meeting

Update as of 3:30 p.m.

Protesters left the Frangipani Room of the Indiana Memorial Union, without police prompting, at about 3:25 p.m. The protesters were chanting, "Whose school? Our school!"

This story will be updated later today.

Update as of 3:00 p.m.

Chief of IU Police Department Keith Cash said as long as activists are not overly disruptive, no arrests will be made. Since most of the protesters are students, he said, any consequences would be handled through University judicial review.

During the Board of Trustees' recess, Assistant Dean of Students and Director of Student Life and Learning Steve Veldkamp addressed the activists. He said Interim Provost Lauren Robel offered to meet with students to discuss their grievances. Veldkamp described Robel as a "key player for the Bloomington campus."

An activist thanked Veldkamp for speaking with the group but said he defended the protesters' actions.

"I personally would like to throw out that there is more than one way to skin a cat," he said.

The Board of Trustees reconvened at about 3:20 p.m.

Update as of 1 p.m.

Student activists staged a protest Thursday concurrently with the IU Board of Trustees in an attempt to address trustee members during the public portion of the meeting. The meeting was scheduled to begin at 1 p.m.

The Board of Trustees meeting was interrupted when a chorus of cell phones began to ring at about 1:30 p.m., and student activists gathered on the left side of the Indiana Memorial Union Frangipani Room.

“I don’t think these people should be making decisions for us,” one student said.

Students said they disagreed with the lack of a public comment section at the Board of Trustees meeting. According to a handout passed out to all spectators, public comments can be emailed to board members.

“If you would like to speak and make public comment, we’re making public comment over here,” junior Samantha Harrell said to others sitting in the audience.

The handout also stated that chanting and blocking exits were discouraged.

At about 2:00 p.m., activists began moving to the center of the room and sitting on the floor in front of the board's meeting area. IU police watched the area.

Activists began addressing Student Trustee Cora Griffin.

“I want to ask why the student representative didn’t represent us,” an activist said.

After a few moments of activist discussion, a board member asked if the rest of the board members wanted to take a break.

Griffin later addressed students. She said she appreciated the student participation and said there were “many channels” for students to address the trustees with grievances.

At about 2:30 p.m., the board announced it would take a break and reconvene at 3:15 p.m.

Check back to idsnews.com as this story is updated.

— Kirsten Clark