When the State Board of Higher Education passed a policy governing business agreements last February, the University slashed its ties with the Worker Rights Consortium, and students across the state began a furious fight against the change.
In the months since the board’s decision, University students and students from other public universities have been preparing themselves for a fight against the policy, which they say is too vague and could limit the effects of student activism. On Friday, about 15 students from Oregon University System schools finally had the chance to bring their case before the board.
Some students presented their concerns about the “business practice policy” to the board during its meeting at Western Oregon University Friday, in the hopes that it would reconsider adopting the policy. And while the board met, others rallied against the policy, which is set to be enforced by Dec. 31., in an attempt to educate students about its potential ramifications.
Much of the controversy surrounds the policy’s wording, which says that the seven OUS institutions cannot “adopt limits” on business agreements unless based on the “ability to perform, evidence of illegal activities” or other criteria. This prevents universities from being members of labor monitoring groups such as the WRC and Fair Labor Association. It may also conflict with parts of the University’s own code of conduct.
Although some board members said the policy aims to ensure all OUS schools conduct business in a straightforward and politically impartial manner, some students argued that the policy is too vague and could impose harmful restrictions.
For example, a company’s failure to follow human rights standards could no longer be reason to refuse business with it, which would numb many student activism efforts, some students have said.
Tim Young, an OUS board member and a University student, was the lone “no” vote in the decision to pass the policy in February. He said the biggest problem with the rule is broad language that could cause confusion in the future. Who decides what “evidence” is appropriate, and whether business practices are deemed legal on a national, international or statewide level are just a few unanswered questions about the policy, he said.
“How the policy will be interpreted is where the battle is now,” Young said.
Many students also worry that the policy will cripple their power to initiate change through boycotts and protests. Christina Bondurant, a facilitator for the sociology club at WOU, said the school is boycotting NORPAC because many students disagree with its treatment of farmworkers. She said the policy could take away her school’s right to conduct such a boycott.
“This basically says that we can’t question any business practices,” Bondurant said.
She added that many students aren’t aware of the policy, which is why concerned students held the rally Friday.
Young said he believes the policy was passed in direct response to the WRC issue and was a way for the OUS to avoid making a decision on the labor issue.
But Shawn Hempel, a board member and Oregon Institute of Technology student, said there is already a state policy supporting that of the OUS. He said that although the creation of the policy may have been triggered by the WRC issue, it mostly just reinstates current policies already in place on the state level.
“The [WRC membership] just brought the issue to public awareness,” he said.
Although Hempel voted in favor of the policy, he said that he agrees with arguments on both sides of the issue. The policy doesn’t allow universities to consider “moral” and “ethical” reasons when making business agreements, Hempel said, which he believes is a problem. But, he said, it does make universities impartial in their business agreements.
“It keeps out political preference … that was the original intent,” he said. “But I’m not going to say the policy is good just the way it is.”
Bondurant said that although students have had the chance to speak out to the board, it is now up to the board to decide whether to consider their concerns and change its decision.”I feel like they now know it’s a concern of students,” she said. “It’s important for them to know we have a problem with this.”
Bondurant added that the policy has prompted the University and other schools, including Portland State and Willamette universities, to join the Oregon Student Action Network (OSAN) — a coalition intended to act as a support system when issues similar to the business policy arise in the future.
Although it is unlikely the vote will be overturned, Young said, many board members still want to hear the student voice and perspective.
“All in all the students who spoke to the board were very professional and well received,” he said. “Some comments I heard from the board were very encouraging … the board is committed to continuing this debate.”