Groups from UMass, Hampshire College, Mount Holyoke College and Harvard University are participating in the strike. The NYSPC did not list the College as a participating institution.
"We hope to accomplish the beginning of a strong campus Anti-War coalition, which will continue even if the war in Iraq begins, and will challenge the Bush administration's dangerous pre-emptive strike foreign policy, and their foolish attempt to create democracy by invasion," said Ann Ferguson, a professor of philosophy at UMass who is a member of the UMass Anti-War Coalition.
Senators at Monday's Association of Amherst Students (AAS) meeting discussed their reactions to the strike. "I don't think it is the role of the AAS to be for or against the war ... professors shouldn't be taking time out of valuable classes," said Andre Deckrow '06. Ben Baum '03 emphasized the importance of discussing the issues in addition to having professors voice their personal opinions.
In the end, the AAS narrowly rejected a proposal by Senator Maria Jones '05 to ask the faculty, on behalf of the AAS, to discuss the war in Iraq for a few minutes at the end of their classes on today.
Without the support of the AAS, Jones still requested at the faculty meeting that the faculty spend some time discussing the issue in their classes today. AAS Vice-President Bob Razavi read a statement on behalf of Jones at the meeting. "What we request is the opening up of debate on all different perspectives to this matter," stated Ravazi. The Progressive Student Alliance and five members of the AAS signed Jones' statement.
Hampshire College has encouraged all members of its community to join in the activities planned on its campus on March 5. Students at Hampshire have organized speakers, events and discussions to last throughout the day. The college's president, Gregory S. Prince, Jr. will make a statement at a campus-wide luncheon that day.
"[We are] preaching to the converted, but this is a nationwide set of activities and it's incredibly important to make commitments, even if small action can't make changes,' said Christopher Cox, an associate professor of philosophy at Hampshire.
"Hampshire is asking the faculty to discuss with their classes whether they plan to join in these activities, to continue their classes as planned, or to use their classes to explore how the current crisis relates to the subject matter of their courses," stated a press release from Hampshire.
Hampshire has already announced that if a war with Iraq begins, the college will interrupt its normal operation to provide support for those involved in the war.