UNH won't take action against counter-protestors or professors calling for expulsions
Union Leader Correspondent
November 22. 2016 4:51PM
This photo was taken during a walkout at UNH on Nov. 15. (Courtesy Photo)
DURHAM — Several University of New Hampshire professors called on school administrators to expel two costumed counter-protesters at a walkout after the election of Donald Trump.
But school officials said they will not launch an investigation into who was wearing costumes depicting Richard Nixon and Harambe, the gorilla who was killed at a Cincinnati zoo earlier this year after a child fell into his area and he began pulling the boy around.
Officials also will not investigate the professors who called online for the expulsion of the pair after the on-campus gathering and march on Nov. 15. A spokesman said UNH could not confirm if the costumed protesters were students.
Former UNH professor Courtney Marshall posted a picture of what appears to be two men on Facebook. Several professors, including Robin Hackett, an associate professor of English and member of the women’s studies program, called for an investigation leading to the expulsion of the two.
Siobhan Senier, who is an English professor and women’s studies program faculty member, drafted a letter to UNH President Mark Huddleston and Provost Nancy Targett.
English lecturer Molly Campbell claimed the person dressed as Nixon was throwing pacifiers at the crowd. Lawrence Beemer, another English lecturer, was appalled by the apparent meaning behind the costumes, saying the students intended to represent an offensive internet meme.
On Tuesday, UNH spokesman Erika Mantz said the school is committed to free and open expression of all ideas. Mantz said there will be no investigation into what happened during the walkout, or online activity afterward. She also said the school could not confirm who the counter-protesters were.
“Every member of the University community has the right to hold, defend and promote their personal opinions. These opinions do not represent an official UNH position and are not presented as such,” Mantz said.
The actions of the professors follow two incidents that have raised questions about UNH’s institutional commitment to even-handedness. Huddleston addressed concerns about this election cycle in an opinion piece published in the New Hampshire Union Leader.
The first incident involved the women’s studies program and some of its social media posts, which favored Democratic candidates and campaign events. The second issue arose from a personal email that the director of UNH’s Carsey School of Public Policy sent to John Podesta, Hillary Clinton’s campaign chairman, offering to help.
“Where there has been a clear violation of the university policy prohibiting the use of institutional resources for partisan purposes, the university will take appropriate action. We will also make clear with all units the importance of not using university resources for partisan purposes,” Huddleston wrote. “It is important to recognize, however, that it is not always clear where the line is between permissible and impermissible political expression when using university resources.”
Huddleston said UNH is working with legal counsel to review the facts of the cases he addressed in his opinion piece.
According to state law, no recipient of grants or state funds may use the money to participate in political activity or contribute to entities engaged in such activities.
Although it is being reported the women’s studies program promoted on Facebook the walkout following Trump’s election, there is nothing currently posted on its discussion or events pages related to the topic.
