UCSC Chancellor sets appointment to meet with Tent U Participants

Chancellor Denton and Mayor Rotkin show their pusses in public on Thursday 3 PM at City Hall and afterwards at a reception. The citizenry can salute them and show their appreciation for their fine "crowd control" tactics up at Tent University on April 18th.

They might also ask them to release the documentation of who directed the "strangulation" tactics, where the figures are for city use of pepper spray, pain compliance holds, display of weapons, and taisering--which Mayor Rotkin has so far refused to release.

Tent University Santa Cruz: What Went Right, What Went Wrong?

James Rowe*

The past three weeks have been very eventful at UCSC: counter-recruitment efforts, an amazing strike (we won that shit – when is the party?), April 18th at Tent University, The state-wide student walk-out… Something is in the air. It is important for us to keep up the momentum, but also to reflect and learn from our own successes and mishaps. In this contribution to the ongoing conversations, I’d like to focus on the controversies and questions surrounding Tent University. I want to unpack the crucial criticisms that have been raised around this initiative, while also acknowledging the hard work and perseverance of Tent U’s organizers. Most importantly, I want to emphasize how this undoubtedly problematic event has still managed to open a space of possibility for student orgs and ‘the movement’ these orgs may potentially become and power. In sum I think student activists need to simultaneously engage in critical conversations about Tent U, while capitalizing on the moment it has provided – however awkwardly so.

Audio and photos from Ward Churchill's May 2nd 2005 talk at California State University Monterey Bay.