Dear President Waterbury:

I read the e-mail you sent to AUB students and faculty on January 18, entitled "re-affirming regulations on demonstrations and displays in public places." I think that this e-mail contains several points that should be clarified and reconsidered.

 First of all I think that the use of the word "re-affirming" is quite inappropriate:  students have never been formally notified of a "regulation on student demonstrations and displays in public places."  Such a regulation or policy doesn't exist either on the AUB web site or in the AUB catalogue or in the Office of Student Affairs.  I think that such an important regulation should be made available for the AUB community at large so that a new student becomes aware of it as soon as she/he joins AUB.

In addition the word "regulations" is also out of place.  Regulations, rules, policies, and bylaws are the result of the work of a committee that publishes a report.  As far as students know, neither the University Senate nor the Board of Deans nor the Board of Trustees nor the Policies and Procedures Review Committee has ever tackled this issue in a comprehensive manner.  The issue has only been tackled at certain points in time when a demonstration or sit-in took place on campus. Therefore the right word to use is "decision" or "measure" and hence the e-mail would be entitled:  "Introducing the President's Latest Decisions Concerning Demonstrations and Displays in Public Places."

My point goes far beyond procedural matters;  its tackles the essence of the basic rights of students to freedom of speech and demonstrations.  Getting the approval of the Office of Student Affairs or the Board of Deans is simply not acceptable: it constitutes an interference of the administration in student activism.  What if the Office of Student Affairs doesn't give its approval for a certain demonstration?  What would be the justification for such an act?  Wouldn't this contribute to the escalation of tension among students, which was the case when this office censored the latest exhibition by the Human Rights and Peace Club?  What are the "University norms and policies" that you referred to in the email?  To what "Lebanese law" would the Board of Deans refer when deciding on whether to allow a demonstration or not?

Another concern is the impartiality of the administration.  In other words, what guarantees do students have?  Looking back at all the demonstrations and sit-ins which took place on campus in the last few years, one might ask: if an approval were required, would they have approved demonstrations supporting the Palestinian struggle?  Would they have approved the demonstrations against Syrian military presence in Lebanon?  And last but not least, would they have approved the demonstration against the American ambassador Mr. David Satterfield?

You also refer, Mr. President, to the fact that "campus protection might be instructed to bring a public gathering to an end."  This can lead us to think of several scenarios that might take place: "AUB Security Crushes an Unauthorized Peaceful Demonstration against the Raising of Tuition Fees," "US Ambassador's Bodyguards Backed up by Campus Protection Guards Bring a Demonstration against the Presence of Mr. Satterfield on Campus to an End." Mr. President, I think that neither students nor faculty nor administrators would want such headlines to appear in the media.

The only point I agree with is that concerning "intimidating and threatening a member of the community in the execution of his rights and duties."  Needless to say that the use of violence is totally unacceptable, but has any call for a strike been coupled with such behavior?  Why is the administration reluctant to deal with the situation of a democratic call for a strike through a counter-media campaign using fliers, posters, or communiqués?  Isn't the right to go on  strike one of the basic human rights and freedoms of expression and most of all one of the tools of change in modern democracies?

Finally, I think that any policy of the kind should be studied by the USFC, which is the right channel for discussing this issue. The main guidelines to be followed by the policy shall be: freedom of speech in its most comprehensive concept, legitimization of political activities on campus, and non-interference of the administration in student activism.