After a four-hour open trial that filled the trial room of Newcomb Hall last night, Graduate Student Rich Felker was found guilty of violating two University Standards of Conduct and was sentenced to 20 hours of community service with University Recycling and "suspension in abeyance."
According to UJC Chair Angela Carrico, suspension in abeyance means that if Felker is found guilty of violating standards 4, 8 or 12 again, it will be "very strongly recommended" to the next trial panel that he be suspended.
Felker, a member of Students for a Free Tibet, was charged with intentional disruption of a University activity and failure to comply with University officials when he attempted to chain himself to a banister in the Dome Room of the Rotunda during a speech by Chinese Ambassador Yang Jiech last June.
"I'm disappointed with the outcome that the Judiciary Committee was not willing to stand up for the free speech rights of students who wish to make their voices heard at the University about issues they feel deeply about," Felker said.
Felker said he understood the risk he took in attempting to stage a protest.
"I went into this whole protest understanding that there could be consequences -- just or unjust -- against the actions I took. I have no regrets about what happened, but I think this really sends the wrong message to students who should be encouraged to speak up about the things that matter most to them rather than threatened and harassed for it."
Felker was defended by co-counselors Joe Schilling and J.V. Nable. Jeff Tebbs and Ellen D'Angelo represented the complainant, Associate Dean of Students Aaron Laushway.
In response to the sanction levied against him, Felker said he is okay with the community service provision.
"I like doing things to benefit the community anyway and recycling is something that I care about," he said. "So I have no objection to that. I'll be happy to do my part there."
As for the suspension in abeyance, Felker said he thinks it tramples on his right to free speech.
"The suspension in abeyance -- I feel like this is continuing in the pattern of trying to quiet speech against China," he said. "Essentially this is a threat against me that if I continue to speak out boldly against China, they will impose more serious repercussions against me."
In what UJC members said likely was the first open trial in UJC history, approximately 40 spectators were in attendance, including about a dozen members of the local Tibetan community and former University student Adam Boyd, who was expelled in an open honor trial two years ago.
Before the trial, Felker said many people expressed "overwhelming support and wishes of good luck" to him.
"I was incredibly pleased with the turnout," he said. "To have the trial room packed for this case, I feel like it was a real honor to me and to the cause we're working for."
Carrico also expressed a positive outlook on the trial.
"In terms of it being an open trial, I was very pleased with the conduct of everyone and the way it occurred," she said. "I think it was good for the UJC to let some people see how our trial process works."
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