News
By Lauren Todd Pappa
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September 24, 2004
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.