Members of NRT have reached out to Bwog to inform us of their plans to continue their efforts from last night this morning at 11:30. Read the full release below. 

COLUMBIA STUDENTS PROTEST SEXUAL ASSAULT

What: Columbia students continue their protests of the University’s handling of sexual and dating violence by dropping banners of prominent campus buildings as hundreds of prospective students watch. The group No Red Tape is demanding that Columbia improve their adjudication process, issue harsher sanctions for rapists and abusers, expand their prevention education and provide more resources to survivors. This protest was a part of the national day of action organized by the Carry That Weight campaign where student groups at schools across the country are demanding action and improved policies from their administrations. The campaign was inspired by the activism and art of Emma Sulkowicz, who is boldly carrying the mattress from her dorm room as long as her rapist continues to attend Columbia University. Through this powerful demonstration of student power and solidarity, students will tangibly express their commitment to lift the burden of sexual and dating violence from the shoulders of survivors alone and pressure their college administrations to help carry that weight.

Who: No Red Tape is a student-led organization working to end sexual and domestic violence on Columbia’s campus through direct action. We are a part of the Carry That Weight campaign which is organized by Carry That Weight and the United States Student Association.

Where: The rally will be held on Low Plaza on Columbia’s campus. Low is accessible via College Walk which can be entered on W 116th St at Broadway or Amsterdam.

When: April 13, 2015 at 11:30am

Follow the conversation on twitter: #carrythatweight

Update, 4:14 PM: NRT released an additional press release this afternoon in regards to their greater activity these past couple of days. You can read it below.

No Red Tape Days on Campus Action Press Release

On April 12, 2015, No Red Tape interrupted a family information session for admitted students to inform them about Columbia University’s dangerously inadequate Gender-Based Misconduct Policy. That night, No Red Tape also projected messages onto the facade of Low Library to shed light on the prevalence of gender-based violence on Columbia’s campus.

We believe prospective students have a right to know that Columbia’s gender-based misconduct policy ensures unfair and retraumatizing adjudication processes, and the continued presence of rapists on campus. Too many of us have already been hurt by unjust policies that fail to address the issue of sexual and domestic violence. Under the current policy, Columbia punishes rapists and abuser with a mere slap on the wrist, most commonly a 1 semester suspension. Perpetrators of violence are allowed to return to campus in good standing without meaningful sanctioning or re-education, and hold positions of power as orientation leaders and resident advisors. Deans with no training or expertise in the issues of sexual and domestic violence are given the authority of sanctioning in cases of gender-based misconduct, and survivors are left without adequate resources or support systems. Prospective students and their families deserve to know that under Columbia’s policy, even their Days on Campus host could be a student who was found responsible for gender-based violence.

Columbia has threatened us with disciplinary action in the past for sharing this information with prospective students, and they continually attempt to silence us. During the night, a university employee attempted to obstruct the projection, despite the commitment of public safety officers to uphold our right to peaceful demonstration. However, we continued to project our message and educate the campus community about Columbia’s ineffective gender-based misconduct policy, and the other ways in which the university repeatedly fails its students. As long as our administration refuses to meet the needs of survivors and our campus remains unsafe for students, we will not be silenced. As long as President Bollinger, Executive Vice President Suzanne Goldberg, Dean Jeri Henry, and other administrators fail to take meaningful action to end gender-based violence, we will not fail to make our voices heard.