Rutgers University students are staging a sit-in at a school administration building in New Brunswick as protest to the school's decision to invite Condoleezza Rice to speak at the university's commencement next month, according to NJ.com.
Rice is to receive $35,000 for her appearance at the May 18 ceremony as decided by the Board of Governors who voted to pay the former secretary of state under President George W. Bush and national security adviser, NJ.com reported. Students and several faculty members want the invitation rescinded because of Rice's role in the Iraq War.
University President Robert Barchi and other school leaders have resisted the calls to "disinvite" Rice, saying the university welcomes open discourse on controversial topics, according to NJ.com.
"Like our fellow citizens, you and I - our colleagues - have deep and sincerely held beliefs and convictions that often stand in stark contrast to others around us," Barchi wrote. "Yet, we cannot protect free speech or academic freedom by denying others the right to an opposing view, or by excluding those with whom we may disagree. Free speech and academic freedom cannot be determined by any group. They cannot insist on consensus or popularity," read the letter written by Barchi, NJ.com reported.
The sit-in will took place at the Old Queens when about 50 students marched into the building this afternoon and refused to leave, according to student accounts posted on Twitter and other social media sites, NJ.com reported.
Photos and videos of the protest show students lining the Old Queens staircase outside the doors leading to President Robert Barchi's outer office on the second floor, according to NJ.com.
Some students held signs protesting the choice of Rice to speak at commencement which read "No honors for war criminals," "War criminals out" and "RU 4 Humanity?," NJ.com reported.
Rice is scheduled to speak and pick up an honorary doctorate degree May 18 at Rutgers commencement at the campus football stadium in Piscataway, according to NJ.com.
"Condoleezza Rice ... played a prominent role in the administration's effort to mislead the American people about the presence of weapons of mass destruction," read one protest resolution approved by a New Brunswick faculty group, NJ.com reported.
