The minutes from the 2005 Campus Antiwar Network National Conference Minutes are both below as plain text and attached as a word document. They should be available on the website for download as well in the next couple of days.
–Josh Karpoff
Rochester Institute of Technology Anti War, Organizer
Campus Antiwar Network, Website Manager
Email: trotskysghost@hotmail.com
Sunday Agenda
Structure Proposals 10am-10:30 am
Regional Breakouts and CC Elections 10:30-11:15
Major Action Proposals 11:15-12:00
Final joint session with MOOS Noon-1
Resources, endorsements, and other action proposals 1:15-2:00
Voting: 37 Schools (74 Delegates), 38 votes to pass
Conference Minutes
Agenda – CC Proposal
Passes: Unanimously
Structure of the CC Proposal – CC Proposal
CAN’s national coordinating committee will have one representative from each of the five regions, five at-large representatives and two at-large high school representatives (which does not preclude high school students from being elected as regional representatives). CAN will also elect three alternates who may be invited to join the coordinating committee in the event of a resignation.
CtQ: Charles P, HCC, seconded (many for)
Passes: Many for, 0 against, 2 Abstentions
Internship Proposal – CC Proposal
CAN will offer an unpaid internship program that allows students who have internships as a part of their studies to work for CAN on our common work. The terms of this position will be worked out in collaboration with the Coordinating Committee and will work towards strengthening the priorities of CAN nationally as determined by the national conference. In the future the CC will establish a more formal application process.
CtQ: Dave D, SUNY Geneseo (Many for)
Passes: Unanimously
Delegate Proposal – CC Proposal
Two delegates from each campus should give their contact info to the Coordinating Committee so that the CC can be in direct touch and more prepared to coordinate national activities. If one of these delegates graduates or otherwise moves on, the CAN chapter should elect a new point person to be in touch with the CC.
CtQ: Unanimous
Passes Unanimously
Chapter Dues- CC Proposal
In order to begin to accumulate a national treasury, established CAN chapters will pay membership dues to the national network. As CAN takes on more national initiatives, it is critical for us to have a treasury for travel, honorarium, publicity and conference expenses. Depending on the resources of the chapters we ask that each chapter pay $50-$100 annual dues. Amended sliding scale of $50-$300 (friendly)
CtQ: Unanimous
Passes: Many for, 1 opposed, 1 Abstention
Establishment of a CAN Treasury – CC Proposal
We propose the establishment of a CAN treasury. This would consist of a CAN Treasurer as well as East and West of the Mississippi Treasury Assistants. The Treasurer will be called on by the Coordinating Committee to be a part of important financial discussions and votes, as well as help implement these decisions. The Treasury Assistants would also serve as alternates in the event of the treasurer’s resignation. Members of the CC may also run as Treasurer or Treasury Assistant. The CAN Treasury will submit an annual report giving the income and expenditures of CAN nationally. This will be used for the eventual establishment of a CAN operating budget.
CtQ: Unanimous
Passes: Unanimous
Agenda Modification (Action Proposals before Regional Breakouts)
Call the Question (Many for)
Fails: For: 20, Against: 37, Abstentions: 10
Coordinating Committee Election Results
Northeast: Shinah, Holyoke CC (MA)
Mid-Atlantic: Ian, Rutgers (NJ)
Southern: Desmond, Georgia State (GA)
Midwest: Nikki, Kent State (OH)
Western: Kristen, SFSU (CA)
At Large: Wes, Cornell: 50 votes (NY)
At Large: Elizabeth, NYU: 68 votes (NY)
At Large: Jorge, Seattle Central CC: 68 votes (WA)
At Large: Dave, SUNY Geneseo: 54 votes (NY)
At Large: Chris, N. Iowa: 52 votes (IA)
High School: Helen Y., Westmoor HS (CA)
High School: Unfilled
Alternate: Jeff, UC Berkeley (CA)
Alternate: Sophie, Bennington (VT)
Alternate: Dan, Pace University (NY)
Treasury Election Results
Treasurer: Dave, SUNY Geneseo (NY)
East Treasury Asst.: Sophie, Bennington (VT)
West Treasury Asst.: Karen, UT Austin (TX)
Contact info for the new coordinating committee will be available on the website by November 1st.
Action Proposals
3/19 Day of Action w/ CR Petitions in Student Gov’ts – Rutgers
1. The Campus Antiwar Network shall launch a national “College Not
Combat” counter recruitment campaign on every campus with an active CAN
chapter
2. The aim of the petition campaign will be threefold:
a. First to unite the various counter-recruitment efforts into one
united nationwide campaign. On campuses where no CAN chapter exists, the petition can be used as the focal point for starting a chapter of CAN.
b. Second, to pressure college and university administrations (as well as Student Government bodies) to take a stand against military
recruitment on our campuses.
c. Third, to pressure college and university administrations to oppose federal reprisals against campuses that kick out military recruiters.
3. The College Not Combat petition campaign will culminate in the simultaneous delivery of signatures to administrations on campuses across the country sometime in the week of March 15 (date to be decide). On this day, CAN chapters will organize rallies, speakouts and press conferences on every campus to mark the submitting of the petitions. In addition, all participants will don a black armband with the words “recruiters off campus” (or some symbol to be decided) and refuse to take them off until action is taken. (The idea is also to show a visible sign of resistance in addition to the petition).
4. Why the week of March 19:
a. This day will mark the anniversary of the start of the Iraq war.
b. CAN could also call for a national week of action, and include delivering the petitions as the kickoff event on all the campuses for this week of action
c. In order for the action to be successful, campus antiwar groups will need to gather thousands of signatures on each campus. This will
involve persistent tabling, “dorm storming” and other activities to help gather signatures. With the winter break intervening, we will
have about three months to carry out this campaign.
5. Draft of Petition
College Not Combat Petition to Stop Military Recruitment on Campuses
Two thousand U.S. Soldiers have died, and several thousands more
injured, in a war that was based on lies. Tens of thousands of Iraqi
civilians have been killed so far, and there is no end in sight. To
continue to wage its illegal and immoral war, the government hopes to
recruit students and the youth to its military machine. But what we
need today is books, not guns; College not Combat. Killing Iraqis is
not a career. We the undersigned call upon our administration and our
Student Government body to:
1. Take a public stand against military recruitment on our campus
2. Take steps to actively oppose any Federal reprisals on universities that kick recruiters off of campuses
CtQ: Unanimous
Passed Unanimously
December 6 Supreme Court Day of Action -Berkeley
Day of Action at Recruiting Station– NYU
(These two proposals were merged into one day of action by the working groups)
We propose that CAN make December 6, 2005 a anational day of action because this is the date that the FAIR v. Rumsfeld case will be taking place. This case will be heard by the US Supreme Court on whether campuses that ban military recruiters would lose their federal funding.
CAN call a national day od city wide, nation wide demonstrations at military recruiting stations, before the end of this semester.
We think CAN is in a position to organize an impressive day of action targeting military recruiting stations around teh country. This will increase the pressure on the military as they struggle to boost enlistments before the end of the year; put students in a position of leadership over an important demonstration, as we were in the College Not Combat/ Relief Not War contingents; and help to widely publicize the fact that there is a national student movement against recruitment and the war, which can inspire students in other places.
CtQ: Unanimous
Passed, Many for, 1 against, 2 abstentions
Day of Action for Kent State May 4 (see packet) – Kent State
Every year on May 4th the media comes to Kent State to see not only the commemoration of those who died and were injured because of the U.S. military invading a college campus 35 years ago, but also to see what the anti-war activists have planned. This year the Kent State Anti-War Committee (KSAWC) wants to have a large demonstration and march into town to declare the Troops be pulled out now and the military recruiters leave our schools! The area high school may plan a walk out to join us.
This will: help publicize the voice of CAN nationally in the media; bring members of CAN from across the U.S. together so that we see our strength in numbers; lead us into a summer that is not dormant, but rather motivates us to continue in our fight to end the war and demilitarize our schools throughout the summer.
There may be a chance to do this at both KENT STATE and JACKSON STATE, depending on what JACKSON STATE would like to do. We feel this is a crucial time for the anti-war movement to come together and demand Troops Out Now!
College Not Combat! because of the history at KENT and JACKSON STATE. We cannot forget the history of the anti-war movement if we want to move forward. And we feel the best way to do this is to gather together for a national day of action.
KENT STATE could provide housing for those traveling out of town and there is the possibility of a full weekend of events, since May 4th is a Thursday. Maybe on Friday, a large die-in at the ROTC building, maybe on Saturday, a planning meeting for ways to stay active during the summer? We have just recently begun discussing May 4th weekend. This would be a regional mobilization. Chapters in other regions should consider some type of action.
CtQ: Unanimous
Passed: Many for, 0 Against , 2 Abstentions
Delegate recount: 68, passing = 35
Regional Conferences – CC Proposal
The CC proposes that regional conferences be held this spring sometime between late March and early April.
CtQ: Many for
Passes Unanimously
College Not Combat, Troops Out Now! Statement – CC Proposal
The continued occupation of Iraq by US coalition forces is the most recent stage of a long standing racist war agsinst the Iraqi people. The Iraqi people will never be ffree as long as foreign occupier remain in their country. Instead of preventing the deteoration of Iraqi society, the US military presence is actually teh driving force behind the death and destruction ravaging the region.
Alongside escalating military operations in Iraq come escalating recruitment efforts to fill the militay’s shrinking ranks. In order to pay for their war on Iraq they are cutting spending on education, job training and disaster relief. Young people are watching educational opportunities in their schools diminish while recruiting efforts intensify. We refuse to stand by quietly as our generation gets signed up for endless war.
CtQ: Many
Passes: Many for, 0 Against , 2 Abstentions
Resources
Lit Committee – Lit WG
1. The Campus Antiwar Network shall have a literature working group.
2. The duties of this group shall include, but not be limited to:
a. Producing a comprehensive pamphlet on how to start a CAN chapter
that is more in depth than the current information. This pamphlet shall
include but not be limited to the topics how to build a group, how to
make flyers, how to publicize, and how to affiliate with can.
b. The literature working group shall be charged with the task of
maintaining the current materials on the website as well as adding new
materials as the working group deems necessary.
c. The literature working group shall work with the group maintaining
the website to post previous literature that they believe is pertinent
to the movement, but not available, such as the pamphlet “the lies they
tell to sell their war.”
d. Lastly the literature working group shall create a book cataloging
the work of the counter recruitment movement. This book should include
but not be limited to:
i. The history of draft and counter recruitment protests.
ii. A collection of true stories of counter recruitment both for
inspiration and for information.
iii. Explanations as fully as possible of legal action that can
be taken as well as your rights.
iv. An information page containing places for further reading
and contact people for CAN.
CtQ: Unanimous
Passes Unanimously
Counter Recruitment Resource Page – Tabled
No one available to motivate the proposal.
Website revamp – Website WG
The Website Working Group proposes that the entire CAN website, www.campusantiwar.net be redone, so as to meet our current needs. The current website will remain up until the new one is complete, with the launch of the new site taking place late one night. The chapter at RIT has offered to host the CAN site for free, which will not mean any changes in the domain name, but will mean a cost savings to CAN nationally. The important points raised by the working group are:
-Renew URL and Hosting, in CAN’s name BEFORE January 6
-Transfer ownership of backup domains (www.campusantiwar.org and www.campusantiwarnetwork.org)
-Give website working group full access to backend of site
-Create new Chapters List w/ delegate info and chapter url (if available)
-New Site Structure Layout:
-News – Campus Reports, Newsletter, Current Actions, CAN authors/ blog
-About CAN: Structure, CC, FAQ, Talking Points
– Join CAN: Contact Form, How to Start a Chapter Page
-Resources – Flyers, Pamphlets, Petitions and cross link to Newspaper
-Photos – Actions, Conferences
-Links – Other groups, resource pages
-A small picture of the front page of the lastest issue of the Newspaper will be in the upper right hand corner of the site, which will link to pages for the latest issue.
-The Paypal “DONATE” button made more prominant. This is the preferred method to donate to CAN.
Passed Unanimously
Anti Repression WG
-Legal Strategy
-Publicity for defense campaigns
-CAN solidarity strategy
Passes: Unanimously
New “How to Start a CAN Chapter Handbook”- Bennington
Motivated by the “How to Start a CAN Chapter Workshop”
We the “How to Create a CAN Chapter Working Group” propose the creation of a how to start a CAN chapter manual. This compendium to beginning ones experience in CAN organizing would include the following:
v History of CAN
v What CAN stands for
-Who we are
-Points of unity
-Structure
v How to start a chapter
-Sign-up sheet
-Tabling/flyering
-Meetings
-Organization/publicity
-How to chair
-Panel discussions
-Getting people involved in the groups organizing
-How to keep people interested (weekly discussions, etc)
-Getting established as a campus organization
-Affiliating to CAN
-Understanding internal structure (democratic leadership, roles in group)
-Resources, links, etc
-Regional coordination
-Events to hold (teach-ins, public meetings, movie screenings, debates, etc)
v Counter Recruitment
-Media
-Faculty
-Petitions
-Building for rallies
v High School
-Counter recruitment
-School club policies
-No child left behind, opt out, ASVAB
v Activist Materials and Resources
-Templates
-Petitions
-Contacting congressmen
-Flyers
-Website links
In conclusion, by constructing this comprehensive manual for new chapters we will equip and empower them to develop into strong and productive organizations.
Passes Unanimously
Start a CAN newspaper – U. Northern Iowa
-The Legacy will pay for the printing of the first issue
-The First issue will be sent out to every CAN chapter
-CAN chapters can then order following issues
-A CAN newspaper working group will be formed
-This newspaper could serve as the voice for the student anti- war movement
-The working group will raise funds for the newspaper
-Content will include:
-Take action section (what CAN is doing)
-Hard news on Iraq
-Features on actions taken by CAN chapters
-arts & music
-All CAN members can contribute
-Newsletter will come out no matter what, even if the paper fails!!
-Down the road a website will be developed for the newspaper
-Local printable format will be available in PDF
-Suggested Donation of 50 Cents
-Newspaper Committee will make getting copies to HS’s for free a priority
Counter Proposal: An Internet only based newspaper/ newsletter – Alan M, RIT, seconded
CtQ: Many for, 6 Opposed
Fails: 6 for, Many Against, 6 Abstentions
Amended Proposal (added PDF, Suggested Donation, and HS priority)
Passes: Many for, 0 against, 1 Abstention
More Actions
Speaking tour Jan/ Feb (War Resisters) – Rutgers (Nat’l Organizing Workshop idea)
Passes: Unanimously
CAN Chapters consider adopting a color/ logo – Cornell
SUGGESTION (withdrawn as a proposal)
RECESS: 18 for, 25 against (Motion Failed)
Days of Action around Iraq developments – Hunter
Passes Unanimously
Adopt a HS – HS Workshop Idea
1. While CAN has historically been situated on college campuses, the need to build CAN chapters on high schools campuses is clear. Military recruitment takes its sharpest form amongst high school students, especially those which predominantly enroll people of color and children of the working class. It is imperative that the burgeoning counter-recruitment movement take hold in those places where it is the most insidious.
2. For the first time in its history, CAN is growing steadily and grounded on a significant number of campuses. We no longer need to concentrate solely on holding together a national organization; we now have the opportunity to expand outward and focus much of our energy on building CAN chapters on campuses where presently there are none.
3. As a grassroots, democratic network, CAN wishes to see the counter-recruitment movement grow organically on high school campuses, with high school students themselves taking the lead in ending recruitment at their respective schools. Thus, our approach to high school counter-recruitment is not to simply use our existing chapters to convince high school students not to enlist. Instead, we wish to use our experience and resources to help high school students to initiate and lead counter-recruitment activity on their own campuses.
4. Each CAN chapter, given sufficient resources, shall select a local high school on which to facilitate the building of such activity. The goal shall be to find students who wish to lead the counter-recruitment movement on their campus, and to assist them in whatever ways are possible.
5. This concerted effort to build CAN chapters on local high schools shall commence on a single day and/or week, to be decided on by a national CAN working group, in order to give a sense of momentum to this effort and for the sharing of strategies and experiences amongst already existing CAN chapters.
6. CAN chapters shall make a special effort to get interested high school students at their designated school to the regional CAN conferences to be held in the spring.
Passes Unanimously
Endorse Nov. 2 YAWR and where possible mobilize– CC Proposal
Passes Unanimously
Endorse Nov. 2 WCW – CCSF
Passes: 32 For, 14 Against, 14 Abstentions
Endorse Campaigns to “Bring the Nat’l Guard Home” across the US – CC Proposal
-Code Pink Campaign in CA
-Bring the Guard Home campaign in MA
-All other similar initiatives
Passes Unanimously
Endorse “Books Not Bombs” Nov. 17 NYSPC – Elizabeth, NYU
-We also ask NYSPC to endorse our actions
Passes Unanimously
We really really want to Send Delegates to the WSF –
Passes Unanimously
Conference Concludes