The Progressive Career Fair organized by GU Pride and Hyas for Choice was suspended by the administration Wednesday night. Groups contacted by students, including Amnesty International, Catholics for Free Choice and the ACLU, will not attend Thursday’s fair as planned.
GU Pride, a student group recognized by the University, had worked with Hyas for Choice, a group without University recognition, to organize a more progressive display of available jobs and internships.
The fair was approved through the SAC Commission and a room had been reserved for the groups, said GU Pride and Voice staff member Joe McFadden (CAS ‘02).
Administrators met Wednesday evening in response to student concerns that certain groups were contrary to Catholic teaching, McFadden said.
“They asked me to postpone the career fair until we could talk it out better,” McFadden said.
“It was never meant to be a controversy. We were just trying to bring non-profit groups that aren’t normally represented to campus,” McFadden said.
The student organizers hung posters announcing the fair on Wednesday and were planning to distribute more fliers when they learned of the event’s cancellation, said representatives of Hyas for Choice.
The student organizers said that they were surprised by the University’s response.
“Basically we’re just confused about why the University would want to not allow students to be exposed to a wider range of viewpoints,” said Kelsey Beckner (CAS ‘02), a board member for Hyas for Choice.
Betsy Illingworth (SFS ‘02), also a board member for H*yas for Choice, expressed her surprise at the cancellation.
“We weren’t doing anything in protest,” Illingworth said.
