The Speech and Expression Committee has questioned the decision of Vice President for Student Affairs Juan Gonzalez to cancel the Progressive Career Fair last Wednesday. Gonzalez told career fair organizers that he wanted to delay the career fair until further notice, due to concerns that certain organizations being represented might advocate issues contrary to Catholic teaching.
The Progressive Career Fair, which was originally organized by members of GU Pride and Hyas for Choice, was intended to bring a range of more “progressive” organizations to students, including the Human Rights Campaign and the American Civil Liberties Union.
Since the last-minute cancellation of the fair, members of GU Pride have met with Gonzalez to discuss his decision.
According to GU Pride Co-President Joe McFadden (CAS ‘02), a Voice staff member, nine student organizations?not including GU Pride and Hyas for Choice?have signed a letter for Gonzalez asking for an apology for his decision to postpone the career fair. These groups, which include the Georgetown Solidarity Committee, College Democrats and Campaign to End the Death Penalty, have also mobilized to decide the future of the Progressive Career Fair.
“I think people were just outraged at what happened, even though it didn’t affect them directly,” McFadden said. “I think people saw it as Georgetown stepping in to limit students’ freedom of speech.”
GSC members did not return calls before press time.
McFadden said that Gonzalez told him and other members of GU Pride that his decision to postpone the career fair had been questioned by the University’s Committee on Speech and Expression.
“He told us on Friday that he went to the Committee on Speech and Expression, and they told him that he was ‘skating on thin ice’,” McFadden said.
According to the University’s speech and expression policy, “to forbid or limit discource contradicts everthing the University stands for … There is the assumption that the exchange of ideas will lead to clarity, mutual understanding, the tempering of harsh and extreme positions, the softening of hardened positions and ultimately the attainment of truth.”
The Committee on Speech and Expression, which is composed of four faculty members and four undergraduate students, will continue to discuss the situation and has yet to reach a decision.
McFadden said that GU Pride does not plan to spearhead any actions to push for the rescheduling of the career fair.
Hyas for Choice Board Member Kelsey Beckner (CAS ‘02) said that Hyas for Choice has not decided what its role will be in the future of the Progressive Career Fair.
“As individuals who go to this school, but who aren’t recognized as a group, we’re not sure what rights we have,” she said.
