Budget protest organizers asking for student amnesty

Student organizers are asking UCO college deans to grant attendance amnesty for students leaving class to protest. This is in response to the previous student demonstrations that took place on April 6th and 7th.

Logan Boyd, organizer of the campus protest, sent a letter to the dean of every college asking for their cooperation in allowing students to leave classes in order to protest, but only if they receive proof of attendance. In Boyd’s letter sent out on Thursday, he states that “It has become clear that students must speak out for our faculty.”

UCO is in the midst of a budget crisis, and is preparing to possibly remove 40+ staff members from the university. Allegations of sexual misconduct against UCO staff member Kato Buss has also sparked outrage on campus, with Buss recently being recommended for promotion.

“The last thing any of us want to see is the termination of faculty members who have substantially impacted the UCO community,” Boyd states in his letter. “Students have expressed support for our cause but refuse to participate for fear of retaliation by their departments.”

The protest organizers plan to continue demonstrations until a substantial change in operations has been reached.