|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Activist group applauds Likins
To the editor, I am writing this letter in light of the ongoing debate about university affiliation with corporations who employ sweatshop labor. The members of Students Against Sweatshops applaud President Likins' participation in the "No Sweat U" conference that took place in Washington, D.C. on October 6. The importance of the conference is immense, as it brought together members of the apparel industry and the university community, students included, to discuss corporate employment of sweatshop labor and university affiliation with such corporations. President Likins' involvement in the conference is exactly the kind of active participation we feel is necessary in order to deal with this issue fairly. However, it is only a first step, and we encourage President Likins to pursue this issue further and to keep lines of communication with concerned students open. We would also like to remind the student body that, despite the signed Nike contract, this is not a dead issue. We encourage students who feel that the reputation of the university is tainted by affiliation with companies such as Nike, and who feel that the exploitation of oversees workers ought not be viewed as "business as usual," to voice their concern. As university students, we have a unique opportunity to have our voices heard, and we urge that this opportunity be taken advantage of.
Brian Kalkbrenner |
