To show their support for adding sexual orientation to Boston University’s nondiscrimination policy, members of the Student Union will embark today on a 24-hour campus walk beginning at noon.
Walkers will commence the walk at Marsh Chapel and meet at the George Sherman Union every hour, according to Korina Ramsland, Student Union Safety Services Committee Chair, who informed the Senate of the walk at last night’s meeting, but failed to mention her affiliation with the walk’s organizer, Matthew D’Olimpio.
D’Olimpio is running for president on the Perpetual Motion Union slate, a slate on which Ramsland is also running, and according to Election rules, slate members are not allowed to discuss specific slate news at any Senate meeting.
Although D’Olimpio organized the walk and every member of his slate is walking tomorrow, according to Ramsland, this is not a political move.
“It started out as a great idea for the community from someone who happens to be a student leader,” Ramsland said. “When we formed our slate [D’Olimpio] asked us to become involved, and we all felt strongly about it and we knew a very large portion of the BU community felt the same way.”
Ramsland said the walk is not a time for slates to garner attention, but rather to expand the growing support of the cause.
“Other slates are doing the same and just coming together for this cause,” she said. “They are putting the election aside, which is what we are trying to do.”
Ramsland said she is simply continuing efforts made by the current Union and Spectrum.
“This does not represent our slate,” she said. “We are representing a goal of the University. It’s something this year’s E-board, Ignite, has been trying to get accomplished.”
A week ago, the Spectrum-Student Union-written proposal to amend the nondiscrimination policy was delivered to President Jon Westling.
Ramsland said the walk, which is supported by Spectrum, is a peaceful way to reveal the growing support of the cause.
“It’s not meant to be a call to arms,” she said. “It’s not meant to be a sit-in or a march against the administration. It’s meant to be a form of communication. We don’t want to protest or go against the administration. We want to work with them. We feel that if we show support and how much it means to the student body, then they might understand more clearly.”
Ramsland said while the walk is another step in the battle to add sexual orientation to BU’s policy, she also cited Westling’s dinner last Wednesday at The Towers as a positive sign of a change.
“[Towers Senator] Sean Dixon said when he had dinner with President Westling that [Westling] said that he got the proposal, and he had a lot of ideas for it,” she said. “He wanted to sort out the details, and in detail go over the statement. We’re hoping we can give him another detail to take into consideration.
“A lot of people ‘come out’ in college, and this is kind of a hindering factor. They need to be made as comfortable and protected as possible. This clause would help with that protection.”
Walkers will head east every even hour and west every odd hour until noon tomorrow, Ramsland said. A flag with every class and the BU logo will accompany the walkers.
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