Spectrum sponsored a 24-walk from noon Tuesday until noon yesterday in support of their campaign to change Boston University’s non-discrimination clause to include protection for homosexual, bisexual and transgendered students. The group organized the walk in the hopes of increasing student awareness of their position on this issue.
The group should change their approach. While many students may support Spectrum’s cause, not everyone would want to participate in such a demonstration. The walk failed to provide a way to promote widespread student participation. Spectrum should also not isolate potential supporters by offering means of protest that would be unrealistic and unattractive to most students.
In the same way, Spectrum’s plan to encourage alumni donors to discontinue their financial support may turn off the very people who could help them the most. Instead of advocating that alumni cut off their financial allegiances with the University, they should ask them to support their effort. This approach would help the group to foster relationships with people who could actually influence administrators if they express dissatisfaction with University policies.
The struggle to communicate their views with University administrators is a challenging one. The group must dedicate a continuous effort to changing this clause because that is the only way that they will achieve their goal. If Spectrum had committed to this approach more visibly since the beginning of the academic year, they may have made more progress by this point.
However, it should be noted that the walk did accomplish Spectrum’s goal of increasing awareness about the issue. Even though the organization did not have the participation that they may have wanted, thousands of students saw the clause’s supporters and saw the walkers acting on their commitment to their cause, showcasing how serious they are about change. The group should continue to sponsor events that publicize their cause and efforts to inform students about their progress.
However, if Spectrum wants to achieve a successful campaign, the group needs to enlist the help of concerned students and alumni and concentrate on taking smaller, more realistic steps to achieve their massive goals.
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