Dunn, speaking for the administration to the Phoenix, cited an even finer distinction between faculty sponsorship and faculty co-sponsorship — something of which Kersch, Cawthorne, nor any student organizer was aware. But according to Dunn, Kersch's status as co-sponsor, and not the sponsor, allowed administrators to wield veto power without running afoul of any policy. And Dean Cawthorne, who teaches two classes at BC, is an administrator, not a faculty member, and therefore didn't count, Dunn explained.
BC students are concerned with a new precedent. "In the past, events have been canceled because they conflict with Jesuit ideals, but this was a separate issue," says BC Democrats vice-president and event organizer Melissa Roberts. "This became bigger than Bill Ayers. This became about academic freedom at BC and whether it extends to students."
The answer to that, according to BC officials and President Leahy, is a resounding "no." Coupled with their dubious maneuvering to strip the event of faculty sponsorship, it's no wonder that angry students and faculty members are convinced that someone outside the campus is pulling the administration's strings.
Kyle Smeallie, a 2008 Boston College graduate, is a research assistant for civil-liberties attorney Harvey Silverglate. He can be reached at kyle@harveysilverglate.com.
