Mon Apr 21 2008
D-Q U Students and Supporters Continue to Struggle for Justice
On April 17th, community supporters and student activists at D-Q University received letters from the Yolo County District Attorney that informed them that the charges against the 18 arrested on campus on March 31, 2008 have been dropped. The Associated Student Body held an Honoring of the Elders Gathering as well as a press conference on Sunday, April 20, 2008. D-Q University, which is California’s only Tribal College was founded in 1971 by Native American and Chicano activists. Through misappropriation of funds and administrative corruption, the University lost its accreditation in 2005. Since then, students and supportive community members have protested the lack of investigation into the missing documents, transcripts, and funding taken from the University by the former and current Board of Trustees. The current board has not worked toward attaining accreditation, hiring new administration, or bringing in funding for the school, in spite of three years of existence. The community and students demand that accredited classes be held at the University.
Students say, "The board has gone on a smear campaign in retaliation against the community and students for blowing the whistle on their mismanagement of the University." Five students still have cases pending in court. Friends of D-Q University will continue to demand justice for the three students arrested on February 20, 2008 on campus, as well as the two students that were arrested at gunpoint by the Yolo County Sheriffs as they slept next to the sweat lodge on ceremonial grounds on April 2, 2008. D-Q U's ASB and supporters are demanding an end to the harassment against the students by the Board of Trustees, the Yolo County Sheriffs Department and the Yolo County Board of Supervisors. Friends of D-Q U are sending letters in support of the students who still face charges be sent to: the Yolo County District Attorney, the Yolo County Sheriffs Department, CA Attorney General Jerry Brown, Sacramento and the Washington D.C. BIA Offices and the Yolo County Board of Supervisors, demanding that these agencies end the "reign of terror" against students and organizers in support of the University. The community demands that its rights to an education and a right to assemble and hold ceremonies on D-Q U campus be respected. D-Q University supporters seek justice for all the caretakers of D-Q U and for the health and safety of the land.
Students are holding classes, programs and workshops on campus in order to remain compliant with regulations stated in the deed to the University. These classes include the Bio-diesel Program, the Indigenous Permaculture Program and Indigenous Nations Network Media Workhops, along with bi-weekly ceremonies.
Indybay's Past Coverage 3/31 | 2/20 || D-Q U on MySpace

