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D-Q University Students Face New Threats of Arrests
Students at D-Q University continue classes despite threats of arrests.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Press Contacts:
Linda Roberts: Firefly817 [at] msn.com 505-603-2908
Lupita Torres peetuhpocket [at] yahoo.com 408-529-3849
Ignacio Barragan ibarragan [at] ucdavis.edu 714-423-0716
Steven Jerome Wyatt thegreatlizardking [at] yahoo.com
STUDENT LEADERS AT D-Q UNIVERSITY FACE NEW THREATS OF ARRESTS
Davis, CA- Student Leaders at Deganawidah-Quetzalcoatl prepare for another possible series of arrests that will take place on Monday, March 31, 2008. Students received word that the Board of Trustees has contracted a locksmith to replace the locks on campus and will be accompanied by the Yolo County Sheriff’s Department to remove students from campus.
This is the second attempt made by the board to illegally evict students within the last few weeks.
The Associated Student Body of D-QU is sending out an urgent appeal to the community to come and show their support against this great injustice. They encourage community members and media to arrive early Monday morning to bear witness and participate in the student’s resistance action against a negligent board of trustees.
On its own, the student body at DQU is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization that currently holds the only classes at D-Q University, California’s ONLY Tribal College.
The Board of Trustees has not functioned to serve its purpose towards attaining re-accreditation, holding classes on campus, hiring a new administration, and/or bringing in funding for the school in the 3 years since their inception.
In response to this neglect, the community has united with the students to implement a new board. The current student leaders hold numerous programs and workshops such as the Indigenous Perma-culture Program, bio-diesel workshops and bi-weekly ceremony on campus, despite constant harassment from former board members. Students are actively searching for teachers who can further develop a new curriculum.
The Native and Chican@ communities around Yolo and Sacramento Counties agreed that the Board of Trustees is incompetent and has repeatedly failed to re-implement the educational mission of the school- a mission that seeks to unify all Indigenous people and create a harmonious relationship with the community. This embodies continued commitment towards both traditional and formal higher education for all Indigenous people.
The Associated Student Body will be hosting a Pow Wow on Sunday, April 6, 2008. The community is invited to attend a Planting of the Corn Ceremony on this day to welcome in the new Spring Season, and celebrate Mother Earth. Applications for enrollment into the new Board of Trustees will be accepted on this day.
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Press Contacts:
Linda Roberts: Firefly817 [at] msn.com 505-603-2908
Lupita Torres peetuhpocket [at] yahoo.com 408-529-3849
Ignacio Barragan ibarragan [at] ucdavis.edu 714-423-0716
Steven Jerome Wyatt thegreatlizardking [at] yahoo.com
STUDENT LEADERS AT D-Q UNIVERSITY FACE NEW THREATS OF ARRESTS
Davis, CA- Student Leaders at Deganawidah-Quetzalcoatl prepare for another possible series of arrests that will take place on Monday, March 31, 2008. Students received word that the Board of Trustees has contracted a locksmith to replace the locks on campus and will be accompanied by the Yolo County Sheriff’s Department to remove students from campus.
This is the second attempt made by the board to illegally evict students within the last few weeks.
The Associated Student Body of D-QU is sending out an urgent appeal to the community to come and show their support against this great injustice. They encourage community members and media to arrive early Monday morning to bear witness and participate in the student’s resistance action against a negligent board of trustees.
On its own, the student body at DQU is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization that currently holds the only classes at D-Q University, California’s ONLY Tribal College.
The Board of Trustees has not functioned to serve its purpose towards attaining re-accreditation, holding classes on campus, hiring a new administration, and/or bringing in funding for the school in the 3 years since their inception.
In response to this neglect, the community has united with the students to implement a new board. The current student leaders hold numerous programs and workshops such as the Indigenous Perma-culture Program, bio-diesel workshops and bi-weekly ceremony on campus, despite constant harassment from former board members. Students are actively searching for teachers who can further develop a new curriculum.
The Native and Chican@ communities around Yolo and Sacramento Counties agreed that the Board of Trustees is incompetent and has repeatedly failed to re-implement the educational mission of the school- a mission that seeks to unify all Indigenous people and create a harmonious relationship with the community. This embodies continued commitment towards both traditional and formal higher education for all Indigenous people.
The Associated Student Body will be hosting a Pow Wow on Sunday, April 6, 2008. The community is invited to attend a Planting of the Corn Ceremony on this day to welcome in the new Spring Season, and celebrate Mother Earth. Applications for enrollment into the new Board of Trustees will be accepted on this day.
For more information:
http://www.myspace.com/dquniversity
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Urgent request,
We need as many people as possible to protest and contact the Yolo County Sheriffs office and EVEN the judge who has ordered this Invasion and arrest of three students. Judges name to be announced...
Yolo County Sheriff
2500 E Gibson Rd
Woodland, CA 95776
(530) 668-5292
County Of Yolo - Sheriff's Department
2640 E Gibson Rd
Woodland, CA 95776
(916) 375-6492
We need as many people as possible to protest and contact the Yolo County Sheriffs office and EVEN the judge who has ordered this Invasion and arrest of three students. Judges name to be announced...
Yolo County Sheriff
2500 E Gibson Rd
Woodland, CA 95776
(530) 668-5292
County Of Yolo - Sheriff's Department
2640 E Gibson Rd
Woodland, CA 95776
(916) 375-6492
What would be helpful to a lot of people is more details about the board, and how they are incompetent, and how they got to become board members. I looked at the video on Youtube, and they sure didn't look nice. And I've read broad summaries about how they took a viable institution and ran it into the ground.
Yet... it is really difficult to know how to effectively support the students of DQ and the future of the university if we don't know if there is a mechanism of firing the board and getting new people. Is the board just incompetent, or is it an ingroup personality driven thing? Why don't they go away if the university has no students so they have no purpose. The student aid rule that indigenous students must be enlisted members of a U.S. or canadian tribe, but not central american, is supposed to be part of the problem. How much of a problem is it for recertifying the university? Is there any sort of plan to create alliances with faculty at other schools such as UC Davis or the community college in order to have a plan to restart the school?
Yet... it is really difficult to know how to effectively support the students of DQ and the future of the university if we don't know if there is a mechanism of firing the board and getting new people. Is the board just incompetent, or is it an ingroup personality driven thing? Why don't they go away if the university has no students so they have no purpose. The student aid rule that indigenous students must be enlisted members of a U.S. or canadian tribe, but not central american, is supposed to be part of the problem. How much of a problem is it for recertifying the university? Is there any sort of plan to create alliances with faculty at other schools such as UC Davis or the community college in order to have a plan to restart the school?
According to telephone reports, D-Q is being raided right now by police who are arresting every one.
URGENT!!!!
It is 0900am and the police are at D.Q. University, California´s only tribal college, along with more than 25 student and supporters. They are being arrested right now. The paddy wagon is there and they are all being rounded up...
Immediate phone calls to the media, the attourney generals office, Brown, Arnold Schwarzenegger and anyone else you can think of! Please help. We ask for your immediate support.
It is 0900am and the police are at D.Q. University, California´s only tribal college, along with more than 25 student and supporters. They are being arrested right now. The paddy wagon is there and they are all being rounded up...
Immediate phone calls to the media, the attourney generals office, Brown, Arnold Schwarzenegger and anyone else you can think of! Please help. We ask for your immediate support.
For more information:
http://www.aztekayolokalli.com
I just got a call from Bradley from Santa Cruz to confirm that students were being arrested.
It's interesting the way this has been spun out there as a "news story". The facts are that this is an internal issue of student against board, the youth against the elders and native vs.native with a long history of disfunction. As someone who has spent years out at DQ attending gatherings, ceremonies and other cultural events its disappointing to see the way that the supporters and "students" have jumped onboard in finger-pointing at the board of trustees, yet have made no attempts to have a viable self-sufficiency plan. At least develop a strategic plan of how you are going to "Save DQ" before posting it all over that support is needed.
Yes. Most of us have been in enough dysfunctional workplaces or organizations to understand that it might require an entire chapter or flowchart to explain why things aren't working. For instance, when I volunteered at a group in the Grassroots house in Berkeley, it was difficult to explain why their house meetings were so contentious or why it took years to force the Tenant's legal advice group out or even to establish bylaws for the house. Another example would be how difficult it is for anyone outside the community to understand the split of among AIM factions; it took hours of reading to understand that maybe the Minneapolis NAIM group run by the Bellecourts isn't to be trusted, but different writers tell different stories, and it's so difficult to figure out if various contingents have concretely different political perspectives.
So it would help if someone who is a student there, or who managed to research the situation could try to summarize things. I know people at a couple organic farms two country roads over, and there are many people in the area who would want to support it if they knew how.
---What motivates the board of DQ to remain there, and do things like order the arrest of the students? Wouldn't you think that if there is no school, then there is nothing left and they have to leave and go home. Is there any profit incentive here, like they could sell the buildings or equipment for private profit? There are some nearby farmers who live by my friends who lease DQ land for alfalfa or cows. Where does that money go?
---Could the school refound itself with a different board? I assume that many of the teaching staff are still in the vicinity doing different things, because the enrollment wasn't that large a few years ago. Is the issue just demonstrating that 50% of the students are officially enrolled indians, and then the US gov't would be willing to send student aid again? Is it very hard to start a small religious, private vocational (such as various private business/beautician/language colleges) or other college and become certified for students to receive regular loans? Are the student loans the crux of the problem which caused DQ to just lose lots of its students?
So it would help if someone who is a student there, or who managed to research the situation could try to summarize things. I know people at a couple organic farms two country roads over, and there are many people in the area who would want to support it if they knew how.
---What motivates the board of DQ to remain there, and do things like order the arrest of the students? Wouldn't you think that if there is no school, then there is nothing left and they have to leave and go home. Is there any profit incentive here, like they could sell the buildings or equipment for private profit? There are some nearby farmers who live by my friends who lease DQ land for alfalfa or cows. Where does that money go?
---Could the school refound itself with a different board? I assume that many of the teaching staff are still in the vicinity doing different things, because the enrollment wasn't that large a few years ago. Is the issue just demonstrating that 50% of the students are officially enrolled indians, and then the US gov't would be willing to send student aid again? Is it very hard to start a small religious, private vocational (such as various private business/beautician/language colleges) or other college and become certified for students to receive regular loans? Are the student loans the crux of the problem which caused DQ to just lose lots of its students?
For instance, here is a report from three years ago by Brenda Norrell that explains a lot of background. Can anyone update and explain what has happened since then.
It refers to a Cindy LaMarr who talks about the financial mismanagement, which possibly occurred with criminal intent rather than just negligence. She also refers to some trustees who refuse to leave. Is LaMarr one of the good administrators, and is she still there? Or is she one of the people who closed down the school. If there was criminal transfer of money which drove the school into the ground, could those people be prosecuted?
http://www.indiancountry.com/content.cfm?id=1096410491
There are plenty of tiny colleges around the country which work. My acquaintance almost went to a little mennonite college in rural Kansas because his parents wanted him to, and they didn't require high tuition etc.
This interview is helpful
http://joaquincienfuegos.blogspot.com/2008/02/eagle-and-condor-unite-for-revolution.html
so far 17 people have been arrested
LEGAL SUPPORT is urgently needed. !!
if you can help decipher bi-laws and file papers in the court to prove to the judge how out of compliance this board the cops recognize as the "legal owners"are, then we can move forward with appropriate representation from thru out Indian County and the Chicana community.
If you have the skills come to the POW WOW APRIL 6th at DQ- join the circle.
BE There or BE Square.
One Love
p.s Legal support is URGENTLY needed. peace
if you can help decipher bi-laws and file papers in the court to prove to the judge how out of compliance this board the cops recognize as the "legal owners"are, then we can move forward with appropriate representation from thru out Indian County and the Chicana community.
If you have the skills come to the POW WOW APRIL 6th at DQ- join the circle.
BE There or BE Square.
One Love
p.s Legal support is URGENTLY needed. peace
Why is legal support being asked for? DQ has not operated or held classes since 2003. The "students" there have been busted for growing pot on the school grounds last year. They are squatting in the dorm rooms, running washer and dryers in the kitchen, running up the electricity costs to $4,000 (when the board had it down to $1,500)...is that really their idea of being self sustainable and living off the land? If they want DQ back and operating why aren't they willing to work with the current board? Have they done anything in the move towards re-accreditation besides cry for help and support? If they knew of plans to be arrested why were they there?
How do you know the details of the electricity bill?
The article in Indian Country Today said that the board embezzled money, and for years failed to correctly distribute student aid checks which came from federal funds. It said that their $800,000 endowment dwindled to nothing due to mismanagement and malfeasance. Unless someone can correct these facts, it sounds like they are reasonable to distrust whoever did this, and to demand the money back.
The article in Indian Country Today said that the board embezzled money, and for years failed to correctly distribute student aid checks which came from federal funds. It said that their $800,000 endowment dwindled to nothing due to mismanagement and malfeasance. Unless someone can correct these facts, it sounds like they are reasonable to distrust whoever did this, and to demand the money back.
Hey "G",
Whats your name? Dont you know that the students have been trying to attend the meetings of the board and communicate with them?, and the defunct board keeps cancelling and changing the dates, the students are trying to hold them accountable for certain issues and work with them to create a better and moving "forward" school. But the "defunct" board wont cooperate...maybe if they would solutions and resolutions could take place. What are they trying to hide, not letting cameras in the meetings and attacking those trying to share the information?
Where are you getting your information? Please inform yourself, or better yet talk to the students, since the board isn't.
By the way, their laundry bills dont total $4000 a month...maybe they might use more water off the land or something but the farmer keeps spraying Pesticide over the land, making the land sick...If the board was so worried about money remember, all those lights were draining so much electricity, thousands of dollars, and it wasnt the board that shut those lights off. IT wasnt the board who saved themselves money.
By the way what is the board trying to do to get this school back up and running? I never saw any board members trying to help the condition of the college.
why are they not holding the responsible board members who funneled all the money?
Remember, Change can be good! Please dont judge the students, they have a great vision and want the best for their communities, that board should be working with the students not the students working with the board, since the students make up our FUTURE.
thanks you for your comments and if you have any suggestions to help future growth for the school we appreciate your positive and constructive comments. By the way, thank you Leni for yours.
Christina
Whats your name? Dont you know that the students have been trying to attend the meetings of the board and communicate with them?, and the defunct board keeps cancelling and changing the dates, the students are trying to hold them accountable for certain issues and work with them to create a better and moving "forward" school. But the "defunct" board wont cooperate...maybe if they would solutions and resolutions could take place. What are they trying to hide, not letting cameras in the meetings and attacking those trying to share the information?
Where are you getting your information? Please inform yourself, or better yet talk to the students, since the board isn't.
By the way, their laundry bills dont total $4000 a month...maybe they might use more water off the land or something but the farmer keeps spraying Pesticide over the land, making the land sick...If the board was so worried about money remember, all those lights were draining so much electricity, thousands of dollars, and it wasnt the board that shut those lights off. IT wasnt the board who saved themselves money.
By the way what is the board trying to do to get this school back up and running? I never saw any board members trying to help the condition of the college.
why are they not holding the responsible board members who funneled all the money?
Remember, Change can be good! Please dont judge the students, they have a great vision and want the best for their communities, that board should be working with the students not the students working with the board, since the students make up our FUTURE.
thanks you for your comments and if you have any suggestions to help future growth for the school we appreciate your positive and constructive comments. By the way, thank you Leni for yours.
Christina
The nearby vicinity of UC Davis and their millions of dollars of research funding coming straight from the coffers of biotech corporations (Calgene/Monsanto) to the indigenous operated D-Q University that teaches indigenous permaculture is a vast distance despite their close physical proximity..
There were previous reports about UC Davis trying to muscle in on D-Q's enrollment by various tactics. This could have also played a part in the current difficulties faced by D-Q, one large UC dominating the landscape and leaving D-Q out in the dust..
The sad part is that UC Davis misuses their science resources in the relentless pursuit of biotechnology genetically modified organisms (GMO) and only minimal research for permaculture methods, symbiosis and the medicinal benefits of native wild edibles. UC Davis interest in GMO biotech research is finicially driven for short term corporate profit, not for long term ecological sustainability, self-governance and autonomy for local farmers. What has occurred from farmers depending on GMO crops is an indefinite cycle of debt and poverty as GMO seeds and matching pesticides/herbicides are purchased at ever increasing prices..
If D-Q University can show students alternative methods of indigenous permaculure such as the symbiotic plantings of corn, beans and squash (aka; three sisters) all farmers would benefit by reducing their requirements for synthetic petroleum derived fertilizers and pesticide/herbicides. As we're approaching peak oil and the U.S. military occupation of Iraq is worsening violence, we cannot expect the indefinite availability of such petroleum derived synthetic fertilizers, etc..
Given that traditional indigenous ecological wisdom showed people how to live on this land with the least impact and the greatest nutritional gain from harvesting edible wild foods (plant, animal fungi, etc..), we as a society would be fools indeed if we allowed the D-Q school to be plowed under by neighboring UC Davis. Who would then hold the monopoly on knowledge and information, none other than the monoculture monopoly monolith Monsanto funded UC Davis!!
There were previous reports about UC Davis trying to muscle in on D-Q's enrollment by various tactics. This could have also played a part in the current difficulties faced by D-Q, one large UC dominating the landscape and leaving D-Q out in the dust..
The sad part is that UC Davis misuses their science resources in the relentless pursuit of biotechnology genetically modified organisms (GMO) and only minimal research for permaculture methods, symbiosis and the medicinal benefits of native wild edibles. UC Davis interest in GMO biotech research is finicially driven for short term corporate profit, not for long term ecological sustainability, self-governance and autonomy for local farmers. What has occurred from farmers depending on GMO crops is an indefinite cycle of debt and poverty as GMO seeds and matching pesticides/herbicides are purchased at ever increasing prices..
If D-Q University can show students alternative methods of indigenous permaculure such as the symbiotic plantings of corn, beans and squash (aka; three sisters) all farmers would benefit by reducing their requirements for synthetic petroleum derived fertilizers and pesticide/herbicides. As we're approaching peak oil and the U.S. military occupation of Iraq is worsening violence, we cannot expect the indefinite availability of such petroleum derived synthetic fertilizers, etc..
Given that traditional indigenous ecological wisdom showed people how to live on this land with the least impact and the greatest nutritional gain from harvesting edible wild foods (plant, animal fungi, etc..), we as a society would be fools indeed if we allowed the D-Q school to be plowed under by neighboring UC Davis. Who would then hold the monopoly on knowledge and information, none other than the monoculture monopoly monolith Monsanto funded UC Davis!!
How about the massacre of spirit? These two youth who were brutalized at gunpoint at 4:30 am, these are similar tactics used against indigenous peoples time and again. 18 more spirits will not ever trust and believe in the legal/illegal process of our democracy. Freedom of Religon? These two young mens' civil rights were violated as they were praying and preparing the sacred fire for a continual daily ceremony. Why and how is a county supervisor able to order arrest, and harrass and detain, elders, students and supporters, using county deputies and the CHP and airplanes. A huge expense to get control of DQ property.How much? Abuse of power? The good old boy network is alive and well in Yolo county California. This county supervisor, Duane Chamberlin, is the same one renting/squatting, he is the real squatter, and anti-indian redneck abusing his power and committing blatant civil rights violations. Reminds me of the rednecks of South Dakota who assasinated the Lakota at Wounded Knee and of the same mind set. County supervisor Chamberlin, in cahoots with the white indians, board of trustees, once again arrests full bloods and brown indians, removes them. Removal to gain land? We were told that the land was only worth pennies on the dollar, as the county supervisor will attest and according to the Board chair, renting the land for growing pesticide laden feed for cattle. Also damaging wildlife habitat along the ditch and illegally destroying a beavers home without advising the state water board or the EPA about his use of toxic chemicals leaching into the water. A list of toxic carcinogenic chemicals that he is using is documented. Using airborne chemicals, he has poisoned guests and residents in the past and has not attempted to help with medical bills,as promised, caused by his blatant disregard of human life and law. Investigate this man.
It is an outrage to arrest people on the sacred ground of the sweat lodge! I support the students and elders in their struggle to maintain control over the D-Q University. It sounds like the police need sensitivity training to teach them the sacred significance of the sweat lodge, inipi ceremony. It would be like storming into a church to arrest the pope while preparing for a baptism.
If the board of trustees is not able to have open meetings with scheduled times it sounds like there is some serious issues that must be addressed. I would recommend getting a hold of the original charter, posting it to the web for the public to review, and seeing what type of safeguards have been written in to protect the future of the University.
Please call me if you have any ideas or need help.
Justin Lipson
917-392-3612. (many of my contacts have been erased as my phone fell out of the pocket and hit the pavement at 50mph while driving my motorcycle last week, but I can try to help!)
If the board of trustees is not able to have open meetings with scheduled times it sounds like there is some serious issues that must be addressed. I would recommend getting a hold of the original charter, posting it to the web for the public to review, and seeing what type of safeguards have been written in to protect the future of the University.
Please call me if you have any ideas or need help.
Justin Lipson
917-392-3612. (many of my contacts have been erased as my phone fell out of the pocket and hit the pavement at 50mph while driving my motorcycle last week, but I can try to help!)
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