ACT OUT looks forward after VSA certification

Nadine Reitman Staff Writer

ACT OUT was officially certified at the Sunday, Nov. 12 Vassar Student Association (VSA) Council meeting, becoming the 114th certified organization and the eighth to be added this academic year. The Council passed certification for ACT OUT with a unanimous vote.

ACT OUT is dedicated to gaining Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) rights and “off-campus activism, on-campus awareness,” said Co-President Judy Jarvis ’07. ACT OUT has already been part of two demonstrations in Times Square protesting the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (DADT) policy.

Because of the group’s previous actions, Jarvis “had anticipated there’d be some questions from [VSA] Council in regards to [ACT OUT’s] mission and getting arrested, but there were no questions. It was all surprisingly easy,” Jarvis said.

VSA President Abel McDonnell ’07 said Jarvis previously told the Council members that ACT OUT’s intentions are to act within the confines of the law. “[Jarvis] has assured us that getting arrested will be individuals’ decisions and responsibilities,” said McDonnell. For legal reasons, any members who are arrested are not allowed to use VSA or other Vassar-affiliated money for bail.

McDonnell said he supports ACT OUT’s certification because “their existence is filling a niche that no other organization fills.”

ACT OUT’s demonstrations this year have received considerable attention both on campus and off. National television networks covered more than 50 Vassar students demonstrating against DADT outside the Times Square recruiting station on Sept. 20. Though several students had committed themselves to acts of civil disobedience, the station remained closed for the day and no students were arrested. The group returned to Times Square on the afternoon of Nov. 3 to ensure that the recruitment station would have been open since the morning. Again, approximately 50 students gathered around the station to protest DADT. Several students entered the recruitment station and refused to leave until New York City police arrived. Ultimately, six students were arrested for trespassing on government property and were held in police possession for over 24 hours, then released.

Now that ACT OUT has funds to work with, they plan to hold more events and intend to be more of a presence on campus. “Students will be hearing a lot more from ACT OUT this semester,” said Jarvis.

Their next event will be a banquet dinner on Monday, Nov. 20 to give the arrestees an opportunity to share their experiences with the community. ACT OUT is also planning a marriage equality campaign through New York State. They will continue to work with Soulforce, a non-profit organization that champions LGBT rights, and take Vassar students to New York politicians’ homes to discuss LGBT marriage equality.

They are also planning to do workshops with Soulforce and other groups. Additionally, Jarvis hopes they will bring Gideon Orion Oliver ’97, the lawyer who helped the arrested students get out of jail, to speak at Vassar. “This is really exciting,” Jarvis said. “VSA certification can help us work towards all of this.”