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Updated: January 2005

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The Trent Action web site is up and about! After a few weeks' rest, we have the latest news on the resistance movement whose zany antics have enraged Trent's resident neo-cons and grabbed headlines nationwide. Inside you'll find news about the Judicial Review Appeal, the Trent Eight, the 'transitions' afoot at PR and elsewhere at Trent, and many more exciting things.

We Trent Action kids have had an eventful summer, and have diversified our commitments a bit. After forming a respectable contingent at the anti-FTAA gathering in Quebec City, some of us took on the city with Reclaim the Streets and the province with the Peterborough Coalition Against Poverty. We also took a bold step and established ourselves officially as the Trent Action Coalition - anyone want to join? Be bold and mighty forces will come to your aid!

Transitions
Big changes are afoot at Trent University. Peter Robinson College has been reduced to the townhouses, with the college office being relocated from Sadlier House to townhouse 21, and all academic and departmental offices being relocated to Traill College. Most academic offices at Traill have been moved to Lady Eaton College. That's the plan at least...in fact, construction is running far behind schedule and the judicial review remains unsolved leaving the fate of Sadlier House in question. Meanwhile, the libraries at Traill and PR have been deaccessioned.

Peter Robinson College Master
The administration has installed Peter Lapp as master of PRC for an unspecified interim period. With George Nader's term coming to an end, a Senate committee was struck to recommend a successor. Predictably, no one jumped at the chance - eventually, however, George agreed to be considered for a second term and was duly recommended. The administration rejected the recommendation, as they did that of John Milloy, the committee's second choice - for reasons completely unrelated to the political situation, according to Graham Taylor. Lapp has said he looks forward to depoliticizing PR students and building a new college culture. Amen!

Alternative Intro Week
The Trent Action Coalition is planning an alternative introduction for the first week of classes. Some events will include a comprehensive history of the last two years, Zoom Media talk and info session, volunteer orientation for Ontario Public Interest Research Group, the Women's Centre, Arthur, the Trent Queer Collective, and Trent Radio, info sessions on Trent governance and Aramark food services, introductions to community groups, issues and activism, workshops, films, concerts and more. Stay tuned for further details.

Zoom Media
Corporate advertising appeared on campus about a year ago, care of the Zoom Media corporation. Spontaneous student opposition erupted immediately and the elimination of 'Zoom Media' was included among the demands of the student occupiers. Around the time that his office was being occupied, Vice-President Graham Taylor said that if all college cabinets demonstrated their opposition to Zoom Media, the University would terminate the contract. By the end of term all college cabinets and the College and Student Services Committee (CASSC) had recommended the cancellation of the contract. At this point, the ads are still on campus and it is not even clear as to whether the University is reviewing the contract. The contract appears fairly binding; Graham Taylor may have made a promise he didn't know he could keep. True to form.

KPMG Report on Residences
The report the Board of Governors commissioned on financing residences has been delivered to the University, but the findings are being guarded heavily. What we do know is that those who have read it are cautioning the President to rethink her plans or unleash further controversy. (That's us!) It seems that the only way they can follow through on their plans is to enter into corporate partnership or sink the university in debt - sound familiar, Professor Nader?

Judicial Review
The Appeal of the Judicial Review of the Board of Governor's decision to override the Senate on the college closure was heard on June 28th. Our lawyer, John Laskin, put in a stellar performance while the University's lawyer merely tried to intimidate. The judgement was reserved and the decision is slated to be in by September 28th at the latest. This is potentially a good sign and feelings are optimistic.

Judicial Review
In a split (2-1) decision, the Court of Appeal for Ontario decided in favour of the Trent Administration. A period of 60 days is granted for consideration of whether to reappeal to the Supreme Court. For more information see the link below.

http://www.ontariocourts.on.ca/decisions/2001/august/kulchyskiC35542.htm

Trent Eight
The student occupiers are scheduled for their first court hearing on September 28th at which time their lawyer, Julie Kirkpatrick, will argue that the case should be dismissed based on violations of their constitutional rights. Should the case continue to trial after this point, the students will reappear on October 10, 11 and 26th. These court dates, however, are subject to change. Donations to the Student Defense Fund are still very much in need; we still need to raise $2000. Donations can be made at any CIBC branch into the Trent Student Defense Fund.

Dialogue CD's
In an effort to raise funds and make the link between art and activism, the local Peterborough musical project Solar Essence (Vinita Ramani and Jared Prescott) produced a sound collage including their own music overlayed with sound bites from Ali Sauer, Sarah Lamble, Oscar Cole-Arnal, and Derek McIntosh, among others. Copies are $15 and are available by contacting Erin at ecopeland@trentu.ca.

Coming Soon to a Book Store Near You....
Two of our favourite Trent graduate students are working on publishing a book documenting the ongoing governance crisis at the University. David Tough and Anup Grewal have contacted forty or so contributors including Trent faculty, staff and students to submit essays which approach the issue from a variety of angles. Publishers are being currently being contacted and feedback is positive so far. Stay tuned for more updates.

Folk You, Bonnie
On Monday, July 16th, Peterborough musicians staged a good ol' fashioned Hootenanny to raise money for the Student Defence Fund. The Silver Hearts, the Weak Knees and the Trent Eight's own Allie Marcovitz, along with visitor Evalyn Parry from Toronto, folked the Gordon Best Theatre, raising $700 to fund the fight against injustice. The Hootenanny has become a regular event at the Best since, with a benefit for the Peterborough Coalition Against Poverty and more.

Good Old Fashioned Sit-In
On Wednesday, April 11 Trent students, staff and faculty gathered in the basement of Bata Library for a good ol' fashioned sit-in. The intent was to present the President with a letter requesting that she follow the directives of the TCSA and Faculty Council by delaying the closure of Peter Robinson College and intervening to have the criminal charges against the eight students dropped. The group challenged Graham Taylor's unique use of logic for three hours and then enjoyed a picnic lunch outside the President's meeting room.