DePaul University: Shutdown of Affirmative Action Bake Sale Protest
DePaul University acquitted a conservative student group that was charged with harassment for holding an event that satirized affirmative action. Until FIRE intervened, DePaul administrators had been investigating the DePaul Conservative Alliance (DCA) for holding an "affirmative action bake sale" protest. The DCA members were found not guilty of violating the harassment policy, but were found guilty of failing to disclose in advance that the bake sale would be used to protest affirmative action.
- "Partial Victory for Free Speech at DePaul," February 20, 2006: DePaul University has acquitted a conservative student group that was charged with harassment for holding an event that satirized affirmative action. Until FIRE intervened, DePaul administrators had been investigating the DePaul Conservative Alliance for holding an “affirmative action bake sale” protest.
- "Letter from DePaul Vice President for Student Affairs Cynthia Summers to Michael O'Shea, February 15, 2006," February 15, 2006
- "DePaul University Calls Affirmative Action Protest ‘Harassment’," January 30, 2006: Earlier this month, DePaul University shut down an “affirmative action bake sale” protest, and is now investigating a student organizer for “harassment.” DePaul’s latest offense against liberty follows its 2005 dismissal of a professor for arguing with Palestinian students and its censorship of students’ peaceful protest of controversial professor Ward Churchill. This incident marks FIRE's third intervention at DePaul in less than a year.
- "Affirmative Action Bake Sale Protest and PETA Protest In Same Location," January 30, 2006
- "DePaul Anti-Discriminatory Harassment Policy," January 30, 2006
- "E-mail exchange between DePaul Associate Vice President for Student Affairs Cynthia Summers and Michael O'Shea," January 25, 2006
- "FIRE Letter to DePaul University President Dennis Holtschneider, January 23, 2006," January 23, 2006
- "E-mail from DePaul Associate Vice President of Student Affairs Cynthia Summers to Michael O'Shea, January 20, 2006," January 20, 2006
- "Conservative 'bake sale' causes controversy," The DePaulia, January 20, 2006
Case Materials
- "University presidents battle for honors in spinelessness,"
by John Leo, Universal Press Syndicate, May 1, 2006 - "Update: DePaul Censures Anti-Affirmative Action Group,"
by Nathan Burchfiel, Cybercast News Service, February 24, 2006 - "DePaul Investigates Mock Bake Sale for Possible 'Harassment',"
by Nathan Burchfiel, Cybercast News Service, February 14, 2006