Progressive Student Union '07-'08 Wrap-up

The Progressive Student Union had an astounding year filled with activism and, well . . . progress. We screened films at our weekly Progressive Film Series with favorites including the Media that Matters Film Festivals, Escape to Canada, American Blackout, and The Abortion Diaries; we collaborated with other progressive groups to form a “Coalition of Progressive Students” (C.O.P.S.) homecoming team that placed 10th out of 25 (including a 3rd place finish in Tug-of-War!); and we combated the intolerance of Islamo-Phobic Awareness Week by collaborating with campus groups to host a Week of Tolerance & Respect.

We had learning excursions to the University of Montana's Labor NOW Conference as well as attending a lecture in Seattle by His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama. We also brought artists and activists to the WSU campus for the 2008 Northwest Progressive Conference featuring presentations by activists including: Keya Lea Horiuchi, Pedro de la Torre from Campus Progress, Gabriel Brown, Eric Johnson (PSU founder), T.V. Reed, Noel Sturgeon, and a performance by David Rovics.

Admist it all, we won our sweatshop campaign in less than a year, starting with a demonstration on the mall, continuing with weekly letters to the administration, and concluding with a very cooperative President Floyd who signed the Worker Rights Consortium and an intention to the Designated Suppliers Program to help to ensure that Cougar apparel is made in factories where basic human rights are monitored. An excellent summary of our efforts by Nickolas Conrad can be found here.

We have been recognized by the university for our accomplishments, winning the 2008 Student Organization Award for Outstanding Campus Involvement due to our “proving that students have a voice and are vehicles for change.”

Though the spring semester will be ending shortly, our activities as a group will continue on into the summer. Please consider joining our “Winston Smith Book Group” featuring readings from Naomi Wolf, Howard Zinn, and Dalton Trumbo (leave a comment to this post if you'd like more information).

On a personal note, PSU has been everything I could have hoped to be involved with during my senior year at WSU. Thanks to everyone who made it happen and I know you all will continue to do great things next year.