While Wednesday’s Faculty Senate meeting contained discussion items such as student enrollment and fiscal year budget, the agenda did not have a student demonstration listed on the events for the day.
Two members of Students for Fair Trade interrupted a presentation by UH Interim President John Rudley when they entered Elizabeth D. Rockwell Pavilion with a banner that read "Rudley ignores student concerns" in red and black letters.
"You can have your say with the (UH) president some other time, not in Faculty Senate," professor Alex Ignatiev said when the students arrived.
President of UH Students for Fair Trade Ross Barnard and historian Timothy O’Brien walked in at the beginning of UH Rudley’s presentation on the University’s finances. The group alleged that a number of requests to meet with Rudley had been denied.
"We want the faculty and the University community to take a look at how John Rudley is running this university in a non-democratic manner," O’Brien said after the meeting.
Before the meeting, students from the organization handed out flyers alleging Rudley had declined to meet with the organization regarding the installation of a Starbucks franchise in the 24-hour lounge in the M.D. Anderson Memorial Library.
O’Brien alleged that University officials, including Rudley and Interim Vice President of Administration and Finance Jim McShan, had also declined to meet with the organization and discuss contracts with fair trade companies.
"Faculty Senate is an inherently democratic group, and the senators work very hard to improve all aspects of life at the University," Faculty Senate President Joseph Kotarba said after the meeting. "We are always open and we welcome proposals from concerned groups on campus who’d like to discuss with us their ideas, their proposals in the purpose of generating perhaps agreement, if not support, for new ideas across the University."
McShan was not present, and Rudley completed his presentation and left immediately following the meeting.