The Poly is currently aware of multiple instances of students being contacted by administrators to meet and discuss their involvement in the demonstration on Friday, October 13. We did not have adequate time to prepare a news article on this topic for this issue, but we feel that it is necessary to share that this is happening with the Rensselaer community.
We would also like to encourage students to understand their rights, especially if they have been contacted or plan to meet with any administrators about the protest. Students are not, by any means, required to answer any direct, targeted questions in an informal meeting. These questions should be left to the process of a judicial inquiry, as outlined in the Rensselaer Handbook of Student Rights and Responsibilities. Even then, a student has the “right to refuse to answer specific questions only if the student’s responses would tend to incriminate him or her.”
It is also within students’ rights to view judicial documents used as evidence against them, if they are requested. We strongly encourage any students in the process of a judicial inquiry to request this evidence so that they may fully understand the scope of their case.
Even if you don’t want to get directly involved in current happenings, the least you should do is educate yourself on your rights. A full outline of the Rensselaer student judicial system can be seen in the Student Handbook from pages 10 to 16.