Hampton Univ. Students Face Disciplinary Action for Anti-Bush Walkout

A month ago today, 20 students at this historically black college staged a walkout as part of the World Can't Wait day of action protesting the Bush administration.

The students began handing out fliers and information on the Iraq war and the government's response to Hurricane Katrina disaster. Then armed university police shut down the protest.

But that is only the beginning of the story. Two and half weeks later, the college sent letters to seven of the students ordering them to attend a hearing disciplinary hearing. They were accused of for violating several statutes of the student code of student conduct cajoling or proselytizing students; "distributing and/or posting unauthorized information", and "violating the administrative guidelines for student demonstrations."

The maximum penalty was severe: expulsion. The hearings are scheduled to take place this morning. After public outcry from around the country, the university announced yesterday the students will not be expelled. But it remains unclear how they will be disciplined.

* Bryan Ogilvie, sophomore at Hampton University in Virginia majoring in entrepreneurship. He is a member of the school's Progressive Student Alliance.

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