Iowa State University
Senate of the Government of the Student Body
SENATE MEETING JANUARY 28, 2004
SENATE RESOLUTION 200#-#-### SR
TITLE: The Patriot Act
WHEREAS: Iowa State University has a long history of promoting and protecting civil liberties as provided by the Constitutions of the United States and of the State of Iowa, and
WHEREAS: Iowa State University has a diverse population of students, faculty, and staff which provide a valuable resource for an enriched education, and
WHEREAS: The USA PATRIOT Act, passed on October 26, 2001, shortly after the attacks of September 11, 2001, has provisions that violate basic Constitutional Freedoms by:
(a) imposing Student Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS), a system used to track the movements of international students, which leads to delays in issuing student visas and the possibility of deportation;
(b) allows for the broad interpretation of ""terrorism"" to include those who participate in public demonstrations meant to ""influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion,"" (§ 802) where many students involved in war opposition movements have been targeted by searches;
(c) allows for the seizure of student records without a court order or consent of those students (§ 507);
(d) allows Federal agents to collect information from public libraries while placing gag orders on librarians from disclosing occurrences of providing that information (§ 215), be it therefore
RESOLVED: That the Government of the Student Body affirms the civil liberties granted to all people at Iowa State University under the Constitutions of the United States and the State of Iowa and be it further
RESOLVED: That the Government of the Student Body encourages the University to provide all international students with information pertaining to their civil liberties and provisions within the USA PATRIOT Act determining their status in this country, and be it further
RESOLVED: That the Government of the Student Body supports the current actions of Parks Library in its privacy audit and in its dedication in providing students with information concerning their privacy
RESOLVED: That the Government of the Student Body supports ISU Police in their continued protection of student's civil liberties, and be it further
RESOLVED: That copies of this resolution be sent to President Gregory Geoffroy, Vice President of Student Affair Tom Hill, the office of International Educational Services, the International Admissions office, Ames city council, Senator Tom Harkin, Senator chuck Grassley, Representative Tom Latham, the Iowa State Daily, and all other appropriate print and broadcast media.
January 28, 2004
HARRIS, C. DENNER, M.
TUGAN, A. GOBEL, C.
MILLER, A.
ROCK, W.
LARSON, J.