Negotiating with the cops at yesterday's press conference.

The controversy surrounding Yale's involvement with Baca Ranch began over two years ago when Yale's unions revealed that Yale was a member of the partnership that owned the ranch. The ranch's managing owner, Farallon Capital Management, wanted to develop the aquifer below Baca Ranch, prompting criticism from Colorado residents and politicians.

They contended that the proposed water development would harm local ecosystems. The 97,000-acre Baca Ranch lies adjacent to the Great Sand Dunes National Monument and Preserve in the San Luis Valley.

and

The students protesting yesterday disagreed with Yale's involvement in what they called an "environmentally hazardous" investment. Naasiha Siddiqui '05, an organizer of the news conference, said the students had e-mailed Swensen a week ago in an attempt to set up a meeting to discuss Yale's investments but had received no response. After the news conference the protesters tried to take the letter they had written directly to Swensen, but were not allowed to enter the office.

The building facility manager said the building was placed in "secure mode" due to the protestors -- a process that includes turning the elevators off and escorting patrons into the building. Approximately 10 minutes after the group asked to gain entrance to Swensen's office, four Yale police officers arrived on the scene. Yale Police Chief James Perrotti said the officers were dispatched because there was a large group of students in the lobby.

Justin Sez:

"[This] is a sad reflection of the kind of secrecy and lack of open participation that's exactly the problem with Yale's investment practices," said Justin Ruben FES '02, a GESO organizer and one of the news conference's coordinators. "That response makes a mockery of what I consider our community's most central values of debate and inquiry and ethical leadership."

Helaine Klasky said the protests were "without merit." I believe Helaine Klasky about as much as I believe Tom Conroy.

It's problematic, deeply problematic, that the new MAC includes no members of the coalition responsible for its existence. I hope that Bendor, Da Silva and Lu are up to the task of representing undergraduate concerns on this thing, but I'm also extremely skeptical of its power and aim to effect needed change. Plus the whole thing is ironically reminiscent of the Bush-Levin WMD debacle. Powerless committee with no real power to fix tings that lots of us want fixed, appointed by administrators to quell rising dissent. Hmmm.

Speaking of which, Saqib takes the YDN to task for it's ridiculous editorial monday on the WMD protest:

I am disappointed first and foremost with Bush for making a mockery of one of the most important commissions in American history. I am disappointed in Levin because he has agreed to be complicit in this travesty. Rather than taking a principled stance and rejecting Bush's offer, he has agreed to serve on a commission that will more likely that not be used as a means to sweep Bush's troubles under the rug rather than giving the American people the answers they deserve.

And last, but certainly not least, the mighty Helena Herring has a great op-ed piece about fair share.

Yale could easily afford to make up the difference that the state cannot afford to pay. The University has an $11 billion endowment that could help solve this problem. One day's interest alone is millions of dollars. A few days of Yale's unearned incremental income could make up the difference in the budget and pay for much-needed city services. For added perspective, New Haven has a debt of $3.7 million, mere pocket change for the University but a staggering number that forces the city to choose which services to cut and which jobs to save. The city is in dire need. Two hundred public employers were laid off last year because the city could not afford to pay them. Ten of Connecticut's 28 "priority schools," ranked as such because of poor performance, are in New Haven. The city is doing all it can to improve performance, but it is hard to do so on a deficit.   ¶ 3:23 PM