by Amelia Neptune
Thursday, Mar. 30, 2006 at 1:38 PM
aneptune@pitzer.edu
Student Senate of Pitzer College has passed a resolution denying any students from be refunded by Senate for expenditures at Wal-Mart. Students have also passed a resolution through Pitzer's College Council encouraging students, staff, faculty and alumni to personally engage in the boycott and avoid all Wal-Mart Stores.
Pitzer College is embarking on a boycott of Wal-Mart Stores. On January 22, 2006, Student Senate passed a resolution stating that Pitzer College student groups will no longer be reimbursed for any expenditures at Wal-Mart. Currently, Senate has allocated over $140,000 to various student groups on its campus, from residence hall councils to various social activities clubs, special interest and issue-related groups, many of which are funded exclusively by Senate. The resolution, which went into affect on March 1, 2006, states that should a group request reimbursement for Wal-Mart purchases, they must present their case to Senate as to why there were absolutely no alternatives. Student Senate must approve each reimbursement by a two-thirds vote.
Students have also brought an additional resolution to College Council, the governing body of entire school community. This resolution was passed on March 9th, 2006, and encourages a boycott of Wal-Mart Stores by all students, staff, faculty, and alumni of Pitzer College.
Student Senators have made it clear that these boycotts are aimed at the irresponsible actions of the corporation of Wal-Mart Stores, not its employees. In the resolution, students express concern for the following Wal-Mart policies and practices: violation of human rights; use of sweat shops with poor working conditions and forced overtime; aggressive anti-union tactics and policies; detrimental effects on local and family-run businesses; threatening environmental practices; and discrimination against women.
Pitzzer's Senate will also encourage the other colleges of the Claremont Consortium in addition to schools who give priority to social and environmental standards from across the nation to take a stand against Wal-Mart, and hold the company accountable for its actions. Finally, Pitzer College Student Senate calls upon Wal-Mart to address the above concerns and take action to improve its policies and practices that affect employees, customers, communities, and the environment.