Kaitlyn Hughes & Megan Trotter | features editor & news editor
With the election only about two months away, political pressure is heating up as young adults across college campuses make their voices heard.
Unlike surrounding universities, such as University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University, Duquesne did not make headlines for hosting a series of summer protests and demonstrations.
As the election grows closer The Duke asked students from different clubs and backgrounds why they believe Duquesne has not had the same stint of activism and if they believe this will change closer to November.
Civil discourse in student clubs
Makenzie Barchiesi of the International Relations Club said the club helps promote discourse on campus and education.
“Yes, we do talk about outside influences … but we mostly inform people about these certain topics,” Barchiesi said. “We wholeheartedly agree with the civil discourse. Because if we didn’t, we as a club and as a major — we would just fall apart.”
She said the International Relations Club hosts discussion nights where professors and students ask questions about political issues. Last year, Barchiesi said they hosted multiple meetings about the Israeli–Palestinian conflict.
“I think that also helps to ease some people’s minds,” Barchiesi said.
Limits on political activity
While Duquesne does allow for discourse on campus there are strict restrictions put in place.
“Faculty and staff may participate in partisan political activities provided that participation does not interfere with their regular responsibilities to the university and its students, does not invoke or imply endorsement of or by the university and does not include the use of university property, funds, supplies or equipment,” according to Duquesne University’s webpage on political policy.
However, the section also states that no partisan political activities are allowed to take place on campus property.
Ava Hickman, a member of College Republicans, said while she thinks Duquesne does a good job at making sure campus is safe and under control, she does feel like the restrictions limit discourse.
Hickman said she feels Duquesne administration is, “a little bit possibly too excessive on the free speech restrictions.”
Campus is too small of a ‘bubble’
Natalie Rodriguez, president of Duquesne Debating Society, said the team meets everyday. They discuss a wide variety of topics from serious issues across the world and fun topics to lighten the mood.
“We try to make students argue both sides of the coin,” Rodriguez said.
That setting is a vessel for students to engage in respectful political discourse.
Rodriguez said that since Duquesne’s campus is its “own little bubble in the city,” that students would not want to protest on A-walk. They would rather go out into the greater Pittsburgh area so their voices would be more likely to be heard.
“People feel as though, even if they were to protest, they might not have the broader audience of the city that the other protesters have,” Rodriguez said.
Though the students are politically active, they don’t necessarily express these views on campus. Rodriguez said that if something major were to happen at the university, the students care enough to use their voices and that most of the time she believes political statements issued by the Duquesne administration reflect the general student body.
“It’s just enough to where they [the school] recognize that things are going on to make students aware of what’s going on,” Rodriguez said, “but also not to make any students angry about what’s going on.”
Rodriguez thinks that the school understands there is a mix of viewpoints on campus, so they don’t make strong stances.
“So I don’t necessarily think we’ll see a lot of large protests, especially with the election. I honestly just don’t see us getting too involved with politics as a campus,” Rodriguez said.
Joining other campus demonstrations
While Duquesne remains a small campus for political activity, Mia Olenick, President of Hillel Jewish Student Organization said that the University of Pittsburgh was a hotspot for larger and more unruly protests.
“If you wanted to protest,” Olenick said. “It was easier to go join one of the big ones.”
Olenick said that protests on Duquesne’s campus would most likely have a smaller turnout.
She also believes since the Duquesne Police are so active on campus it would be shut down immediately.
“If it were to be me holding a Pro-Israel protest this [Duquesne] is not the place that I would choose to hold it,” Olenick said.
Though no conflict has arisen en masse across campus, Olenick has experienced some personal troubles revolving around the Israel-Palestine situation.
“It’s not unreasonable for students who want to protest to go to other campuses to do so,” Barchiesi said.
Olenick also said the only way she thinks an insurgence would happen on campus is if a drastic event like public verbal or physical assault would occur.
“I don’t think there will be protests at Duquesne,” Olenick said. “I don’t think people care enough here.”
Hickman describes her fellow Duquesne students as mostly moderate when it comes to politics.
“I feel like at the very least, there are not a lot of extremes of Duquesne where someone would be violent or angry or cause serious disturbances,” she said.
Olenick said Duquesne is a quiet campus where students listen and respect opposing viewpoints.
“I think it’s very professional the way our school handles things,” Olenick said, “because it’s small enough it can round up its students easier.”
In the heat of the election, Olenick thinks we will see backlash after a candidate is selected, but not on the Bluff.
“I think overall, Duquesne is here to support its students,” she said.