On Oct. 5th, the RPI administration denied a student application for peaceful protest this coming Friday, Oct. 13th. This comes after the previous 2016 student protest was also denied approval. In a memo from Travis Apgar, assistant vice president for student life and dean of students, the college rejected a student application for a peaceful demonstration between 4:30 and 11:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 13, outside the Curtis R. Priem Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center and the Richard G. Folsom Library. Apgar specifically cites the fact that that day opens Reunion & Homecoming weekend, with Jackson hosting a black-tie event for alumni that night in EMPAC and the Folsom Library to launch the college’s capital campaign. Apgar said security demands were the administration’s primary concern. Yesterday, the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education, a nonprofit watchdog for student civil liberties including freedom of speech, issued a statement and corresponding article in response to the RPI administration. It issued a statement to the RPI administration asking for them to rescind their denial of the student body's right to peaceful demonstration. This comes days before RPI Homecoming & Alumni weekend. Please stay tuned for further updates, and share this petition among your peers. Thank you. The administration's denial can be found here: https://savetheunion.xyz/assets/ProtestDenial2017.pdf FIRE's article & letter to RPI administration may be found here: https://www.thefire.org/rensselaer-polytechnic-institute-again-denies-students-permission-demonstrate-peacefully/