Center sponsors Table Talk forum on sweatshops in Kay
The Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies held a Table Talk Forum about sweatshops Wednesday, co-sponsored by the Office of the University Chaplain.
The forum was held in the Kay Spiritual Life Center Lounge. Participants included Bob Blake, manager of AU's bookstore; Ben McKean, a Harvard graduate and national organizer of United Students Against Sweatshops; and Kathy Stevens, University liaison for the Fair Labor Association. Gail Hanson, vice president of Campus Life, was also on hand for the forum, and University Chaplain Joe Eldridge served as moderator.
Blake spoke about how the bookstore is part of the Follett Company. The company is affiliated with the Fair Labor Association and the Workers Rights Consortium. Both organizations practice fair labor standards. McKean gave a brief overview on the concepts of a sweatshop and his work to stop them from generating further products.
"Sweatshop workers are being told to speed up their production, resulting in repetitive-stress injuries and even worse grievances," McKean said.
Stevens focused on improving the conditions of sweatshops and labor standards. "The FLA plans to communicate with owners of sweatshops through workshops, training and establishing a code of conduct." The center also held the third of a spring forum series Wednesday evening entitled "And the Democratic Nominee is...Reflecting Back and Looking Forward."
- KATE OCZYPOK
Embedded reporter returning from Iraq to speak at AU
Rick Leventhal, AU alum and Fox News Channel reporter, will speak about his time in Iraq in the Media Production Center on Friday. Leventhal is a 1986 graduate of the School of Communication who majored in broadcast journalism.
Last April, Leventhal spoke on campus about his time as an embedded reporter in Iraq with the U.S. Marines. Most recently, Leventhal spent nine weeks in Kuwait and Iraq, also with the Marines.
"[Leventhal] had lots of interesting stories and pictures to share and it seemed like students were very interested in his presentation," said Wendell Cochran, director of the Journalism division at AU.
Last year Leventhal spoke at the Wechsler Theater to approximately 50 to 60 people, Cochran said. Cochran is expecting 40 to 50 students, faculty and staff to attend Friday's event.
Leventhal's presentation will begin at 12:30 p.m. Food will be served. The deadline to R.S.V.P. passed before press time.
- K.O.
