General College Truth Movement

The General College Truth Movement (GCTM) was a briefly lived but large group, led by students, that opposed the closure of the General College at the University of Minnesota in the United States.[1][2][3] [4]

The General College was the most diverse college at the University of Minnesota, disproportionately serving working class students, first-generation college students, and students of color.[5][6] University Regents voted to close college by an 11-1 vote on June 10, 2005

The group was founded on April 16, 2005, and consisted of U of M students, staff and faculty, as well as some community members and high school students.[7][8]

The group staged several demonstrations on the University campus.[citation needed] At 10:00am on Wednesday May 4, 2005, GCTM members held a peaceful sit-in to oppose the closing of the General College in the University of Minnesota President's office, Morrill Hall. Nine people were arrested and two protesters were pepper sprayed by University Police for refusing to leave during overnight hours.[3]

The decision to close the College was made by an 11-1 vote of the University of Minnesota Regents on June 10, 2005. Surviving departments following the closure have been merged into the College of Education and Human Development.[9][6][10]

Significance

The General College Truth Movement was part of a long history of anti-racist student movements at the University of Minnesota. This legacy includes the 1969 Black Student Morrill Hall Takeover [11] and the Whose Diversity? campaign.[12]

References
  1. "Remembering the General College in its closing days". The Minnesota Daily. Retrieved 2020-09-30.
  2. "Save General College". Fight Back! News. Retrieved 2020-09-30.
  3. "Judge Throws Out False Charges Against Union Leader". Fight Back! News. Retrieved 2020-09-30.
  4. https://web.archive.org/web/20070111184741/http://www.mndaily.com/articles/2005/10/04/65424,./
  5. "General College". conservancy.umn.edu. Retrieved 2020-09-30.
  6. Collins, Bob. "Whatever happened to: General College?". NewsCut. Retrieved 2020-09-30.
  7. "Beyond Education". University of Minnesota Press.
  8. "WE be GC". web.archive.org. January 11, 2007.
  9. https://conservancy.umn.edu/bitstream/handle/11299/502/AccessWi06%5b1%5d.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y
  10. "Transfer students surge, force changes at University of Minnesota". Star Tribune. Retrieved 2020-09-30.
  11. "Takeover: Morrill Hall, 1969 | Northrop". www.northrop.umn.edu. Retrieved 2020-09-30.
  12. "Whose Diversity?". Whose Diversity?. Retrieved 2020-09-30.
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