Student Protest at Rutgers Forces Suspension of Game

Approximately 150 Rutgers students protesting racially charged remarks by university President Francis L. Lawrence sat on the Brown Athletic Center court Tuesday night shortly before the beginning of the second half, forcing Rutgers and No. 4 Massachusetts to suspend their Atlantic 10 Conference game. The game, which Rutgers leads, 31-29, will be resumed at a later date.

Linda Bruno, league commissioner, met with athletic directors and head coaches of both teams and a game official before announcing that the second half had been suspended.

“UMass just headed back (home),” Bruno said. “We wanted (the teams) out of the building. The students were requesting to talk to the team members. We didn’t want to put the student-athletes in that situation.”

At a Nov. 11 faculty meeting at Rutgers-Camden, Lawrence said: “The average SAT for African-Americans is 750. Do we set standards in the future so that we don’t admit anybody with the national test? Or do we deal with a disadvantaged population that doesn’t have that genetic hereditary background to have a higher average?”

The remarks became public last week and the state university hasn’t quieted yet. Lawrence, who has a long record of commitment to minorities in higher education, has apologized for the remarks. However, a vocal group of students and public officials continues to call for his resignation.

Roselle L. Wilson, vice president of student affairs at Rutgers, said the school received word late Monday that some sort of protest might take place at the game.

Not only was it the first home game since Lawrence’s remarks became public, but the lure of one of the nation’s best teams brought a large audience. Rutgers sold out the Brown Center for the first time in four years, and the game was televised.

The protest spilled onto the court after the teams returned to their respective benches in anticipation of the start of the second half. One African American woman sat down at the center circle of the court. A minute later, other students joined her. Both teams then returned to their locker rooms. Soon, protesters sat on more than half the court, ringed by university officials, police, security personnel and media.

As the protesters chanted, “Lawrence must go!” and carried bedsheet banners deriding him, the other fans among the 8,526 customers responded, “Let’s play ball!” then “Off the court!” The protesters responded, “Hell no, we won’t go!”

After Bruno met with officials from both schools, the public-address announcer told the fans the game had been suspended. Half an hour after they sat on the court, the protesters rose, formed five lines and prepared to leave. They will hold a news conference today.

Lawrence did not attend the game. However, he was apprised of the incident.