PGHIMC - Pittsburgh Independent Media Center

Although in the past the Princeton Review has ranked Carnegie Mellon University students as the nation's most politically apathetic, the Fall 2002 semester showed that they could be roused from their studies, if only briefly.

Activists from the United Students Against Sweatshops (USAS) affiliated People for Workers Rights organized a day of caroling for justice in December, with anti-sweatshop and pro-living wage themes. PWR is kicking off a living-wage campaign at CMU to lend support to janitors and dining workers.

Also putting pressure on the administration was the Progressive Student Alliance. PSA spent most of the semester working on a campaign to "Open the Books" at Carnegie Mellon. The administration agreed to meet with the students, who gathered hundreds of signatures on a petition and several endorsers. PSA will be continuing to apply pressure for results during the upcoming semester.

Finally, several other organizations were active at CMU, including the Free Getu Coalition with members including CMU organizations Zi, Amnesty International, and the Progressive Student Alliance. Amnesty International also organized several letter writing campaigns and ended with a successfull "Jam for Justice" fundraiser.