I am asked this question every day I am at Holy Cross now. Sometime in early November, the question went from being asked occasionally to being asked daily, every day I am there. And today – – all the people who stopped to talk to me asked me this question: What is the college doing to work this out?
There seems to be an expectation among people at Holy Cross that the college WILL make an effort to work this out. I don’t know where that expectation came from. For my part, I know that I will stay with this Vigil for Justice for as long as it takes. I will stay forever if that’s what it takes for the board to take responsibility and address the many problems I told it about. Since the board of trustees hasn’t even contacted me or asked for more information, I don’t see this ending any time soon.
The college made half-hearted efforts in 2012. Almost 600 days ago, in April 2012, the college agreed to engage in settlement talks. In September 2012, I had a meeting with college officials, and those officials said they would get back to me about going to mediation to work it out.
And that is it. There were no more efforts by the college. College officials never got back to me as promised about mediation. There was no effort toward resolution in all of 2013 — instead, there was plenty of retaliation. College officials haven’t acted like people who want to work it out.
I don’t know why the question is being asked so often now, why the expectation has grown that the college will do something to work it out. Maybe this expectation comes from the hope that grows during holiday times and the beginning of a new year. Who knows. I can go the distance, however many years it takes. I am doing the right thing at the right time in my life. I have plans for when this is finished, but the plans will wait until this is over and I see the board of trustees take responsibility.
Vigil at Holy Cross 