Kelly, Christine

In January 1987 a conference was held at Hampshire College in Amherst, Massachusetts to address the unrealized potential of student activism against apartheid, CIA recruitment, and the war in Central America. From this conference, came the idea of the National Student Convention '88 which intended to bring together student activists from across the nation, and in a structured program spanning the course of a weekend, make decisions regarding the formation of a new national, multi-racial student organization which would address social, political and economic issues abroad and within the United States. A National Student Convention '88 planning conference was held at Rutgers from July 18-19, 1987. Eight colleges and universities were represented. The conference focused on the need for a new student organization which recognized the interconnectedness of various single-issue student groups and the need for multi-issue analysis. Over the course of 1987, several other student activist conferences were held to plan, as well as to garner support for the National Student Convention '88. Rutgers hosted the National Student Convention '88, but the planning and structure of the Convention was a collaboration with other colleges and universities. Student activists at Rutgers formed the Rutgers Host Planning Council (RHPC) to prepare for the National Student Convention. Abbie Hoffman was one of many active advisors to the Rutgers Host Planning Council. The National Student Convention '88 was held at Livingston College, February 5-7, 1988. The Convention was attended by a approximately 700 people from 130 campuses and organizations worldwide. In July of 1988, student activists met again at the University of North Carolina's Chapel Hill campus for what was termed "The Unity Meeting ", aimed to move the idea of a nation-wide student organization forward. The Student Action Union (SAU) was the eventual result of both the National Student Convention '88 and the Unity Meeting. The SAU, a multi-issue, national student organization was comprised of independent chapters at various high school and college campuses. The SAU was dedicated to student empowerment, university democracy and economic, racial, sexual and political equality and justice.