Photo by: Lindsay Sievers/Clarion

A group of about 40 students rallied outside of Mary Reed on Friday, May 9, to protest the appointment of Marc Holtzman as DU’s first ever president.

Across campus in Sturm Hall, Chancellor Daniel L. Ritchie, who single-handedly appointed Holtzman, faced an irate and contentious faculty that also protested not being consulted on Holtzman’s appointment. (See related story).

The student protest rally was co-coordinated by fourth-year student, Sarah Asplin and second-year, Scott Kercher.

The students lined up on the lawn, holding signs that read “Another Unelected President” and “Silence=Death, Allies=Hope, Hope=Courage,” and had duct tape over their mouths to symbolize silence.

For nearly an hour the students stood outside in the rain. Others joined them, including more students and also faculty and administrative staff.

Reporters and photographers from the Denver Post, Rocky Mountain News and FOX 31 covered the protest.

Kelly Daiell, first-year student and member of University Women’s Council and PRIDE, said that she was protesting to let Ritchie “know that students do care. That when he makes decisions, it affects all of us.”

Freshman Carlos Arellano said that students “should be made aware of things before they actually happen.”

Sophomore Matt Cornish said that for him, the rally did “not protest the man, but the university.”

“I think we should have been told,” Cornish said. “I think there should have been interviews, more choices or [Ritchie] could have talked to us or the faculty.”

Asplin, who is a member of UWC and PRIDE, was pleased with the turnout.

“I am so overwhelmed by the students and staff that came,” Asplin said. “I think this makes a strong statement and I understand this is a risk. Now we just have to wait and see. But I think the ultimate victory is all of these students.”