"Hey Hey, Ho Ho, students rights cannot go," approximately 150 students chanted outside of the Bernstein-Marcus and Gryzmish administration buildings this afternoon, protesting the decision by Senior Vice President for Students and Enrollment Jean Eddy to approve a proposal that will allow Student Events to receive its funding directly from the department of Student Activities.The proposal, approved by Eddy Nov. 26, allows Student Events to bypass the Student Union Finance Board when receiving 17 percent of the Student Activities Fee, which amounts to one percent of each student's tuition.

While the Union says the proposal is unconstitutional and detrimental to the ideas of student autonomy and financial oversight, Student Events representatives uphold that the money will allow them to react faster and with greater flexibility in planning events.

This was the second rally the Student Union organized for this cause, the first one coming last Sunday night in the Shapiro Campus Center Atrium. This afternoon's protesters held signs and marched in a circle around the plaza outside administration buildings Bernstein-Marcus and Gryzmish, withstanding the cold weather and waiting for senior administrators to exit on their way to a faculty meeting.

After several minutes of marching, followed by call and response chants of "What do we want? - Student Rights, When do we want it? - Now," and, "Whose university? - Our university, Whose money? - Our money," the students created a tight circle around Student Union president Shreeya Sinha '09.

This is a "call to action," Sinha said. She explained the situation and said that the student body must believe in student rights and autonomy. Any decisions regarding the SAF "must be decided by you," she said. Sinha added that the protest was held to protect democracy and show that "we matter here at Brandeis."

The rally was held to raise awareness, Union Treasurer Choon Woo Ha '08 said. The constitution is a "sacred document," and once it is broken, it is forever broken. He said the decision must be reversed to protect the constitution and the rights of students.

"Autonomy is extremely important to aiding in the cause and success of social justice organizations such as ours," said Stephanie Sofer '09, co-president of Students for Environmental Action.

After Sinha's speech, an airhorn was blown, music played and students were encouraged to walk down the halls of the administration buildings, chanting and littering letters of petition. Administration members looked on as the students walked through the buildings, one office worker giving thumbs up to the marchers.

"The students are perfectly free to express themselves," Provost Marty Krauss said.

When students re-congregated in the plaza, Sinha introduced Prof. Gordon Fellman (SOC), who said the event moved him. "This is so 60s," he said, explaining that students should press as hard as possible on maintaining democratic procedures.

People in the crowd began to "boo" as administration members prepared to leave the building. Students continued to chant as the administrators, including University President Jehuda Reinharz, left the building and walked toward their meeting.

Members of Students Opposing the Decision to Arm, who were at the protest both to join the Union's cause and advocate for their own, held signs reading "SODA Demands: Guns in lockers, zero tolerance, diversity training." Lev Hirschhorn '11, a member of SODA, said they were protesting the administration's general lack of care for student voice, including the case of arming the University police and the Student Events decision.

Director of Union Affairs Jason Gray '10 said that Eddy made a bad decision and that he hopes she realizes the student body isn't going to accept a policy that violates students' rights. He said the Union was going to keep up pressure on the administration to reverse the decision.

After the event, Sinha said in an interview with the Justice that the purpose was to urge the administration to abide by the University's legacy of social justice. "Please do not let students feel disillusioned by the Brandeis experience we thought was one that includes student input and advocacy," she said.