Learn about what Northern was like before the protests began and what factors contributed to sparking student rebellion.
In 1965, President Edgar L. Harden resigned over an argument with a Board of Control member. The next day, he retracted his resignation. Did student protests contribute to his decision?
Most university students in the country opposed the policies in Vietnam. This was not necessarily the case at Northern.
In the spring of 1967, students protested a variety of issues including housing, dress codes, food, and other campus issues.
In July of 1967, a history professor named Robert McClellan was fired for dubious reasons. Students and faculty rallied to his support and throughout 1967-1968 there were a string of protests, meetings, and court cases which culminated in McClellan's re-instatement.
In December of 1968, the Black Student Union held a sit-in at an important basketball game to protest the treatment of African American students at Northern.
The Job Corps was a federal program created to help poor teenagers and young people who has dropped out of high school gain the skills to have a job. In December of 1968, the Faculty Senate urged President Jamrich to not seek renewal of the Job Corps, which caused a bit of controversy.
In the spring of 1969, Vietnam protests heated up again on campus when an ROTC program opened at Northern. Nation-wide Vietnam moratoriums in the fall of 1969 also led to protests in Marquette.
In December of 1969, the Black Student Union held a sit-in in Dean Allan Niemi's office, again to protest the treatment of African American students at Northern. The largely peaceful protest led to the trial of the 'Marquette Six' in the spring of 1970.