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Vogt December 5, 2000 class assignment FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE For More Information Contact: Erin Vogt 555.555.5555 vogt2@tcnj.edu
TCNJ Plans Hosting of Junior Golf Tournament Amid Threats of Protest DECEMBER 5, 2000 - EWING, NJ… A regional Junior Golf Tournament to be co-sponsored by The College of New Jersey, the mayor of Trenton and funded by the Nike Corporation has been warned of resistance by the school’s section of Amnesty International. At a Communications staff meeting on Friday, December 1st, Janet Gray, Professor of Gender Studies from the college, and two students representing the anti-sweatshop movement through Amnesty International warned staff members against committing to a Nike-sponsored event. They vowed to create a "public relations nightmare" if the school agreed to such involvement with the sports equipment company giant, and suggested seeking sponsorship from other organizations, not Nike. A fourth person, later identified as an alternative media journalist, took written notes of the exchange. The Tournament is to be funded by Nike’s Tiger Woods Foundation, and will take place May 15th through the 29th, in conjunction with alumni weekends. Free lessons and equipment will be given to participants, and local golf professionals will help teach the sport to the youth of Trenton attending the camp, which will be playing on the local Mountain Range Golf Course. Tiger Woods is expected to make an appearance at the event’s closing ceremonies. The College is looking forward to the program as an opportunity to reconnect with the surrounding urban area of Trenton. The school also hopes to draw participants to its College-bound program, which supports students not often encouraged to attend college to get their degree. The City of Trenton also hopes to add positively to its public image, as well as attract outside funding for such programs. Nike has repeatedly met charges of operating sweatshops in such countries as Thailand and Indonesia. Such manufacturing plants are said to exploit workers through strenuous overtime, extremely low wages and hazardous working conditions. Amnesty International has recently requested the school take a "No-Sweat" pledge. This pledge would not allow the school to be associated with any companies that run sweatshops. The College is taking the pledge into consideration.
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