Twenty New York University students stripped to their underwear during campus tours at the $91,000-per-year institution, confronting prospective families with demands for transparency about where the school’s expensive merchandise is manufactured.
Protest Disrupts Campus Visit Weekend
The demonstration unfolded on April 11 outside the Kimmel Center during Weekend on the Square, when prospective students and parents tour the Greenwich Village campus. Members of Students of International Labor Solidarity marched in bras and underwear carrying signs reading “STOP SECRET SWEATSHOPS” and “DISCLOSE THE CLOTHES” while chanting solidarity slogans. The protesters targeted NYU merchandise sold at premium prices, including $106 sweatshirts and $80 pullovers, demanding the university reveal complete manufacturing supply chains.
About 20 NYU students protested school merchandise costs and alleged sweatshop labor by stripping to their underwear during a campus tour event for prospective families.
The activist group known as Students of International Labor Solidarity is demanding that the university… pic.twitter.com/faEzJPKafd
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Sophomore Saesha Jindal, 19, told reporters the group uses student leverage to support garment workers who produce university-branded apparel. The bookstore sells Champion, Lululemon, and Nike items manufactured in Pakistan, India, Jordan, Vietnam, Vancouver, and the United States. Fellow member Jamie Hesseltine, 20, claimed NYU has only disclosed final factory locations despite obligations to share complete supply chain information. The group, founded 18 months ago, began demanding disclosure in October after multiple unsuccessful meetings with administration officials.
University Defends Labor Standards
NYU Senior Director of Executive Communications Joseph Tirella countered that all university merchandise meets a code of conduct requiring fair labor standards, prohibiting sweatshop conditions, and ensuring legal compliance. Licensees must maintain these standards to continue their relationship with the school, and NYU actively monitors enforcement, Tirella stated. The protesters suspect the university conceals information about labor violations in its manufacturing processes. Hesseltine described mixed reactions from touring families, with some supporting worker advocacy while others appeared dismayed by the spectacle.
Critics Question Effectiveness
Neetu Arnold, policy analyst at the Manhattan Institute focused on education issues, questioned whether such protests produce meaningful results for workers. While the demonstrations grab attention and shaming universities may feel morally satisfying, Arnold warned the approach can prove short-sighted. She characterized such activism as potentially becoming political theater that generates headlines without clearly expanding opportunities for the workers activists claim to help. The protest represents part of the group’s broader “Follow the Thread” transparency campaign demanding full manufacturing disclosure from the university administration.
Any old excuse to walk around naked
How about having the clothing made in the USA and requiring the university student buy them at the university store. Cost will go up about 300%. I was working in Korea and went to the shopping centers outside of Soul. Companies would have the clothing made at two location or two shifts. The clothing sold during the day was expensive and the clothing sold during the night was about 50% cheaper. Same clothing… The difference was the daytime market was westerners, tourist and US military and the night market was local Koreans.
While they were trying to shock people by dressing in their underwear in their protest, they were NOT naked. In all of the photos of this event shown here the private parts were covered. Thus I would not call this being naked. I think had all of the clothing sold at the university store been made in the U S A the students likely would have protested the high prices of the clothing.