Three student activists suspended for protesting CIA recruitment submitted an appeal to the Office of Conduct Standards yesterday afternoon, fulfilling intentions they had announced at a news conference earlier in the day.

Undergraduate Student Government Executive Assistant Travis Parchman, Jessica Stern (sophomore-liberal arts) and former student Timothy Fasnacht began their appeal process at about 3 yesterday afternoon -- four hours after their unauthorized news conference in McAllister Building.

Reading from a prepared statement, Parchman said the students will challenge the sanctions within available University channels and pursue outside means as well.

"Due process was clearly violated, the evidence was scanty and contradictory, and the penalties were not commensurate with the actual damage that any of us inflicted upon the University," Parchman charged.

According to the Policies and Rules for Students handbook, students sanctioned by OCS can appeal the punishments on three grounds -- failure to provide due process during the hearing, unduly harsh sanctions or insufficient facts to support the case.

Parchman and Stern claim two of the Hearing Board members were "observed doodling and were inattentive to a substantial part of the testimony." Restricted press access and the absence of an unabridged transcript also constitute violations of their due process, Parchman said.

The students held the 11 a.m. conference in McAllister's lobby -- the site of the November protest -- despite the University's refusal to grant access to the building or its outside steps for that purpose. No University Police prevented their entry to the building.

Karen Rugh, director of public events and campus relations, said McAllister is inappropriate for a news conference.

Stern said they chose McAllister partially for symbolic reasons, because it was the scene of the original protest.

David Stormer, director of University Safety and assistant vice president for safety and environmental health, said no University police officers were assigned to the building because the University had no intention to oust the students.

"There's a distinction between violations of regulations and violations of law," Stormer said. "There may be an issue of rules and regulation violations."

Stormer said since the students proceeded with their news conference against the University's will, a referral to the Office of Conduct Standards may result if they are found in violation of University policy.

When asked how information would be obtained since no officers were present, Stormer said evidence could be gathered from other witnesses.

Parchman said he was pleased that the news conference could be held in the lobby safe from yesterday morning's rain and not on the outside steps, as was originally planned.

"Maybe the University realizes that stopping us would be in violation of the Constitution, since we're not obstructing people's freedoms," he added.

Parchman received disciplinary dismissal for at least one year and Stern received a two-semester suspension for student conduct code violations they were charged with following last November's CIA recruitment protest. The charges were the result of a two-day University Board hearing that included eight and one-half hours of testimony.

Fasnacht received three semesters of disciplinary probation in a separate hearing.

According to OCS policy, the only official record of the hearing is a summary submitted by the Hearing Board chairman. OCS policy also forbids all tape recordings of the proceedings and permits defendants one adviser who must be a regular administrative official, faculty member, or University student. This adviser is forbidden to conduct the defense of accused students.