The lecture and the following protest was part of the Sweat-Free campus campaign, organized by the Purdue Organization for Labor Equality. The group brought in three sweatshop workers who manufactured the Purdue logo on apparel in their factories.
Mark Franciose, a senior in the College of Liberal Arts and group activist, said the 30-minute group protest of about 70 students was a spur of the moment idea. Jischke was not in his office at the time.
He said the group has repeatedly tried to contact Jischke by telephone and e-mail and has not received a favorable response.
Held in Stewart Center, the lecture focused on the struggle for rights in the workplace.
One worker, Josefina Hernandez Ponce, worked in a Mexican sweatshop, MEXmode, for the majority of her life. She said many great strides have been made over the past few years.
"If it weren't for the efforts of USAS (University Students Against Sweatshops), we wouldn't be able to make it as a union," she said through a translator Monday evening.
Ponce is the union leader for her factory in Mexico - the only workers' union in the entire country. She said one of the major problems is that companies such as Nike and Champion do not abide by workplace laws in foreign countries.
"The codes of conduct are in place, but they were only there to make consumers happy," she said. "The rules were not being followed."
After nine months of organization, the union was able to double their salaries. Many workers now make an average of $60 per week.
Other benefits have come from the work of Ponce and other organizations similar to the university's group. For example, pregnant women no longer have to work overtime hours and now can sit and stand as needed.
Ponce said students must get together with organizations and make the Purdue administration sign an agreement to ensure the legality of garments.
"You do not have to stop buying your favorite brands. You need to demand that these products are being manufactured under just conditions," she said.
After taping up his petition, Andrew Preston, a junior in the College of Liberal Arts, said he will continue working with Purdue's group.
"Everyone needs to pay attention to what they are buying. Maybe that Purdue sweatshirt isn't worth the money; we need to make sure they were made under equal opportunity (conditions)," he said.