Police officers in riot gear took action to disperse a protest camp at Northeastern University in Boston. While doing so, a group of students expressed their dissatisfaction by shouting and booing from a safe distance.
Maryam Alwan thought that the worst was behind her when she and other protesters were arrested by New York City police in riot gear on the Columbia University campus. They were then loaded onto buses and kept in custody for several hours.
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The college junior received an email from the university the next evening, notifying him of his suspension along with other students. This came after their arrests at the “Gaza Solidarity Encampment,” which colleges nationwide have implemented to address the escalating campus protests against the Israel-Hamas war.
The students’ predicament has become a pivotal aspect of the protests, as both students and an increasing number of faculty members are advocating for their amnesty. The main concern revolves around whether universities and law enforcement will drop the charges and refrain from imposing any further consequences, or if the suspensions and legal records will continue to haunt these students well into their adult lives.
At Columbia and its affiliated Barnard College, the terms of the suspensions differ. On April 18, Alwan and several others were arrested and subsequently prohibited from accessing campus and attending classes. They were also unable to participate in in-person or virtual activities and were banned from dining halls.
There are still lingering uncertainties regarding their academic futures. Will they have the opportunity to take their final exams? What about their financial aid? And their graduation? According to Columbia, the final decisions will be made during disciplinary hearings. However, Alwan has yet to be informed about the date of her hearing.
Alwan, a major in comparative literature and society, expressed a sense of dystopia in response to the situation.
What began as a local dispute at Columbia University has escalated into a countrywide clash between students and administrators regarding anti-war demonstrations and the boundaries of free expression. Over the course of the last 10 days, numerous students from Yale University, the University of Southern California, Vanderbilt University, and the University of Minnesota have been subjected to various forms of disciplinary action, including arrests, suspensions, probation, and, in exceptional cases, expulsions.
Barnard College, a women’s liberal arts college at Columbia University, took disciplinary action against over 50 students who were arrested on April 18. These students were subsequently removed from campus housing, as reported by the Columbia Spectator campus newspaper and confirmed by interviews with the students involved. Internal campus documents obtained by the newspaper further substantiate these claims.
Barnard College made an announcement on Friday regarding the restoration of campus access for the majority of suspended students. Although the exact number was not disclosed, the college stated that all students whose suspensions were lifted have agreed to comply with college regulations and have been placed on probation in certain instances.
Maryam Iqbal, a Barnard student, shared a screenshot on the social media platform X on the night of the arrests. The screenshot displayed an email from a dean, informing her that she could temporarily return to her room accompanied by campus security, before eventually being expelled.
The email stated that there would be a 15-minute window to gather any necessary items.
Over 100 faculty members from Barnard and Columbia universities came together last week to show their support for the students. They organized a rally, titled “Rally to Support Our Students,” where they strongly condemned the arrests of the students and called for the immediate lifting of the suspensions. The faculty members expressed their solidarity with the students and emphasized the importance of creating a safe and inclusive environment on campus.
Columbia University is currently making efforts to clear the tent encampment situated on the main lawn, despite the upcoming graduation ceremony scheduled for May 15. The students have been firm in their demands, insisting that the university sever its ties with companies associated with Israel and provide amnesty for any students or faculty members who have been arrested or faced disciplinary action in relation to the protests.
According to Ben Chang, a spokesperson for Columbia, discussions with the student protesters are ongoing. He acknowledges that both sides have their own set of demands.
According to Radhika Sainath, an attorney with Palestine Legal, international students who are facing suspension also have the added concern of potentially losing their visas. Sainath, who assisted a group of Columbia students in filing a federal civil rights complaint against the school, claimed that Columbia has not taken sufficient actions to address the discrimination faced by Palestinian students.
“The punishment level not only seems draconian but also exhibits a sense of excessive callousness,” commented Sainath.
Senior Craig Birckhead-Morton, one of the more than 40 students arrested at a recent Yale demonstration, expressed concerns about his upcoming graduation and potential implications for his acceptance to Columbia graduate school. Despite being set to graduate on May 20, Birckhead-Morton revealed that the university has yet to inform him whether his case will be presented to a disciplinary panel. This uncertainty has left him anxious about the possibility of not receiving his diploma and the potential impact on his future academic pursuits.
According to the Institute for Middle Eastern Understanding, Vanderbilt University in Tennessee has expelled students in connection to protests surrounding the Israel-Hamas conflict. The university took action after over two dozen students occupied the chancellor’s office for several hours on March 26. In response, the university called the police, leading to the arrest of multiple protesters. As a result, Vanderbilt expelled three students, suspended one, and placed 22 protestors on probation.
Over 150 Vanderbilt professors have expressed their concerns regarding the university’s strict measures in an open letter addressed to Chancellor Daniel Diermeier. In the letter, they criticize the actions taken by the university, deeming them as excessive and punitive.
One of the students who was expelled, 19-year-old freshman Jack Petocz, is currently attending classes while he files an appeal. As a result of his expulsion, he has been forced to leave his dormitory and now resides off-campus.
According to Petocz, his involvement in high school protests played a crucial role in his acceptance into Vanderbilt University and earning a merit scholarship for activists and organizers. In his college essay, he shared the story of how he organized walkouts in rural Florida to stand against Governor Ron DeSantis’ anti-LGBTQ policies.
Petocz expressed that Vanderbilt University appeared to appreciate his work until he began advocating for the liberation of Palestinians.
