Posted on 04/23/2024 7:26:17 PM PDT by nickcarraway
Harvard College suspended the Harvard Undergraduate Palestine Solidarity Committee and ordered the group to “cease all organizational activities for the remainder of the Spring 2024 term” or risk permanent expulsion, according to an email obtained by The Crimson.
The suspension comes amid a wave of pro-Palestine student demonstrations across the country, with students staging occupations at universities including Columbia and Yale Universities. Though there have not been occupations at Harvard this semester, the University restricted access to Harvard Yard on Sunday in anticipation of student protests.
The PSC was one of several student organizations, including some unrecognized student organizations, to stage a rally in Harvard Yard on Friday in solidarity with student activists at Columbia, more than 100 of whom were arrested on Thursday by the New York City Police Department.
During the rally, attendees marched and chanted outside the offices of administrators in the Yard, concluding on the steps of Widener Library.
The group also found itself at the center of controversy in the immediate aftermath of Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel, when the PSC published a statement co-signed by more than 30 other student groups that stated it held “the Israeli regime entirely responsible for all unfolding violence” from Hamas’ attack.
In an email to the PSC, the College specifically cited Friday’s protest when informing the group of its suspension for the remainder of the spring semester, noting that the group had failed to register the demonstration and violated protest guidelines regarding responsible use of space.
The group had previously been placed on probation by the College in March, according to the email.
“The organization will not be recognized and will not have access to university benefits and services during this time, including but not limited to use of campus space and appropriate use of the Harvard name,” the email stated. “If the organization continues to operate and commits additional violations during this suspension, the organization risks permanent expulsion, as provided in the Resource Guide.”
In a message in a group chat of pro-Palestine organizers obtained by The Crimson, one organizer wrote that the PSC was suspended over their collaboration with unrecognized groups including Jews for Palestine, which staged an occupation of University Hall in November.
College spokesperson Jonathan Palumbo wrote in a statement that Harvard “works closely with our recognized independent student organizations to ensure they are following existing policies outlined in the Student Organization Resource Guide and all College and University expectations.”
“The College is committed to applying all policies in a content-neutral manner and in close partnership with our student organizations,” Palumbo added. “All student organizations are required to participate annually in training on these policies, and any organization found in violation of the policy is subject to corrective action.”
The PSC released a statement Monday afternoon which stated that the organization’s suspension comes after “months of administrative repression, harassment and stalking by our own peers, and intimidation from right-wing politicians and donors.”
“After standing idly by as pro-Palestine students faced physical and cyber harassment, death threats and rape threats, and racist doxxing, Harvard has now decided to dismantle the only official student group dedicated to the task of representing the Palestinian cause,” the statement reads.
The Harvard Faculty and Staff for Justice in Palestine wrote that they were “outraged” by the suspension in an Instagram post Monday evening denouncing the decision.
FSJP called on Harvard to “reinstate the PSC immediately.”
The post stated that the University “has summarily disposed of academic freedom and constitutionally protected freedoms of dissent in an effort to silence students speaking out about apartheid, occupation and genocide.”
Harvard’s student organization policies state that “student organizations may not co-sponsor on-campus events with external or unrecognized organizations.”
“For the past 6 months, PSC has faced unprecedented repression — doxxing, racist harassment, and targeted administrative crackdowns — as we’ve protested the ongoing genocide in Gaza,” the PSC wrote on Instagram. “After being placed on an illegitimate and retroactive probation, PSC has been suspended.”
“We call on the Harvard community to fight against repression and join the movement for Palestinian liberation,” the post continued. “History is watching you.”
In January, interim President Alan M. Garber ’76 and 15 top deans sent a University-wide email emphasizing the protest guidelines in the University-wide Statement on Rights and Responsibilities.
In the email informing the PSC of its suspension, the College stated that the group has until Wednesday at 5 p.m. to appeal the decision to Associate Dean of Student Engagement Jason Meier.
The PSC will also be able to apply for reinstatement at the beginning of the fall 2024 semester if it abides by the terms of its suspension, according to the email.
“I think when a private institution is being embarrassed and tainted by radical and inflammatory speech, the institution is the arbiter.”
So the Israeli press saying Gaza civilians are complicit in kidnapping Israelis is “radical and inflammatory speech”?
Weshould stay [t of it and let leftist fight leftist.
Exactly, the truth is not allowed.
However, stopping them from speaking is doing exactly what they are doing. Overcome them with the truth, not with censorship.
We’re talking about Harvard.
Where did you get the idea that Harvard was your public ‘Town Square’?
It’s a private institution/business; it can do what it likes in this regard.
Personally, I’m glad to see that it’s getting at least a little bit of sense.
Celebrate revolutionaries like Castro, Mao, Che, Malcolm X. Question authority. Trust no one over 30. Riots are the voice of the oppressed.
Now they want to put the genie back in the bottle. Respect the rule of law. Obey authority.
Too late. This is the trash culture they have created and nurtured.
Means nothing...school’s out in a few weeks.
School's been blown to pieces!
Yes, Harvard has the right to prohibit an organization from holding an event on its property, and it has the right to suspend any organization that it finds is acting in a way that is antithetical to its mission.
If you want these folks to spout their venom freely and intimidate other students, invite them to YOUR house and let them do it there.
free speech has limits, and always has.
You are NOT and never have been free to threaten violence.
The line is crossed when a speaker makes a true threat. The Supreme Court has found such true threats are not protected free speech under the First Amendment.
BTTT
Plus, all the Mexicans are up here in the US anyway. The place is deserted. Most people would cheer.
“spout their venom freely”
And who defines venom? It seems you believe Harvard as an institution can. Which means if you don’t use the proper pronouns you are disallowed. Or if you are against abortion you can’t protest with pictures of aborted babies because that’s venom. A lawyer is disbarred because he questioned the 2020 election, more limits on free speech.
You cannot overcome irrationally with reason. You must use force. They operate in wold view that uses its own internal logic. they believe they have the true and are incapable of seeing their errors.
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