Harvard University’s Board of Trustees on Wednesday rejected an effort by faculty members to allow 13 students who had been sanctioned for participating in pro-Palestinian protests to complete their degrees and graduate.
The Harvard Crimson reported on Harvard University’s veto of the decision by the Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS).UnprecedentedThe ” ” highlights tensions between the university’s faculty and administration in the wake of mass pro-Palestinian protests that have rocked campuses this year.
FAS voted on Monday Contrary to the university management committee’s decision last week to recommend that the 13 sanctioned students be allowed to complete their degrees and graduate despite disciplinary violations, the corporation’s veto over the faculty vote has again prevented the students from graduating.
“Because the status of the students included as a result of Monday’s amendments is not good, we cannot responsibly vote to award them degrees at this time,” the corporation said in a statement about the 13 students.
Both FAS approval of alumni lists and corporate approval of faculty measures are typically perfunctory votes, and the conflict over student protesters has disrupted the standard process.
About 115 faculty members attended a meeting on Monday to vote to allow the sanctioned students to graduate. Crimson Interview If the vote results are overturned, teachers could revolt.
“I expect there will be a teacher revolt, perhaps a teacher revolt against the entire governing body, because there is already so much distrust of the corporation to begin with,” Levitsky said.
Harvard University last week suspended five students and sanctioned more than 20 others for taking part in a pro-Palestinian campus camp that ended earlier this month. The group included 13 upperclassmen.
The university notes that any disciplinary action will follow the university’s standard procedures and that depending on the outcome, the affected student may be awarded a degree.
“We care deeply about all members of our community, including our students, facilities, staff, researchers, and alumni, and have chosen to follow our commitment and reaffirm our processes to ensure students receive prompt and fair review. ” the corporation wrote.
Similar pro-Palestinian campuses popped up on hundreds of college campuses across the country earlier this year amid growing anxiety over the Biden administration’s response to the war between Israel and Hamas.
While most protests have been peaceful, some have turned violent with police and counter-demonstrators, leading to the arrest of more than 2,000 students across the country.
Political attention was focused on Columbia University in New York, the site of the first large-scale encampment and the site of political visits by prominent members of both the ruling and opposition parties. Columbia suspended dozens of students for participating in the protests, and later called in police to violently remove the encampment after some protesters occupied campus buildings.
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