Rutgers and University of Minnesota cave to anti-Israel campus occupiers
Rutgers University and the University of Minnesota both gave in and accepted some demands from anti-Israel encampment protesters in exchange for an end to their occupation of campus areas.
Rutgers University and the University of Minnesota both gave in and accepted some demands from anti-Israel encampment protesters in exchange for an end to their occupation of campus areas.
Administrators at Rutgers University-New Brunswick wrote in a message to the community on Thursday that they had reached a resolution with the encampment protesters, which is organized by Students for Justice in Palestine.
Rutgers administrators and protesters agreed on the following:
- Rutgers will “implement support for 10 displaced Palestinian students to finish their education.”
- Rutgers will create an Arab Culture Center.
- Enter a partnership with Birzeit University in Ramallah.
- Rutgers will name Palestine, Palestinians, and Gaza in all future communications.
- Rutgers will hire a senior administrator “who has cultural competency in and with Arab, Muslim, and Palestinian communities in the Division of Diversity, Inclusion, and Community.”
- Rutgers will work to make training sessions on “anti-Palestinian, anti-Arab, and anti-Muslim racism for all RU administrators & staff.”
- Work towards the creation of a Department of Palestinian studies.
- Rutgers won’t punish any members of the community involved in the encampment.
”This resolution was achieved through constructive dialogue between the protesting students and our leadership teams. Despite the myriad ways to address the national movement, our focus has remained on ensuring our students’ safety and our university’s smooth operation. This agreement opens the door for ongoing dialogue and better addresses the needs of our Arab, Muslim, and Palestinian student body, which numbers over 7,000,” administrators wrote.
According to KTSP, encampment protesters at the University of Minnesota also reached a deal with administrators.
Administrators agreed to allow the anti-Israel encampment organizers to meet with the Board of Regents on May 10 to argue why the university should divest from companies doing business in Israel. Protest leaders will also meet biweekly with university administrators.
[RELATED: NORTHWESTERN SURRENDERS: University to pay off protesters to disband encampment]
A spokesperson for the University of Minnesota told KTSP that the school “has very little direct business or investments in Israel or Palestine.”
