University of Central Florida trustees vote to ban camping on campus after nationwide occupations

Under the policy, approved events that are held on-campus can only be held between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday.

The University of Central Florida Board of Trustees voted to approve a ban on camping campus-wide following the wave on anti-Israel encampments nationwide that broke out over the spring.

According to WUSF, the new rule approved by the Board of Trustees on Thursday bans camping on any University of Central Florida property unless approved by the university.

Under the policy, approved events that are held on-campus can only be held between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday.

UCF general counsel Youndy Cook told Spectrum News that the university rules already banned camping, but wanted to make it even more clear.

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“That is not changing,” Cook said. “What we are changing, however, is we’re making explicit the camping prohibition with its own paragraph.”

Muah Dahn, a senior at the University of Central Florida, said she’s upset by the changes and feels it’ll make protesting harder.

“We have a very large pro-Palestinian demographic, but regardless of what side you stand on, it’s an attack on your political free speech,” Dahn said.

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While there wasn’t an anti-Israel encampment at the University of Central Florida, several schools around the state had protesters attempt to establish on-campus occupation.