Vanderbilt University suspends, expels students who occupied chancellor's office during pro-Palestinian protest
Vanderbilt University has suspended and expelled several students who occupied the chancellor's office building to protest the cancelation of a boycott, divest, and sanction campus-wide vote.
Vanderbilt University has suspended and expelled several students who occupied the chancellor’s office building to protest the cancelation of a boycott, divest, and sanction campus-wide vote.
According to The Tennessean, around 30 students began to occupy Vanderbilt Chancellor Daniel Diermeier’s office on March 26 to protest the cancellation of a vote to change the student government constitution. University administration canceled a campus vote on a proposed change to the student government constitution, which would have prevented student government funds from going to businesses that work with Israel.
Three students were charged with Class A misdemeanor assault after they pushed a Community Services Officer and a staff member who offered to meet with them while they forcefully entered Kirkland Hall on March 26, a Vanderbilt spokesperson previously told Campus Reform.
Vanderbilt Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs C. Cybele Raver said in a statement on April 5 that an investigation into the incident led to a number of sanctions including suspension and expulsion. Raver didn’t give a specific number of students who received sanctions.
The students will have 10 days to appeal the decision, according to Raver.
”The gravity of this situation and these outcomes weighs heavily on those of us charged with carrying out our responsibility as leaders; we fully understand that student choices and decisions can lead to serious and costly consequences,” Raver said.
The provost added that the sanctions were placed to “preserve an environment where everyone is assured safety, well-being and an opportunity to flourish.”
According to Red State, one of the students arrested, Jack Petocz, previously organized rallies protesting two school board members who were attempting to remove inappropriate books from school libraries.
Petocz also participated in a walkout at his high school protesting legislation in Florida branded by left-wing media as the ”Don’t Say Gay” bill.
Because of his activism in high school, Petocz even met with President Biden in July 2023.
The sit-in protest began at 9 a.m. on March 26, when members of the Vanderbilt Divest Coalition forcefully entered Kirkland Hall, according to the Vanderbilt Hustler. Security video from the building shows protesters shoving an individual to gain access inside.
In an earlier statement, a Vanderbilt spokesperson said the protest was “not a peaceful one.”
”It began with the assault of a Vanderbilt community service officer and continued with protesters physically pushing Vanderbilt staff members with the hope of entering and occupying the chancellor’s office. As a result, the building remained on lockdown and members of VUPD were on high alert.
