Harvard University’s governing board has rejected a faculty-led initiative to allow 13 students, who faced sanctions for participating in pro-Palestine protests, to receive their degrees and graduate.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!The Harvard Corporation’s decision, which The Harvard Crimson labeled as “unprecedented,” highlights ongoing tensions between the university’s faculty and administration following widespread pro-Palestine protests on college campuses this year.
On Monday, the Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS) had voted to permit the 13 students to graduate despite their disciplinary infractions, contradicting an earlier decision by the university’s administrative board. The corporation’s veto reinstates the ban on these students graduating. A Pakistani Student, Asmer Asrar is also included in those 13 students whose degrees are being withheld.
A Pakistani student, @asmerasafi, is one of 13 students at Harvard whose degree is being withheld by the university. These students are being punished for standing up for Palestine. Pakistan media should highlight this case. @ZarrarKhuhro @HamidMirPAK @asmashirazi @_Mansoor_Ali
— Ammar Ali Jan (@ammaralijan) May 23, 2024
In a statement, the corporation explained, “Because the students included as the result of Monday’s amendment are not in good standing, we cannot responsibly vote to award them degrees at this time.”
Typically, both the FAS approval of graduates and the corporation’s acceptance of faculty measures are routine matters. However, the dispute over the student protesters has disrupted this standard process.
Approximately 115 faculty members voted on Monday to allow the sanctioned students to graduate. Professor Steven Levitsky warned in an interview with the Crimson that faculty might revolt if their decision was overturned.
“I would expect a faculty rebellion, possibly a faculty rebellion against the entire governance structure, because there’s already a fair amount of mistrust toward the Corporation, to begin with,” Levitsky said.
Harvard recently suspended five students and sanctioned over 20 others for their involvement in a pro-Palestine campus encampment that ended earlier this month, including the 13 senior students.
The corporation noted that these students could still receive their degrees after completing the standard disciplinary process, depending on the outcomes.
“We care deeply about every member of our community — students, faculty, staff, researchers, and alumni — and we have chosen a path forward that accords with our responsibilities and reaffirms a process for our students to receive prompt and fair review,” the corporation stated.
Similar pro-Palestine protests occurred at hundreds of college campuses across the nation earlier this year, spurred by dissatisfaction with the Biden administration’s response to the Israel-Hamas conflict. While most protests were peaceful, some escalated into violence, leading to over 2,000 student arrests nationwide.
Notably, Columbia University in New York, the site of the first major encampment, saw significant political attention and intervention, resulting in the suspension of dozens of students and a police crackdown to clear the encampment after protesters occupied a campus building.
Related: IIUI Student dies in Vehicle Attack at Save Gaza Campaign
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