On July 8, 2024, several University of Florida (UF) students announced in a press release that the UF Dean of Students Office had suspended them for three years for their participation in a peaceful pro-Palestinian protest on campus.
The protest for which UF disciplined the students took place on April 29, and resulted in the arrest of six students. Immediately after their arrests, UF issued interim suspensions to all six students, claiming that the students had violated a set of restricted protest-related activities and items. The restrictions had been newly issued apparently in response to the student protest (see report).
In May and June, UF’s Student Conduct Committee (SCC), composed of faculty, staff and students, held disciplinary hearings to review the evidence against the students. Based on those hearings, the SCC recommended sanctions that included academic probation and suspensions ranging in length from one to four years. UF’s Dean of Students Office rejected the SCC’s recommendations, instead issuing a minimum suspension of three years for all of the students. The suspensions leave the students in limbo, unable to graduate until the penalty is lifted.
All six students appealed their suspensions. In August 2024, UF rejected their appeals.
Scholars at Risk is concerned about the suspension of students for peacefully exercising their right to freedom of expression and assembly. While university authorities have an obligation to take all reasonable measures to ensure the safety of students and university personnel and should endeavor to prevent disruptions that inappropriately inhibit the functioning of or access to higher education, they must do so consistent with their responsibility to ensure academic freedom and free expression on campus. Moreover, where alleged violations of university policy do occur, authorities have an obligation to ensure due process, transparency, fairness, and proportionality when engaging in disciplinary action, and should avoid punishments that effectively restrict future expressive activity. The punishment of nonviolent student expression undermines academic freedom and democratic society generally.
Sources:
https://www.alligator.org/article/2024/07/uf-academically-suspends-six-pro-palestinian-protestors
https://www.wlrn.org/education/2024-07-12/civil-liberties-group-tries-to-lower-suspensions-for-arrested-uf-students
https://www.thefire.org/news/university-florida-suspends-student-three-years-over-peaceful-protest
https://www.thefire.org/research-learn/fire-letter-university-florida-july-3-2024
https://www.wcjb.com/2024/07/09/student-protesters-university-florida-appeal-academic-suspension/
https://www.wmnf.org/uf-denies-appeals-for-students-suspended-in-protests/