On December 12, 2024, New York University (NYU) declared at least four faculty members persona non grata for their presence at a student-led protest outside of the university’s Bobst Library. Dozens of students were also declared PNG. Two of the faculty members declared persona non grata were also arrested.
The student protest began as a sit-in on an upper floor of NYU’s Bobst Library, outside of the university’s administrative offices. The following day, students continued to protest, blocking the entrance to several NYU buildings, including Bobst Library. Several faculty members were present at the protest, including Andrew Ross and Sonya Posmentier, both who have tenure and are members of NYU’s American Association of University Professors (AAUP). According to the NYU’s AAUP vice president, the professors were there to ensure the protesters’ safety, but were not participating in the protest itself.
In response, NYU declared both Ross and Posmentier, along with at least two other faculty members, persona non grata. According to the AAUP, the designation is “tantamount to a summary suspension.” According to two of the professors, NYU did not inform them of their status; they discovered that their faculty IDs had been deactivated and that they were no longer permitted to enter NYU buildings when they tried to do so.
In addition, police also arrested Ross and Posmentier, including using zip-ties on them and jailing them. They were charged with trespassing and disorderly conduct.
NYU explained its actions by pointing to “threatening graffiti in the library.” There was no evidence to indicate that any of the faculty members arrested or declared persona non grata were responsible for the graffiti.
Scholars at Risk is concerned about actions that amount to the suspension of faculty and students without following proper due process and about the arrests of faculty members peacefully exercising their freedom of assembly. University authorities have an obligation to refrain from retaliatory actions intended to punish, restrict, or chill the exercise of the right to free expression and association and should employ transparent, fair processes when engaging in disciplinary actions. In addition, while state authorities have a responsibility to maintain safety and order, they also have an obligation to refrain from restricting nonviolent expressive activity. Such actions undermine academic freedom, institutional autonomy, and democratic society generally.
Sources:
https://www.insidehighered.com/news/quick-takes/2024/12/13/nypd-arrests-two-nyu-professors-pro-palestinian-protest
https://nyunews.com/news/2024/12/12/bobst-protest-arrests/
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/dec/20/new-york-university-professors-israel-gaza
https://www.aaup.org/news/aaup-condemns-faculty-arrests-amidst-protest-crackdown-nyu
https://mesana.org/advocacy/committee-on-academic-freedom/2024/12/16/letter-to-new-york-university-regarding-its-arbitrary-repressive-actions-toward-faculty-and-students
https://facultyforpalestine.education/2024/12/12/dec-12-press-release-nyu-faculty-arrested-for-supporting-students-in-peaceful-pro-palestine-protests/
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc9F-By4XaFoVDSxOmELDaJrzZm5s0VEBrNVdfo1SARMrTUKQ/viewform?pli=1