Pro-Palestine students expelled, suspended from Vanderbilt University after unruly protest

Three pro-Palestine students at Vanderbilt University have been expelled, one suspended, and 27 have been issued disciplinary probation after taking part in a rowdy demonstration after protesting against the administration’s removal of the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions initiative — an anti-Israel effort, per Fox News Digital.

The Vanderbilt Divest Coalition had put forth an amendment to the Vanderbilt Student Government Constitution that would bar government funds from being used to support businesses that supported Israel.

The proposed amendment had received 600 signatures, which qualified for appearing on the ballot. However, the university removed the amendment, motivating 30 students to march into the halls of Vanderbilt Chancellor Daniel Diermeier’s office and hold a sit-in last month.

While there were claims that protesters physically assaulted a Community Service Officer and shoved other staff members, the VDC claimed that the whole demonstration was a “peaceful” one, per the report.

The sit-in ultimately lasted more than 20 hours. Even though the students faced suspension and forced removal, 30 Vanderbilt students decided to remain on the steps outside the building.

The Vanderbilt Hustler — the university’s student-run newspaper — reported that an open letter was sent to Chancellor Diermeier, claiming that the actions taken against the students were “draconian.”

The letter stated: “Some of us participated in similar sit-ins in our own day; they form part of the protest lexicon. And while such civil disobedience carries consequences, the consequences our administrators have chosen — including expulsion and criminal charges — are draconian,” Maroney said. “We call on the Chancellor to change course.”

It continued: “We recognize that as a private entity, Vanderbilt has the latitude to set its own policies about free expression. But we are concerned that these rules seem arbitrary, shifting, and unevenly applied to student activists and other community members. We also contend that the criterion that student protests must not ‘disrupt’ university operations is perniciously vague and expansive. Nonviolent protests aim at disruption to varying degrees. Thus, stipulating that protests violate handbook policy when they disrupt university operations potentially bans many meaningful forms of protest.”

The university did not comment on the number of expulsions and suspensions, appealing to federal privacy laws.

“After a thorough review of the incident, including examination of evidence and interviews with students, the Student Accountability Community Standards and Academic Integrity staff issued a range of findings and sanctions that took the individual circumstances of each student’s conduct into account,” Vanderbilt Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs C. Cybele Raver said on Friday. “The sanctions included disciplinary probation as well as suspension and expulsion.”

The students affected by the disciplinary action have ten days to appeal their case. During the appeal process, students will be allowed to return to class.