U-M takes aim at ‘disruptive activity’
Regents consider new policy after protesters disrupt academic achievement ceremony
University of Michigan officials are considering a policy that would sanction students for any activity deemed disruptive to university operations or facilities, which would likely impact on-campus protests or other demonstrations.
The “Disruptive Activity” policy proposal comes days after a group of students protesting Israel disrupted an academic ceremony on March 24 honoring the academic achievements of undergraduate students, which the event’s invitation calls “one of the University’s most important academic traditions.” The students’ protest interrupted university President Santa Ono as he made a speech at the ceremony, according to reporting by The Michigan Daily. Sunday’s protest at the university was organized by a group called the TAHRIR Coalition, which encompasses more than 80 student organizations, according to The Michigan Daily. The coalition is a student-led movement which advocates for the university to pull out of investments linked to Israel’s military actions in Gaza. The students cite investments made by the university in companies such as Boeing and Lockheed Martin.
The proposed policy restricts activity that disrupts the “free flow of persons about campus, whether indoors or outdoors, including any pedestrian, bicycle or vehicular traffic.” It would also ban disruption of university activities, performances and other school proceedings. The policy would slap offending students with written notice for disruptive activity and give them an opportunity to meet with a U-M official. Students could then accept responsibility and sanctions including restriction from employment at U-M, formal reprimand, probation, restitution or other punishments. Students could also request a hearing to determine responsibility. If found responsible, they would face sanctions.
On Tuesday, Ono wrote in a statement posted to the community that the event’s interruption brought “profound disappointment” to the students, parents and other well-wishers who had shown up to the academic ceremony.
“Like many of you, I am proud of our university’s history of protest. But none of us should be proud of what happened on Sunday,” he wrote. “We all must understand that, while protest is valued and protected, disruptions are not. One group’s right to protest does not supersede the right of others to participate in a joyous event.”
U-M is requesting feedback on the proposed policy from students, faculty and staff members by April 3.