Emerson College has been tarnished by police raid on protest

Under school’s current president, emeritus honoree must decline graduation invitation

Re “new at emerson, already in crisis: President faces heat over how protest ended” (Page A1, may 4): i write as an emerson college professor emeritus of journalism and history. Having watched the hours-long live-streamed emerson college town hall, i took an interest in the reporting on the testimony of students, staff, and faculty about protests and policing on campus and the leadership of the school’s new president, Jay Bernhardt.

i found the eyewitnesses genuine and passionate; the campus community should be proud of how it represented itself. An impression from the eyewitness accounts was that, in the matter of the encampment erected in a downtown alley to protest israel’s military campaign in gaza, Bernhardt’s actions were in response to concerns over antisemitic statements and public safety issues. Yet, his actions — or inactions — were seen by many to escalate tensions rather than defuse them.

Speakers raised questions about the proportionality of the police response, noting that unarmed campus security had the scene under control. in addition, by relying on city and state police, officials exposed a significant number of staff, faculty, and students of color to rough handling. the exposure was detailed in eyewitness testimony and supported in the demand of the emerson staff union for an independent and thorough inquiry. in taking a vote of “no confidence,” students reached the conclusion that Bernhardt has shown a failure of presidential leadership that cannot be rehabilitated.

A most telling moment during the assembly was the hostile language of eric Alexander, chair of the emerson board. it involved a Black student speaking about the experience of policing in Boston. When the student pulled a can of spray paint out of his backpack, Alexander, seated next to Bernhardt a few rows away, yelled, “Back the [expletive] up,” as the young man approached. the image of an older white man shouting down a Black student is a defining image of the Bernhardt presidency.

i was invited to attend commencement as a retiring professor with 25 years of teaching and research; in fact, i am believed to be the first Black professor emeritus since the founding of emerson in 1880. i declined with regrets because i fear that Sunday’s scheduled ceremony will be yet another ostensible forum for peaceful protest that is likely to devolve into an extreme security response.

i ask for the understanding of the graduating class. i would be proud to represent emerson at commencement when an enlightened president is in office.

Students reached the conclusion that Jay Bernhardt has shown a failure of presidential leadership that cannot be rehabilitated.

ROGER HOUSE Arlington