On Monday evenings, the Gowen Room is usually nearly empty aside from the senators at the weekly Students’ Association Senate meeting. But on Nov. 18, nearly every seat was filled.
The senators held a public discussion on a prospective statement, which was drafted in response to the University administration’s conduct regarding the ‘wanted’ posters distributed throughout River Campus last week. Students from all class years and a variety of perspectives gathered to share their sentiments on the topic, leading to a broader conversation on the University’s treatment of antisemitism, anti-Arab discrimination, and other bias-related incidents on campus.
The original version of the legislation condemned the University’s response to the incident as disproportionate, citing other instances of hate speech on campus that allegedly were not treated with the same indignation that has resulted in the investigation and arrest of four students as of writing.
Public discussion on the bill lasted over two hours, with audience members chiming in with their thoughts.
“I am much more alarmed by the University’s reaction and what it caused than I was by the posters or anything that’s happened on this campus,” Sam, a first-year student, said. “I’m being told to be fearful of other students and to look to the University for protection, but like the bill has outlined, the University has not protected Jewish students in other incidents of hate against Jewish students, such as the swastikas that were found.”
Swastikas and other antisemitic symbols and words were painted in the tunnels at the beginning of Spring 2024.
Students such as Sarah Aljitawi, president of the Student Association for the Development of Arab Cultural Awareness (SADACA), pointed to the single-sidedness of the University’s response to past discrimination and hateful comments.
“I’ve been called a Nazi multiple times. I’ve been called a terrorist multiple times,” Aljitawi said. “As a Palestinian student, I’ve reported this a bazillion and thousand and one times. I’ve directly spoken to the administration about it. Silence.”
Vice President of the Minority Male Leadership Association John Conduah pointed to past discriminatory events that the school took less interest in.
“Racial slurs were spray-painted and said in Simon Business School, which is on the River Campus, [and] there was a very lackluster response by the University senior leadership,” Conduah told the Campus Times.
Students also discussed what they felt was an increase in anti-Arab discrimination and antisemitism on campus. The bill cited hate comments, discrimination, and death threats aimed at minority groups and organizations that have expressed pro-Palestinian sentiment.
Others stood firm in support of the University’s response, saying that Israeli voices haven’t been adequately heard and that the investigations are necessary to combat claims of antisemitism. UR Students for Israel was one of the Jewish groups present, reemphasizing their disapproval of the legislation in an Instagram post later in the week.
“This push to halt the investigation and dismiss charges is not a stand for justice — it is an endorsement of the posters’ hateful, intimidating, and factually baseless rhetoric,” the post said. “Let’s confront the truth head-on.”
This sentiment was supported by Senator Austin DeLorme, who voiced his support for incorporating greater Israeli voices in pledging to vote ‘no’ on Monday’s bill.
“A lot of Jewish and Israeli students didn’t even know that this meeting was happening tonight, [and] didn’t even have the opportunity or chance to learn about these incidents,” DeLorme said.
While the original legislation did not pass immediately, the Senate passed an amended resolution on Wednesday, Nov. 20, with 12 senators voting in favor, one dissent, and one abstention. The amended resolution directly demands transparency from DPS in their investigation, as well as the dismissal of felony charges against the defendants.
SA President Elijah Bader-Gregory endorsed the resolution in email correspondence with the Campus Times.
“There’s no doubt that the ‘wanted’ posters are vandalism, but arresting students and charging them with felonies is a situation that should never happen again,” he said. “The University purports to adhere to a ‘restorative justice’ model, but this pandering to national news and politicians has resulted in students being arrested while the University boasts about said arrests in community-wide updates. I’m deeply disappointed and against the University’s response and communication around the arrest of students.”
