Columbia University initiates suspensions for students as pro-Palestine protests spark clashes
Columbia University has taken action to suspend student protesters who remained at the on-campus encampment past the administration's 2 pm ET deadline, CNN reported.
According to the New York-based university, these students will face consequences such as ineligibility to complete the semester or graduate, as well as restrictions from university housing and academic facilities.
«Once disciplinary action is initiated, adjudication is handled by several different units within the university based on the nature of the offense,» Vice President of Public Affairs Ben Chang said during a briefing Monday evening.
The Office of University Life and the university's senate, representing students and faculty, oversee this process, as reported by CNN.
«Decisions made by the Office of University Life can be appealed to the dean of the student's school,» said Chang, adding, «Decisions made by the senate can be appealed to a panel of deans and, ultimately, the university's president.»
The decision to remove the encampment was partially motivated by the need to ensure the smooth continuation of the university's commencement ceremony for its 15,000 graduates, Chang noted.
Earlier, students at Columbia had voted to defy the order to vacate the encampment, which has been a focal point of pro-Palestinian protests on campus.
This action at Columbia comes amid a wave of arrests and tensions at universities across the United States, with demonstrations in support of
