A Declaration by the American Association of University Professors of Barnard and Columbia

Education, Incarceration, Inequality, ProtestAmericas, United StatesCommentary, Letter, NewswireBarnard College, Columbia University, Executive Committee of the University Senate, New York City Police Department

Following the Mass Emergency Meeting of the Faculty Held on Friday, April 19, 2024

We condemn in the strongest possible terms the Administration’s suspension of students engaged in peaceful protest and their arrest by the New York City Police Department.

These acts violate the letter and the spirit of the University Statutes, shared governance, students’ rights, and the University’s absolute obligation to defend students’ freedom of speech and to ensure their safety.

We demand that all Barnard College and Columbia University suspensions and charges be dismissed immediately and expunged from the students’ records, and that all rights and privileges be restored to them immediately.

Last, we demand that no disciplinary action be taken against any student protesters without due process, and that no police be permitted on campus without serious consultation with the Executive Committee of the University Senate.

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