More Than 30 #NotAgainSU Protestors Suspended

photo by Alex Rouhandeh

On February 17th at 12:35 p.m., #NotAgainSU protestors officially occupied Crouse Hinds Hall, the home of Admissions and the Chancellor’s office. According to an official address from #NotAgainSU on the state of the SU campus,

“Far before the initial November incidents, the administration upheld oppressive structures that supported ­­— and even strengthened — the problematic conditions that prevail on and around our campus…We implore the administration to acknowledge their complicity and to recognize their responsibility for the persistent, violent attacks on students and faculty of marginalized identities on this campus…”

After the November incidents, NotAgainSU asked Chancellor Kent Syverud, DPS Chief Bobby Maldonado, Associate Chief John Sardino, and Senior VP for Enrollment and the Student Experience M. Dolan Evanovich to resign by January 13. After failing to comply with #NotAgainSU’s demands, students officially occupied Crouse Hinds and requested that these four administrators leave their offices by February 21.

Protestors occupying Crouse Hinds were warned that they were violating the Campus Disruption Policy and were issued a notice to vacate the building or face suspension. According to an email sent out at 11:04 p.m. to the entire SU listserv by Keith Alford, chief diversity and inclusion officer, and Rob Hradsky, VP for the student experience,

“We informed our students they are welcome to demonstrate during the building’s hours of operation, which are 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. The student demonstrators were also invited to continue their protests overnight in Bird Library, which is open 24 hours, and then return to Crouse-Hinds Hall in the morning to continue their demonstration. They declined the invitation…To be clear: no students are being suspended for protesting.”

Around 2:45 this morning, over 30 #NotAgainSU protestors were handed letters of suspension. The letters stated that by occupying Crouse-Hinds after 9 p.m., students broke SU Student Conduct. At least one Black female student received an official notice of suspension even though she was not involved in the occupation.

Hours later at 11:17 a.m., SA sent out an email to the entire SU student listserv with the subject line “On Behalf of #NotAgainSU” and stated,

At roughly 2:30 AM, a DPS officer put his knee between a female student’s legs trying to stop her from blocking the entrance as she was trying to protect those who are inside. At 8 AM, DPS officer Bingham (Badge Number 36) put his hands on a female graduate student who has card access to the building. It is clear DPS is not here to protect students, but the oppressive systems this university enrooted with the establishment of this university… Organizers have observed White people being let into the building without the same scrutiny or presumption of guilt. #NotAgainSU recognizes this as a form of racial profiling and anti-blackness upheld by the administration.

Students are currently occupying Crouse Hinds and are being refused food from the outside. To stay updated on the current situation in Crouse Hinds follow @NotAgainSU on Instagram.  

If you know someone who can provide legal counsel please reach out to notagainsu@gmail.com and share this information with the tags #NotAgainSU #FreeCrouse #NotAgainSUspension.