Cal Poly Humboldt officials are closing the campus for the remainder of the semester with classwork continuing remotely because of continued pro-Palestinian protests.
Pro-Palestinian student activists refuse to end their occupation of two academic buildings, calling for university divestment from Israeli companies and weapons manufacturers.
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The big picture: University administrators have called in riot police to clear the occupation, resulting in a clash with protesters and three arrests.
- The closure means that anyone on campus without authorization by University Police is subject to citation or arrest, and students living on campus are asked to limit their movement.
- The closure is set to last through May 10 and could potentially impact commencement scheduled for the following day.
- Damages from the occupation could cost the school millions of dollars
Driving the news: Cal Poly Humboldt’s academic Senate and local California Faculty Association called for university president Tom Jackson’s resignation and passed a vote of no-confidence in his leadership based on the police response to the protest
- The university has said their investments in Israeli companies or defense firms represent less than 1% of its endowment portfolio
- The campus had already closed on April 22 after students set up an encampment inside academic and administrative building Siemens Hall.
What they’re saying: “Our goal is not to be confrontational, to continue the dialogue behind the scenes and not raise more attention to this community,” Jackson told the Eureka Times Standard. “This community doesn’t need this kind of national attention.”
