Following the dismantling of the encampment, the College is addressing policy violations while advancing a community-informed review of the divestment proposal.
Dear Occidental Community:
I am writing to provide an update on the recent temporary encampment on the Quad.
As of noon on Monday, April 27, the encampment was dismantled and cleared. While the College respects the right to free expression and peaceful protest, some actions that took place over the weekend violated the Code of Student Conduct and the College’s Speech, Dissent, and Demonstration policies. These policies exist to ensure the safety and well-being of our entire community and to minimize disruption to campus operations.
Occidental is committed to enforcing these important policies without escalation or jeopardizing community safety whenever possible. Accordingly, individual students and a student organization have been notified that the College will investigate and take all appropriate disciplinary actions. The College is actively reviewing other information and further conduct processes may be initiated. Violations of school policy are taken seriously and will be addressed without delay. Additionally, law enforcement arrested an individual unaffiliated with Oxy who forcibly entered a College building over the weekend.
Community is a core value at Occidental and we are all called upon to create and sustain a community of mutual respect. We are part of a shared academic and residential community that carries expectations of respect for one another’s right to learn, live, and participate fully in our community. Those responsibilities and rights are outlined in our policies. While some of the demonstrations in the fall semester were very critical of the College administration, the College has supported our students’ rights within the framework of these shared responsibilities.
We understand that the students in the encampment and demonstration are proposing certain divestments. As mentioned in our communications on Friday, we began a comment period for students, faculty, and staff, as well as alumni and parents, to share their thoughts on the proposal. This follows the College’s established process for such investment proposals which is meant to receive the benefit of the Occidental community’s input. We have seen many responses in just the first few days, highlighting a variety of different perspectives on a complex topic. The responses have shown us the passion of our extended Tiger community, and how committed these individuals are to shaping the future of Occidental.
In the spirit of further conversation, we reached out to the students who submitted the proposal to discuss the document and the process that we are now following to review it. Unfortunately, that offer was declined. We will continue to consider input from our community and evaluate the proposal in accordance with the policy.
I look forward to moving ahead together in an environment that supports different viewpoints, civil debate, and peaceful protest.
Tom