Petition to Defend Student Activism, Free Expression, and Academic Freedom at the University of Rochester

We, the undersigned students of the University of Rochester, are deeply alarmed by the University’s increasing suppression of student activism, particularly surrounding Palestinian rights. President Trump’s January 29th executive order has escalated government repression against students organizing for Palestine, pressuring universities to monitor, report, and punish student activists. This order disproportionately impacts Palestinian, Arab, Muslim, and other marginalized students, who already face heightened targeting and repression—especially our international student community. The Trump Administration has gone so far as to abduct Palestinian student activist Mahmoud Khalil at Columbia University—an escalation of the attacks on student movements nationwide.

The University of Rochester has chosen not to protect its students, but instead to reinforce this repression. The Demonstrations, Vigils, and Peaceful Protest Policy has been shown to severely restrict student speech and criminalize protest, requiring students to seek approval for demonstrations and empowering the administration to shut down actions that express political dissent. The University has already taken disciplinary action against students for Palestine organizing this year, including expelling a student and suspending four. Additionally, the persistent presence of the Department of Public Safety (DPS) at every Palestine-related event—even educational gatherings—creates an environment of fear and intimidation for students engaged in advocacy. In light of these developments, we demand that the University of Rochester immediately take action to protect student rights and academic freedom by committing to the following:

1. Publicly reaffirm students’ and faculty’s rights to free expression and academic freedom – The University must immediately issue a statement condemning any efforts to suppress political speech, and commit to protecting student activism without discrimination, from both legal and disciplinary repression.

2. Reform the new Demonstrations, Vigils, and Peaceful Protest Policy – The policy serves as a tool of repression and silencing, criminalizing students who speak out on critical human rights issues. A university committed to free expression must not impose bureaucratic and punitive restrictions on protest.

3. Refuse to cooperate with the government and local/state/federal law enforcement and immigration authorities to surveil and report on, deport or otherwise punish student activism – Establish the university as a sanctuary space ASAP to protect immigrants and activists on campus.

4. Cease disciplinary actions against students that make them more vulnerable to federal repression for their expression – Students have already been suspended and expelled for their involvement in Palestine organizing. These retaliatory actions endanger students’ futures and send a clear message that the University prioritizes repression over justice. All disciplinary measures tied to Palestine activism must be immediately reversed.

5. End the targeted surveillance and intimidation of Palestine organizers – The presence of DPS officers at every Palestine-related event, including purely educational events, is a clear intimidation tactic. The University must immediately halt the targeted policing of Palestinian, Arab, Muslim, and allied students.

6. Reject anti-Palestinian racism and uphold protections against discrimination – The University must ensure that Palestinian and associated students are not subjected to surveillance, harassment, or retaliation for their activism, in accordance with its legal obligations under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act.

Universities should be spaces of free inquiry, open discourse, and political engagement—not institutions of state-backed repression. The University of Rochester is actively silencing its students and criminalizing advocacy for Palestinian rights. We demand that the administration take immediate action to protect student rights, end the repression of Palestine activism, and stand against government overreach into academic spaces.

Signatures

Signature Count: 106

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