Thank you.
Sometimes it looks like we are eating our own and harming Democratic tending institutions.
Part of the escalation of the protests looks to be because of poor decision by the administration and law enforcement. Think the mess is an unproductive fiasco and harmful to everyone except those that want to bash heads or see heads bashed or students otherwise punished. Local conservatives are happy because they do not like Cal Poly Humboldt in general.
Makes me sad. I am a Humboldt native (not Native American). Worry about the university being harmed. Note Cal Poly Humboldt is the strongest Democratic and progressive institution in Humboldt County.
Here are the two latest updates. The students demands are out to lunch. The Faculty Union is behind the students and blames the school administration for escalation.
UPDATE 5:08 p.m.: Michihiro Sugata, Professor of Sociology at CPH, approached our reporter, Ryan Hutson. He said he was present when the following information was conveyed from students to the administration. He explained that the students want this to be communicated publicly right away, in the event that it may grease the wheels for a good faith negotiation.
He told us,
[T]he students have requested…what they call “the three Ds,” which is to Deescalate, meaning the removal of the police and the threat of police violence, and also for academic amnesty for the students that are here that they won’t be facing academic repercussions.
Number two, to Divest. They want a full audit of investments that the university may have in companies that are supporting the State of Israel. And they also want [the University to] stop selling… products from companies that… are supporting the State of Israel.l.
And then lastly, …they would like Cal Poly Humboldt to make an open declaration in favor of a ceasefire in Gaza and they would like them to urge the CSU to do the same.
And if those are met, there was consensus, overwhelming consensus, within the students that they would peacefully surrender Siemens Hall, and there would be no…absolutely…no need for police violence on this campus anymore.
…[T]hat has been communicated to the administration. And if the police take action at this point,…the administration needs…to respond to why they were not willing to negotiate with the students.
UPDATE 5:53 p.m.: The California Faculty Association Humboldt just posted,
CFA Humboldt Condemn the Hard Closure of Cal Poly Humboldt Campus and Risk to Campus Community Members
The Cal Poly Humboldt Chapter of the California Faculty Association (CFA), a labor union that represents teaching, counseling, library, and coaching faculty of the California State University System, strongly condemn today’s actions of Cal Poly Humboldt (CPH) Administration as yet another dangerous escalation of their response to a peaceful campus demonstration.
Just after 12:30pm, Saturday, April 27th, CPH Administration sent an email that the campus was officially under a “hard” closure. As of the writing of this email, a strong police presence has been sighted on campus, barricades have been erected to prohibit access to campus, and students who live on campus are being restricted to the resident halls and the dining hall.
This campus closure represents a dangerous escalation of the administrative response to this week’s student demonstrations against the Israeli government’s relentless assault on the people of Palestine. Student protestors and their numerous allies including faculty and staff, are still in the central campus area, now isolated and vulnerable to the kind of police violence that occurred April 22nd, the first night of the demonstration. The students and their allies are engaged in a peaceful protest, closing campus and introducing unneeded police presence puts students and others at an unnecessary risk of both physical and emotional harm.
Last evening, student protesters opened Siemens Hall, the administrative building they have been occupying, so that all could see that, while there is graffiti on the walls, there has been little other property damage. Contrary to what was insinuated by CPH administration earlier this week, no confidential files have been compromised. Nearly all administrative offices remain locked. Students are demonstrating on behalf of the people of Gaza and all Palestinians and are not interested in administrative paperwork.
CFA Humboldt demands that:
• Tom Jackson, who has been asked to step down from his role as CPH President, must immediately resign.
• Mark Johnson, who has been asked to step down from his role as Chief of Staff of President Tom Jackson, must immediately resign.
• Barriers to Campus need to be immediately removed and campus needs to be reopened. All members of the university community need access to campus.
• Police officers must leave their stations on campus and return to their home offices.
• Cal Poly Humboldt administration needs to commit to student safety and agree to continue to respectfully and in good faith negotiate with student protesters.
We also ask those who are able to come to LK Wood to help observe the [perimeter] of campus as long as you are able.
In the words of CPH Professor Gabi Kirk, “I have seen this happen in Palestine to restrict freedom of mobility and attempt to quash protest. Our students who are protesting for justice, peace, and an end to killing in Palestine are now having it happen to them.”
Restricting freedom of movement, speech, and peaceful demonstration will not make our campus safer nor will it heal our campus community of recent events. CFA Humboldt asks CPH Administration to open the campus, support students, and allow faculty to do the job we were hired to do, teach students.
In union,
CFA Humboldt Executive Board
https://kymkemp.com/2024/04/27/cal-poly-humboldt-enforcing-hard-campus-closure-now-amid-student-occupation/
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