Penn Places Six Students on Leave of Absence Amid Gaza Solidarity Encampment Affiliation

In a recent development, the University of Pennsylvania (Penn) has placed six student organizers on mandatory leaves of absence due to their affiliation with the Gaza Solidarity Encampment. The decision was made in accordance with University policies and pending the results of disciplinary investigations by Penn's Center for Community Standards and Accountability.

According to a source familiar with the matter, the student organizers were not suspended, as initially announced by a Penn undergraduate at a press conference. Instead, they have been put on mandatory leave of absence, with restricted access to all university-related activities and facilities. One student organizer was allegedly evicted from their dorm without prior notice, although this claim has not been confirmed.

The Vice Provost for University Life, Karu Kozuma, sent letters to the six students notifying them of their mandatory leaves of absence. The letters stated that their participation in the encampment has contributed to "increasingly unsafe conditions" and poses a threat to order and safety, citing the Charter of the University of Pennsylvania Student Disciplinary System as justification.

It remains unclear whether the University will take further action against the remaining six students involved in the Gaza Solidarity Encampment. This disciplinary measure is the most significant response from Penn thus far, despite their reluctance to disband the encampment, which currently houses approximately 40 tents.

The disciplined students have lost all PennCard access, potentially impacting their eligibility to graduate or receive their degrees. Penn Students Against the Occupation of Palestine (PAO) released a statement on Instagram, asserting that the students did not receive hearings before Provost John Jackson Jr., as required by the Charter of the University Disciplinary System. The statement also alleged that the decision was made without consultation and approval from the students' academic deans.

The PAO statement accused the University of manipulating the cases to eliminate perceived leaders of the encampment. They claim this demonstrates a corruption of the Community Standards and Accountability process and highlights the University administrators' bad faith. The statement further mentioned that the disciplinary measures were conveyed by Vice Provost Kozuma, who informed the students that they are prohibited from entering academic buildings, being present on campus, or participating in any programming, including classes and graduation-related activities.

Among the disciplined students, two are members of the encampment's negotiations team, while another is an international student who was locked out of her dorm. The student who spoke at the press conference expressed frustration with the University's lack of response to their demands, blaming the Board of Trustees' investments in the Israeli apartheid state as a reason for their alleged inaction.

The Gaza Solidarity Encampment has expanded onto the east side of College Green, with nearly two weeks of continuous protesting. The encampment demands that Penn divests from Israel, corporations benefiting from the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict, and Israeli institutions involved in "scholasticide." They also call for the University to defend Palestinian students, grant amnesty to students engaged in pro-Palestinian activism, and reinstate Penn Students Against the Occupation of Palestine.

As the disciplinary actions escalate, some members of the Jewish community, including a College senior and a professor from the Perelman School of Medicine, have criticized the encampment's expansion and the behavior of some participants. They have organized events in opposition to the encampment and plan to deliver a petition calling for its disbandment.

The University's decision to place student organizers on leave of absence has sparked debates and raised concerns among various stakeholders. The outcome of the disciplinary investigations and their potential impact on the students' academic future remain uncertain. As the situation continues to evolve, updates will be made available.