Dear Chancellor Larive, EVC Kletzer, Faculty, and Grads,
Today: We—undergraduates, graduates, and faculty—stood together in solidarity and stared down the latest police intimidation and brutality, acting under administrative orders to keep “business as usual.” Business is not usual when graduates and undergraduates are this heavily rent burdened and indebted. Business is not usual when hundreds of people close the base of campus demanding change. Business is not usual when the administration spends over $300,000 in one day to bring in out-of-county police and put them up in the Hyatt. Business is not usual when faculty are standing between students and police in riot gear. And business does not return to usual when those cops arrest 17 people, injuring many so badly that they ended up in urgent care at the hospital- hair ripped out, bleeding, concussed, and with broken fingers. See the linked video and photos below.
An administration bemoaning harm to undergraduates missing fall grades cannot burn money on cops that arrest and assault peacefully protesting students. The administration appalls us. It is a disgrace to our community.
Refusing to be intimidated and struggling for just demands, undergraduates, graduates, and faculty stood firm until police backed off and agreed to release every person they had arrested. We held the Bay and High Street intersection for over four hours, only leaving when we decided it was time to dance together on the lawn.
Tomorrow: We held a general assembly to close the day, and resolved to come back tomorrow morning. We will be set up from 7:30am and cannot wait to see your beautiful faces.
Join us tomorrow on the picket! Become part of this movement. We grow and learn more every single day we are out here.Every day longer is a day stronger.
We particularly encourage every graduate student who reads this to come to the picket tomorrow. Students who cannot be arrested or handle confrontation with the police will be protected.
Sincerely,
Students and Workers