Iqra Athar ’26
News Editor
Oct. 23, 12 students at Trinity College received emails notifying them of potential disciplinary action due to their participation in a protest on Oct. 18 during a Board of Trustees dinner. The protest, organized by the Trinity Student Coalition for Justice in Palestine (TSCJP), was part of the “Divestment Days of Action” which aimed to urge the college to disclose its endowment allocations and divest from companies associated with global injustices. The demonstration coincided with the biannual meeting of the Board of Trustees, one of the few occasions when trustees convene on campus.
The protest began at 6:15 p.m. at Gates Quad and moved to the front of Hamlin Hall, where trustees were dining. Student protesters, supported by faculty, gathered outside and chanted in opposition to the college’s possible financial ties to companies accused of environmental harm and human rights abuses. Three protesters were specifically instructed to refrain from using megaphones and to lower their volume, yet the demonstration as a whole continued to voice their concerns. Vice President of Student Success Joseph DiChristina made few attempts to silence the chants, citing disruptions to the proceedings inside.
Following the protest, 12 students received an email requesting a meeting with Dean Rob Lukaskiewicz and Dean John Selders within less than 24 hours to discuss their alleged violations of college policies, specifically Social Code #4 which addresses refusal to comply with requests from college officials and Social Code #9 which pertains to disruptions of college. The students pushed back, demanding more time to decide and were granted an extra day to respond. These meetings occurred on Oct. 24 and 25 with the affected students, to determine if they were “more likely than not responsible” for any policy violations. Following these meetings, 10 out of 11 students who met with the administration were issued an admonition — a formal warning to avoid similar behavior in the future.
In an email to the students, the Dean Rob and Dean Selders stated, “As a response to this misconduct, the following sanction will be imposed: I am issuing this admonition, which is a formal warning. Please avoid this behavior in the future. Failure to do so could result in more serious consequences.”
This response has raised concerns among students and faculty regarding the college’s approach to freedom of speech. The Trinity Faculty Coalition for Justice in Palestine issued an open letter to the Office of the Dean of Students, expressing their discontent with the disciplinary actions taken against students. The letter emphasized, “This protest was a principled call from students… who have recognized the escalating genocide in Palestine.” The coalition condemned the administration’s attempts to intimidate students and labeled the admonitions as “a vague, arbitrary and rushed disciplinary process.” They argue that punishing students for participating in a peaceful assembly undermines the college’s mission to foster independent thought and action.
Professor Isaac Kamola, Associate Professor of Political Science, in a conversation with the Tripod, weighed in on the issue, emphasizing the importance of free speech on campus. “The message being sent to our students is perilously close to telling them that social protest will not be accepted, that the comfort of the Trustees is more important than their voice and free expression, and that the democratic right to free expression on campus will not be tolerated. This is a dangerous message to send,” he stated. His remarks highlight a growing sentiment among faculty that the administration’s response could have a chilling effect on student activism and discourse.
Kamola also noted that while it is easy for the administration to claim they are “prepar[ing] students to be bold, independent thinkers who lead transformative lives,” true support for student voices is essential. “When students make peaceful, thoughtful and just demands upon this institution, they should be engaged, respected and treated as important members of this community. Not intimidated and admonished,” he added.
In response to the recent administrative actions at Trinity College, Amber Gray ’26, a student who received a disciplinary warning, shared her disappointment and concerns with the Tripod. Gray described feeling anxious about the admonition, viewing it as an attempt to stifle student activism. “Receiving this warning feels like a direct suppression of our voices,” Gray explained. “It’s disheartening. They seem to prioritize administrative convenience over our freedom of speech, creating a tense and unforgiving atmosphere for activism on a campus that claims to cherish free thought and expression.” Tahseen Aliahmad ’26, who also received the disciplinary email, expressed strong disapproval of Trinity College’s actions in a conversation with the Tripod. “I felt it was largely unnecessary and seemed to only function as a scare tactic,” Aliahmad said. He emphasized that protests are inherently disruptive, designed to apply pressure and prompt swift action. Aliahmad criticized the college’s handbook, suggesting that it fails to protect students if it can be interpreted as justifying the suppression of student voices. “It does not exist to protect anyone but the administration and needs to be changed,” he argued.
A member of the TSCJP who requested anonymity also expressed their dismay to the Tripod about receiving a disciplinary email despite not attending the protest. They highlighted the unclear protocol used to identify students and the misleading nature of the disciplinary meetings, initially described as informal but leading to formal admonitions. This TSCJP member also detailed a disturbing incident during homecoming weekend involving unauthorized photography and derogatory remarks by a parent who saw them standing near chalk messages advocating for divestment. The TSCJP member had to personally step in and engage with campus safety due to an inadequate administrative response. “The administration’s actions starkly contrast with the inclusive environment they claim to support,” they remarked, reflecting on the email President Joanne Berger-Sweeney shared with the college community on Oct. 25 regarding updates following the Board of Trustees meeting. They criticized the administration’s failure to acknowledge the meeting between TSJP representatives and the investment subcommittee, when students advocated for divestment. They urged a reevaluation of how the administration handles student protests and freedom of expression.
The situation continues to develop as students and faculty call for the administration to reassess its policies on student protests, to uphold the values of free expression and peaceful assembly on campus. The Trinity Faculty Coalition for Justice in Palestine has urged the administration to drop the admonitions and reaffirm the students’ rights to peacefully protest. They highlighted that, “What could be more grounded in care, honesty and integrity than students demanding that our community’s resources not be used to harm other humans and the planet?”
Shouldn’t this piece be in the Opinion section? It’s your perspective that the administration’s actions constituted a free speech violation on campus, yet many students, myself included, don’t see it that way. Or is the Tripod taking an open stance in support of the Palestine protests?
Also, it seems there’s a lack of diversity in perspectives on the Tripod editorial board. Isn’t it ironic for a group that advocates for diversity to lack it themselves-hypocryctical much?
I find myself frustrated by the Tripod’s role, which at times feels more like a platform for propaganda than a balanced campus newspaper. And I say this as someone who is pro-Palestine.
It is shocking, absolutely shocking, that the college would crackdown on deranged anti-Semitic acts of Jew-baiting and other similar charming speech. Ironically, many of the protestors would otherwise be arguing that words are violence when the words differ from their narrative.