Trinity Drops Student Admonitions Before the New Semester

Bella Chirkis ’27

Executive News Editor

On Oct. 23, 2024, 11 students received admonitions after participating in a peaceful protest on Trinity College campus during a Board of Trustees dinner. Admonitions, defined by DiChristina are “a written warning about future misconduct which is not placed on a transcript and is normally removed after a student’s graduation.” The students who received these admonitions were a part of the group Trinity Student Coalition for Justice in Palestine (TSCJP) and were protesting for the college to divest from companies participating in global injustices as a part of their “Divestment Days of Action.” On Jan. 16, 2025, Joe DiChristina, Vice President for Student Success and Enrollment Management, sent an email regarding students’ concerns that the college was preventing freedom of speech and the right to peacefully protest, and released these admonitions on their transcripts. As a result of the protests and uproar about the admonitions, DiChristina stated that he is working with the Student Government Association (SGA) to develop clearer and more detailed guidelines for student demonstrations which will not be released until March 15. 

In a discussion with Amber Gray ’26, a student who received an admonition and then got 

it released, she stated: “The purpose of the admonitions was only to make a point and silence us.” In the interview, Gray expressed what it felt like to first receive the admonition, feeling anxious, chaotic and fearful. The students unified together after receiving the emails, and Gray expressed feeling support from people she didn’t know that well. 

Students have theorized that the administration gave students these admonitions because they wanted the coalition to feel less unified and more discombobulated, but that was not the case for the group. Gray further emphasized that many students feel like the school is abusing their power by reacting in this way to the peaceful protest. The admonitions created a sense of fear from students and limited their rights while protesting peacefully on campus. After getting the admonition dropped, Gray explained the feelings of the event: “We all breathed a sigh of relief when it got dropped. It was relieving but also kind of funny- the school has no backbone, they have issues putting money where their mouth is and holding out punishments for us.” 

On Oct. 18, students protested after their presentation to the subcommittee on Oct. 17, where six students presented their case for divestment to the Investment Subcommittee. A month later, President Joanne Berger-Sweeney announced that the Board decided against disclosure and divestment. 

With new President Dan Lugo and administration, pro-Palestine protesters are approaching them with “cautious optimism.” Lugo spoke to the coalition after his welcome speech, and members of TSJP claim that he is a good ally for them to have as he genuinely supports the movement and beliefs of the coalition. 

In final inspiring words from Gray: “We are at a crossroads of politics and ideology in this country. Those who are fighting for the right causes — keep the fight. This is our time to win. This is our time of serious volatility on the national stage, mass deportations and policies to be rescinded. If you’re scared, we all are, but it is time to do something about it. If you are brave enough to do something, it will reward you with a change.”