Colleges prepare for students to return after spring protests – Washington Examiner
The article discusses the preparations being made by colleges, particularly DePaul University, for the return of students in the fall after significant unrest related to pro-Palestinian protests. DePaul’s campus Quad has been closed for approximately three months due to repairs estimated at $180,000, following damage incurred during the protests. Similar situations have arisen at other universities in Illinois, where protesters established encampments. DePaul Professor Jason Hill commented on the events, suggesting that university administrators struggled to maintain order amid rising vandalism and harm directed at Jewish students. He expressed skepticism about the commitment of college administration to uphold law and order, implying that student activism often reflects the ideas of their professors.
Colleges prepare for students to return after spring protests
(The Center Square) – DePaul University is preparing to reopen its campus Quad before students return for fall classes.
The Quad has been closed for about three months while workers repair damage from pro-Palestinian protests last spring. DePaul officials say workers have been fixing an estimated $180,000 worth of damage to the Quad and surrounding areas.
Protesters also set up encampments at the University of Illinois, Illinois State, Northwestern, the University of Chicago and other schools.
DePaul Professor Jason Hill told The Center Square that college administrators had to act when things went out of hand with vandalism and physical harm inflicted against Jewish students.
“Let’s not ever fool ourselves into thinking that the administrators on these campuses are for law and order. The students are the ventriloquists of the professoriate, of the administration,” Hill said.
Hill said he was listening for “Free Palestine, Free the hostages,” or some sort of reciprocity, but there wasn’t any.
“And you saw the trenchant harassment of Jewish students on campuses, the threats that were made against them,” Hill said.
Knives and other weapons were found at the protesters’ encampment. There were also allegations of harassment, intimidation and antisemitism.
Several Illinois colleges and universities have made adjustments after protesters disrupted classes and campus activities last spring. The University of Illinois made changes to its Campus Administrative Manual regarding university property and expressive activity on campus.
The first day of fall classes at DePaul is Sept. 4. Around the country, some protest groups and individuals have indicated that they plan to resume protests in the fall.
Hill said the protests were not simply pro-Palestinian.
“This was an issue in which the far left and the progressives used these encampment movements not just to register their protest against Israel, but also to register deep, anti-American, unpatriotic sentiments against the United States of America,” Hill explained.
" Conservative News Daily does not always share or support the views and opinions expressed here; they are just those of the writer."
