New York University School of Law suspended 31 pro-Palestine law students from campus facilities and made them sign an agreement giving up their right to protest in order to be readmitted. The unprecedented move has attracted widespread criticism and alarm over free speech and due process.
Incident Details
The students were accused of taking part in sit-ins on March 4 at Bobst Library and on April 29 outside the law school dean’s office. The sit-ins were in protest of NYU’s December suspension of 13 undergraduate and three graduate students for their participation in pro-Palestinian protests. The law students demanded that NYU divest itself of Israel-related entities and reinstate the suspended students.
In response, the university served the students with “personae non grata” (PNG) notifications, barring them from accessing most campus facilities such as dorms, health centers, and religious sites. Initially, access to the NYU Islamic Center during Ramadan was also banned. The students reported being denied basic services, and some missed critical appointments.
Agreement and Reversal
On April 30, the university sent a letter to the 31 PNG students stating that the restriction on their access would remain unless they signed an agreement called “Use of Space.” This agreement required students to refrain from protests or actions that disrupt peace on the law school campus. The students were told that failure to sign the agreement would result in disqualification from writing their final exams, which counted for 100% of their grade.
The university’s actions were criticized as unfair and contrary to its own disciplinary process. According to NYU’s procedures, charges should be formally served and resolved within 20 days, but the students were never formally charged, and the 20-day window expired more than a month ago. NYU’s protest policies have been described as vague and arbitrary, with allegations that they were selectively enforced to suppress pro-Palestinian speech.
In response to public outcry, NYU reversed its decision on May 4, allowing the 31 law students to take their final exams without signing the “Use of Space” agreement. This reversal came after widespread criticism of the university’s attempt to disenfranchise students for participating in peaceful protests.
Tensions Over Free Speech and Activism
This incident highlights growing tensions between free speech and activism at NYU. In December, two instructors were also barred from entering university buildings for participating in pro-Palestinian protests. The actions taken by the university have been condemned as part of a broader trend of stifling pro-Palestinian speech, often under pressure from political organizations and donors.
The incident has drawn national attention to the conflict between students’ right to dissent and university policies, raising key questions about the boundaries of free speech on campus.
