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‘Gaza Solidarity Occupation’ at USC passes first week — live updates
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(Jordan Renville / Daily Trojan)
(Jordan Renville / Daily Trojan)
(Zongyi Wang / Daily Trojan)
(Jordan Renville / Daily Trojan)
(Kate McQuarrie / Daily Trojan)
(Kate McQuarrie / Daily Trojan)
(Joy Wang / Daily Trojan)
(Zongyi Wang / Daily Trojan)
(Zongyi Wang / Daily Trojan)
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PINNED
Christina Chkarboul, Sasha Ryu, Eva Hartman, Nathan Elias, Elizabeth Kunz, Jennifer Nehrer, Talia Wexler, Zachary Whalen & Jonathan Park reporting; photos by Zongyi Wang, Jordan Renville, Kate McQuarrie & Joy Wang
On May Day, faculty and community members prepare for a march supporting the ongoing occupation of Alumni Park and a much-anticipated Academic Senate meeting.
- L.A. City Controller Kenneth Mejia wrote that he was “alarmed by the USC administration’s response to peaceful on-campus protests organized by USC students” in a statement addressed to President Carol Folt Tuesday night, adding that USC not only risks “potential harm to students” but also expends “scarce City tax dollars and resources” in calling on the Los Angeles Police Department.
- President Carol Folt and Provost Andrew Guzman answered questions at a webinar-style Academic Senate meeting Wednesday afternoon. Folt defended the decisions to cancel the valedictory address and main stage commencement, as well as to call in Los Angeles Police Department officers at the initial demonstration April 24. Guzman rejected claims that pressure from donors influenced the University’s decisions. Folt also said the University was not, “at the present time,” moving forward with disciplinary action for student protesters arrested April 24.
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May 1, 2024 3:00 p.m.
Christina Chkarboul, Associate Managing Editor
To rebuild trust among faculty, Folt said she would “continue to try to do the things that are going well” — pointing to the dedication of the Medicine Crow Center for International and Public Affairs and Felix Field — as well as listen to community concerns and “find points of unity.”
“Even having a webinar, unfortunately, where you don’t even get to talk to us directly is a start in that, and we absolutely will find new ways to talk to people face to face,” Folt said.
May 1, 2024 2:50 p.m.
Christina Chkarboul, Associate Managing Editor
On alternatives to hosting a main stage commencement on campus, Folt said the University could not move the ceremony to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum because it was already reserved.
Folt also said USC cancelled the ceremony to preserve campus safety and to “prevent explosive events like last night” — referring to the clash between Pro-Palestine demonstrators and pro-Israel counter-protesters at UCLA late Tuesday night, at which counter-protesters threw fireworks at the encampments. The administration deemed it unfeasible, Folt said, to bring 65,000 people to campus for the mainstage commencement through gates and stringent security within a relatively narrow time window.
May 1, 2024 2:44 p.m.
Christina Chkarboul, Associate Managing Editor
A faculty member asked the administrators whether the University would pledge not to call in the LAPD and DPS to interrupt future demonstrations without recorded incidents of violence. In response, Folt said she could not commit to any course of action based on unspecified future protests.
May 1, 2024 2:39 p.m.
Christina Chkarboul, Associate Managing Editor
President Folt confirmed that the University has not, “at the present time,” moved forward with disciplinary action against the students arrested after the initial April 24 demonstration.
May 1, 2024 2:37 p.m.
Christina Chkarboul, Associate Managing Editor
To help “de-escalate” the demonstration in its early stages, President Folt said she wishes she had gotten personally involved on the ground to speak to the student organizers.
“If I were to think about one thing I wish I’d have done … I would have gone out there myself and tried to talk to students,” Folt said. “I don’t know why I didn’t because I almost always do.”
May 1, 2024 2:34 p.m.
Christina Chkarboul, Associate Managing Editor
On bringing the Los Angeles Police Department in to disperse the “Gaza Solidarity Occupation,” President Folt said she agreed to have the officers there at the start because “it looked like that would really spiral out.”
“I know, in order to keep people safe, many people felt less safe,” Folt said.
May 1, 2024 2:32 p.m.
Christina Chkarboul, Associate Managing Editor
President Folt apologized that the aftermath of Tabassum’s speech cancellation has “superseded” the focus on commencement and achievement of “highly accomplished students.”
“If you truly feel as I did, and I still do, that the choice to put people at risk was the most important one. Even though, very sadly, I knew people would be very upset about it, I had to make it,” Folt said. “I’d probably still make that decision.”
May 1, 2024 2:27 p.m.
Christina Chkarboul, Associate Managing Editor
Provost Andrew Guzman rebutted claims that pressure from University donors influenced the administration’s decision-making.
May 1, 2024 2:22 p.m.
Christina Chkarboul, Associate Managing Editor
Provost Andrew Guzman has taken over to deliver opening remarks before the meeting enters a question-and-answer session. On the decision to cancel the valedictory address, Guzman said an “unprecedented influx” of comments following the announcement that Tabassum would be the Class of 2024 valedictorian marked a “real” security threat against Tabassum and the commencement ceremony.
“We concluded that the only decision we could make would be to not follow the tradition of having the valedictorian speech commencement,” Guzman said. “There’s reason to believe that what we saw and safety concerns at that time have proven themselves to be even more present than was evident at the time.”
Guzman said the University administration has not revealed the “blow-by-blow” security threat and reasoning that led to the speech cancellation because doing so would “change the nature or the valence of that security situation.”
May 1, 2024 2:18 p.m.
Christina Chkarboul, Associate Managing Editor
In a virtual, webinar-style Academic Senate Executive Board meeting, President Carol Folt is addressing faculty members — many of whom are gathered at Wallis Annenberg Hall to watch — about the cancellation of Asna Tabassum’s valedictory speech and the police response to the “Gaza Solidarity Occupation.”
“We’ll try to give you our best thoughts about what was happening at the time,” Folt said. “I deeply care about the faculty, the staff and everyone but … at the center, [there] has to be a real focus on the students.”
May 1, 2024 12:59 p.m.
Jennifer Nehrer, News Assignments Editor
An Accuracy in Media billboard truck with images of President Carol Folt and Valedictorian Asna Tabassum was spotted Wednesday morning on Jefferson Boulevard. The truck’s screens displayed a photo of Tabassum with the caption, “USC: the only university where you win an award for antisemitism,” and a link along the bottom to a webpage declaring Tabassum to be the “University of Southern California’s Leading Antisemite.”
“USC students promote genocide and face no consequences. USC faculty members endorse hate and face no consequences,” the webpage reads. “t’s time for USC President Carol Folt to face some consequences.” The webpage includes a link to “Take Action Against Folt and Antisemitism at USC!” which directs to a website claiming “USC Hates Jews” containing a field where users can send a message to the USC Board of Trustees.
One side of the truck featured a second display with a picture of Folt. “Carol Folt, it’s time to resign,” the display read. Below was another link to the website containing the message box for USC Board of Trustees.
Accuracy in Media is a conservative media group that, according to its website, uses “investigative journalism and cultural activism to expose corruption and hold bad public policy actors accountable.” The group made national headlines for a similar “doxxing truck” deployed at Harvard University in October making claims of antisemitism against student supporters of Palestine.
May 1, 2024 11:27 a.m.
Jennifer Nehrer, News Assignments Editor
The Annenberg Faculty Council wrote that it stands “in solidarity with those peacefully assembled on our university campus” in an open letter to the Annenberg community released Wednesday morning. “We write to unequivocally support our students’ right to freedom of expression,” the letter read.
“Universities stand as bastions of knowledge, nurturing independent thought and fostering an open exchange of ideas,” the council wrote. “Indeed, as a school of communication and journalism, we teach and encourage our students to engage in robust and vigorous debate, and to put their principles into practice by engaging in the great issues of the day.
“The undersigned faculty also wrote that they “empathize” with current seniors whose main stage commencement ceremony was canceled and that they do not wish to take a political stance in writing the letter.
“Our intention is not to stifle student voices, but to convey our solidarity and alignment with their belief that universities are sanctuaries for uninhibited dialogue and free exchange of ideas. In challenging times, it is essential that we speak up and support each other. This letter serves as a testament to that commitment.”
APRIL 30, 2024 11:34 p.m.
Jennifer Nehrer, News Assignments Editor
Los Angeles City Controller Kenneth Mejia released a statement late Tuesday rebuking USC and President Carol Folt’s response to protests on campus.
“We are alarmed by the USC administration’s response to peaceful on-campus protests organized by USC students,” the statement read. “Students’ right to free speech and assembly must be protected … We urge you to refrain from using armed officers to suppress peaceful student protest.”
Student activism is “part of a rich tradition” that “propels the national conversation on critical issues of human rights and social justice,” Mejia wrote.
“Please bear in mind,” Mejia wrote, “that every time you request the involvement of LAPD to arrest peaceful student protestors, not only do you risk potential harm to students, but you also expend scarce City tax dollars and resources.”
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