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Pomona Sanctions Student Groups Involved in Oct. 7th Protests
Updated: Nov 27, 2024
Student protesters inside Carnegie Hall.
On November 1st, Pomona College’s Judicial Council (JBoard) issued sanctions against Claremont Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) after finding the organization guilty of one of six alleged violations of Pomona’s Student Code of Conduct. The charges stemmed from SJP’s participation in the October 7th occupation of Carnegie Hall.
The lone charge sustained by JBoard pertained to “irresponsible or negligent conduct,” defined as behavior that “results in theft, damage, physical harm or threat to a member of the Pomona College community’s property or safety.” SJP, however, was cleared of five other charges, including harassment, unauthorized access to college property, and damage to college property.
The board imposed seven sanctions, most notably the suspension of the organization’s Instagram account until March 31st, 2025. The club will also be required to issue a “community apology” and participate in a series of mandatory meetings with their faculty advisor.
SJP has not publicly commented on the ruling, but did release a statement on the day of their hearing framing the disciplinary process as an attempt to stifle dissent. “By criminalizing the oldest school-affiliated group centered on Palestinian liberation, admin makes it clearer than ever that their priority is continuing to support israeli [sic] apartheid,” they wrote.
JBoard also brought charges against Claremont Undercurrents, a student newspaper aligned with progressive campus activist groups. According to a statement on Undercurrents’ social media, JBoard found them not responsible for failing to comply with Pomona administrators’ requests during the protest. However, prior to their November 4th hearing, Undercurrents had accepted responsibility for unauthorized access to Carnegie Hall.
Representatives from Undercurrents will be required to meet with Pomona Dean of Campus Life Josh Eisenberg to “clarify coverage guidelines,” and will have to attend “training session(s) on… following College policy as a news media organization.”
“We remain outraged by the administration’s attempt to suppress coverage of Palestine solidarity organizing through their punitive charges against Undercurrents,” they wrote on social media. “Our case is part of a wave of harsh repression against students speaking and acting in solidarity with Palestine across the country, and exemplifies the well-documented Palestine Exception to free speech and protest.”
Pomona Divest from Apartheid (PDfA), another student group involved in the Oct. 7th protests, evaded sanctions because they are not a registered student organization. A Pomona College spokesperson told The Student Life that all disciplinary matters related to registered student organizations had been addressed by JBoard.
The reported sanctions against student groups at Pomona College highlight important discussions about freedom of expression, campus safety, and the responsibilities of educational institutions. Universities must balance students' rights to peaceful protest with the need to maintain clear policies and fair disciplinary procedures. Transparency and respectful dialogue are essential when addressing sensitive issues that affect the campus community. Access to information is also important across different online platforms, whether it's discovering career opportunities through Emploi Public, checking daily updates on Kolkata Fatafat, exploring gaming resources on GTA 5 Mobile, finding entertainment information on Repelisplus, or following football updates through Koora Live. Although these platforms serve different audiences, clear communication and accessible content remain valuable. Thanks for covering this development and…
Interesting coverage of how campus disciplinary processes can become complicated when student protest, institutional rules, and freedom of expression intersect. The distinctions between the charges that were upheld and those that were dismissed are particularly worth noting. It also raises broader questions about how organizations navigate institutional policies something that, in a very different context, made me think of Massar and the importance of having clear frameworks and accountability.
An interesting look at the balance between campus policies, student activism, and freedom of expression. The distinction between the allegations that were upheld and those that were dismissed adds useful context to the discussion. I also came across Kolkata Fatafat while exploring different topics online, which was an interesting discovery.
The part about Undercurrents being pushed into “training sessions” and coverage guidelines feels like it could get messy fast—student journalism needs standards, but it also needs independence so it’s not just PR with extra steps. Not sure why, but it reminded me of how people hunt for “approved” templates elsewhere; I’d previously stumbled across https://stylelooklab.com in a totally different context, and the framing always shapes what choices feel “allowed.”
It’s also interesting (and kind of worrying) that one group avoided sanctions mainly because they aren’t registered—seems like that incentivizes operating in a gray area rather than engaging openly. Randomly, this made me think of how people treat “rules” with online tools too; I saw a site doing a “free ghibli ai style generator” thing recently, and the fine print ends up being the real story, same as with campus policies.