AUSTIN, Texas — Students at the University of Texas at Austin (UT) who were arrested during on-campus pro-Palestine protests in April will face various punishments, ranging from probation to suspension.
According to a report from KUT, the university began sending notices to students on Wednesday afternoon. Students have until 5 p.m. Monday to accept the discipline or appeal per the rules of UT's student conduct code.
More than 130 people were arrested during the protests on April 24 and April 29, a large number of whom were students who walked out of class to participate.
At UT, the Palestine Solidarity Committee said it was following in the footsteps of those students, calling for justice in Palestine. The group said its initial plan was to march and occupy the university's South Mall.
Anne-Marie Jardine is one of the students who was arrested on April 24. Documents sent by the university outline how Jardine is being charged with disruptive conduct and failure to comply. It's important to note these are not criminal charges, as County Attorney Delia Garza chose to not prosecute these cases.
"They used a lot of verbiage that I just have no clue what it means, and it sound like I don't know if I'm being like, punished," Jardine said. "I don't really like the options they gave me because the first one I think was just like, just accept it and, you know, whatever. And then the other one is basically just admit, you know, you're a delinquent."
"Our plan was to be as peaceful as possible from the beginning. We weren't planning on destructing. We were planning on chanting solely during passing periods, which is the university rules, and we were complying with every single directive the university had given us from the dean of students. And yet, we were escalated into this situation by the police," a member of the Palestine Solidarity Committee at UT said at the time of the protest.
However, UT said the protest was not authorized. A day before the protest, the Office of the Dean of Students sent a letter to the Palestine Solidarity Committee saying that the event would not be allowed to "proceed as planned."
"Simply put, The University of Texas at Austin will not allow this campus to be 'taken' and protesters to derail our mission in ways that groups affiliated with your national organization have accomplished elsewhere," the letter sent by the university reads in part. "Please be advised that you are not permitted to hold your event on the University campus. Any attempt to do so will subject your organization and its attending members to discipline including suspension under the Institutional Rules."
KUT's report says the university is requiring students who were issued notices to score at least a 90% on an exam proving they understand the rules of speech and assembly on campus. They are eligible to take the exam as many times as needed.
Jardine said she's focusing on her future in graduate school at NYU, hoping to leave this all behind as soon as possible.