Encampment Update
Dear DU community,
What is happening outside of our classrooms on the DU campus right now is important. Student voices play a crucial role in the DU experience, and we wholeheartedly support free expression through a variety of programming and engagement options. As a community of problem solvers, we often come together in open dialogue and take great pride in bettering our community and our world through these robust engagements.
Those engaged in the encampment protest at DU have made their voices heard, as have those counter-protesting. From the first day of the protest, DU leadership has visited the encampment daily and demonstrated a commitment to protecting students' right to free speech.
However, over the past several days, we’ve become increasingly concerned about the safety of our campus community, including our protesters, as well as the disruption of normal campus operations.
As shared previously, in addition to ongoing policy violations regarding DU ID checks for safety, there has been a sharp increase in reports of discriminatory and harassing behavior from individuals both inside and outside the encampment. In addition, the false emergency call which diverted away important safety resources while vandalism occurred forced an urgent re-evaluation of the encampment as a form of safe free expression.
As a result, we’ve lost confidence that the encampment can continue without further compromising operations and safety for all campus members. At an extended and productive meeting with encampment participants today, we informed them that the camp must close and asked them to clear the area voluntarily by 9:00 p.m. on May 21. We have offered our support to the encampment participants as they safely remove belongings. If participants choose not to voluntarily leave, the University will determine appropriate action to disband the camp. We have also offered our support to identify other safe avenues of free expression.
This decision was not made easily or quickly, and I strongly suggest and welcome other means of discussion in the coming months. This will allow us to prevent the encampment from escalating to a point that can cause long-lasting harm within our community and set a precedent for ineffective discourse. It will also allow us to support other opportunities for all students’ voices to continue being heard.
Since the start of the encampment, our campus has provided space for an abundance of free expression on all sides of the issue. Unfortunately, we have also too often witnessed a lack of civil discourse. We look forward to continued discussions through other venues. Thank you for your support in restoring a respectful environment on campus.
Sincerely,
Jeremy Haefner, Chancellor
For more information on how this decision was reached, please review the timeline below, which we hope addresses uncertainties and provides clarity, including addressing misinformation.
May 9: A group of DU students initiated an encampment. We shared our new interim demonstration policy, which had been in development for several months. In an expectation document shared directly with encampment participants, we reminded them to carry their DU IDs and to show them upon request by any University official, as is expected of all DU students. Checking IDs is crucial to verifying the encampment participants are current DU students, faculty or staff. At Columbia University, roughly 30% of those arrested during encampments had no affiliation with the university. Card access for campus buildings was further restricted as a precaution. Additionally, we invited both encampment participants and counter-protesters to meet with University leaders to hear their questions and concerns.
May 10: We engaged with counter-protest students to hear their concerns. The meeting was productive, and we provided support resources. In our community message, we reiterated that only current DU students, faculty and staff can participate in overnight protests on campus.
May 11: In a printed document provided to encampment participants, we reiterated our expectations, emphasizing the need to comply with DU policies, yet the encampment participants again refused to show their DU IDs. We reminded participants of the potential disciplinary consequences of their actions. Encampment participants agreed to meet with the Chancellor and his team, and we scheduled the meeting for their preferred date and time. Additionally, our Freedom of Expression Committee convened to discuss encampment developments. An initial Written Warning was sent to Encampment participants and delivered to the encampment, outlining what would occur next with continued noncompliance. Conversations also occurred in person with designated encampment liaisons.
May 12: In the morning, all encampment participants complied with the DU ID check. We then met with representatives from the encampment who presented us with a set of demands. In a letter to the community, we shared updates—namely, that we had become aware of unacceptable behavior (such as antisemitism and disruption). We also clarified that we had not threatened to arrest students or “sweep” the camp. In the evening, all encampment participants refused to show their DU IDs.
May 13: A reminder letter of the Written Warning, including reiterating expectations and what would occur next with Referrals to the Office of Student Rights & Responsibilities, was distributed to the encampment participants. We also emphasized that expectations had been clear since the encampment’s establishment. The encampment participants continued to refuse to show their DU IDs upon request. Individual and group interim disciplinary measures were issued later that day, which included warnings and location restrictions, prohibiting specific individuals from remaining in the encampment.
May 14: We reiterated to encampment participants that, as a group, they were repeatedly violating University policy. During a counter-protest event, we successfully conducted a DU ID check of counter-protestors. Most notably, we met with leadership from the Denver Police Department (DPD) to better understand the conditions or actions that would warrant police intervention.
May 15: We met with the Colorado Department of Public Safety, amidst continued encampment noncompliance. Disciplinary action escalated in both severity and volume, as we previously warned encampment participants.
May 16: In a letter to the community, we disavowed comments made by a DU professor in the encampment and shared information about disappointing graffiti on campus. We once again provided written expectations for DU ID checks to encampment participants, yet experienced continued noncompliance that evening. Finally, encampment participants protested indoors at the Community Commons, which also violates University policy.
May 17: We met with the Director of Public Safety for Denver. Encampment protestors marched to the Ritchie School, and the Chancellor and Provost met with another contingency of Jewish community leaders to hear their concerns. Notification was sent by University officials to the encampment participants, giving a final warning regarding individual and group conduct actions as well as next steps in the conduct process, including the implicated University policies in the DU Honor Code.
May 18: We held a successful law school commencement ceremony, despite the vast resources being allocated to the encampment.
May 19: The Chancellor and Provost participated in a Q&A held by Hillel of Colorado. Amidst continued noncompliance by encampment participants, vandalism was found at the Ritchie School in the middle of the night. A false emergency call appears to have been placed as a distraction to enable the vandalism to take place.
May 20: We shared with the community the disturbing details of a fake emergency call and destruction of property on campus. We offered to meet with encampment participants to discuss their safety and the safety of the campus community.
May 21: In a two-hour, productive meeting with encampment participants, we offered to help students find other means of protest that align with policy and better support student safety. The meeting was productive and appreciated.