Northwestern, DePaul update campus protest policies
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An encampment on the DePaul campus last May. Photo: Monica Eng/Axios
After waves of protests last spring related to the Israel-Hamas war, Chicago universities are updating their policies for student demonstrations.
Why it matters: The changes come after university leaders faced backlash from students, faculty and legislators for their response to pro-Palestinian protests and counterprotests on campuses. They faced accusations of stifling free speech and making some students feel unsafe.
Catch up quick: Students set up encampments last spring at Northwestern, DePaul, University of Chicago and the School of the Art Institute to protest U.S. involvement in the war in Gaza and to call on universities to divest from Israel.
Flashback: Republican members of Congress attacked professors for standing with students and accused Northwestern president Michael Schill of antisemitism, in part for negotiating with pro-Palestinian demonstrators.
- Schill reiterated the university would not divest from Israel, a key demand of protesters.
Zoom in: Northwestern's updated policy, released this month, prohibits overnight demonstrations and limits activities that disrupt classes, including protests that start before 3pm on weekdays or feature amplified sound before 5pm.
- Other guidelines include mandatory training on antisemitism for new and returning students during orientation, along with campus discussions on Islamophobia, racism and the history of Middle East conflict.
State of play: DePaul's guidelines remind students that on-campus protests must be pre-registered with the school, and allow the university to discipline students for harassing or threatening behavior.
- UChicago's current policy notes an on-call dean will serve as a liaison between protesters and campus security but emphasizes the university will not physically remove students or interfere with law enforcement.
- A spokesperson for UChicago says any changes to the free speech policy will be communicated to students ahead of the autumn quarter beginning Sept. 30.
What we're watching: How Northwestern's new Center for Enlightened Disagreement, which aims to "train students and leaders on how to engage across differences and harness the power of diverse perspectives," incorporates the war in Gaza into its curriculum.