Agreement reached to resolve Library Mall tent encampment
On Friday, May 10, campus leaders and student representatives from Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) reached a resolution to end the encampment on Library Mall.
With the agreement, SJP will clear the encampment today and has committed that it will not disrupt this weekend’s graduation ceremonies or other campus functions, nor reestablish an encampment on our campus. In addition, SJP has committed to following UW–Madison rules in its future activities. We appreciate reaching resolution with SJP and acknowledge the support they received from their faculty liaisons.
This has been a difficult period for our campus, our nation and the world. We want to be clear that UW–Madison supports peaceful student protest, fully respects the First Amendment, and has done so throughout this year. We appreciate that the encampment, named by SJP the Gaza Solidarity Encampment, although in violation of Chapter 18, was motivated by understandably passionate feelings about the devastation in Gaza, and was a source of community for many participants.
We also understand that the encampment made others in our community, especially portions of our Jewish community, feel uncomfortable and unseen. We reiterate our strong condemnation of antisemitism, Islamophobia, and hate and bigotry in all its forms, and we recognize the costs of war and displacement on so many across the globe.
In the agreement below, campus leaders have committed to addressing concerns of encampment organizers: facilitation of access for SJP to meet with decision makers to discuss disclosure and investment principles and enhanced engagement with and support for scholars and students impacted by war, violence and displacement.
UW–Madison leaders will provide additional information to campus and look forward to celebrating Commencement activities with our community this weekend.