Dear Chancellor Kent Syverud, Provost Gretchen Ritter, Vice President Allen Groves,  Vice President Craig Stone, Vice President Steven Bennet, Associate Provosts Jamie Winders, Lois Agnew, and Marcelle Haddix, Vice President Mary Grace Almandrez, Vice President Tracy Barlok, Vice Chancellor Mike Haynie, Dean Brian Konkol, Vice President Hradsky, Senior Director Anne Lombard, Vice President Gabe Nugent, Executive Director Joshua Seguí-Rodríguez, Dean Sheriah N. Dixon, Vice President Cory Wallack, Vice President Brittany Zaehringer, Associate Director Kelly Mullin, Associate Director Rebecca Bruzdzinski, Assistant Director Sam Bowers, Director Dr. James K Duah-Agyeman, Assistant Director Breana Nieves Vergara, Dean Michael Speaks, Dean Behzad Mortazavi, Dean Kelly Chandler-Olcott, Dean J. Cole Smith, Dean Jeremy Jordan, Dean Andrew Sears, Dean Craig M. Boise, Dean Alex McKelvie, Dean David Van Slyke, Dean Mark J. Lodato, Dean Michael Tick, and Dean Michael Frasciello,

On Thursday, December 14, around 2:15 PM, students participating in a peaceful study-in were interrupted by Rob Hradsky, Vice President of Student Engagement, and Rebecca Bruzdzinski, Associate Director of Facility Operations. Hradsky and Bruzdzinski asked the students to remove signs with the word “Intifada,” singling out a female student of color and alleging a violation of university policy without providing specific Student Code of Conduct references. When asked to cite specific Student Code of Conduct policies that the targeted student and student group violated, Mr. Hradsky and his colleague were unable to explain why “the university viewed [the poster including the word “Intifada”] as promoting genocide”. Additionally, he confronted the student and took the poster that was taped on her jacket as she said, “Please do not touch my personal property, please back away from me.”

When the targeted student refused to remove the poster, Mr. Hradsky stated that their refusal was a violation of University policy. He cited Section 12, alleging that the students failed “to comply with a directive of a University official performing the duties and responsibilities of their position, including without limitation matters related to the maintenance of safety or security.” Hradsky stated that if students don’t comply, they “will face charges according to the student conduct code.” Adding on, “If you don’t remove the flyer, we’re going to have to ask you to leave.” Hradsky began photographing students and said “I’m just taking pictures so that when conduct charges are filed-”, to which the student replied, “You cannot file charges because you are not telling me what conduct I am breaking.” The students repeatedly asked for the specific student conduct policy, to which Hradsky could not reply.

Hradsky and Bruzdzinski walked away and returned at about 3:15 PM, with two armed Department of Public Safety officers to harass the students participating in the peaceful study-in. Hradsky then shared with the students a document (without university letterhead) that stated that students have been “asked by a University official to remove flyers with the word Intifada as the University deems these flyers as advocating for genocide which is harassment and a violation of University policy.” The document also stated that students “must remove this flyer immediately or will face charges under the Student Conduct Code.” Faculty approached Mr. Hradsky and requested a meeting with him to discuss the grounds for violation. He refused to engage with students or have a student representative present after having said he would not debate the policy with them.

However, students were not asking to debate Hradsky but were questioning how they were violating any University codes by peacefully studying with fellow students during finals. This is also ironic considering, in the Chancellor’s email sent on December 11, Kent Syverud evokes how students have been fearful of “concerns for free speech and academic freedom, including a fear that events in the world and at universities will lead administrators to regulate a broad range of speech in the name of student safety.” Hradsky, in this encounter, does just that. Bruzdzinski and Hradsky were unwilling to define“Intifada” or explain how students’ flyers on their shirts and laptops in Schine were “promoting genocide.”

Syverud continues in his email, “If anyone advocates for the genocide of Israelis or Jews, or any other group — including Palestinians, Arabs, or Muslims — the targeted group has good reason to question whether that individual can faithfully meet their responsibility to all members of our community” in response to letters he received from state officials such as Kathy Hochul. The term “Intifada” was not explicitly mentioned in the email and it is not mentioned in any University Code of Conduct policies. The meaning of this word is being manipulated to further the silencing and censorship of pro-Palestinian voices and is not reflective of its true definition. According to language scholars at the Institute for Middle East Understanding, “Intifada” is an Arabic word meaning “to shake off,” and is used to describe the uprisings in occupied Palestine, with specific reference to the first and second intifadas of 1987 and 2000 respectively. This term is also used globally to describe protest and resistance efforts, and in the context of the study-in located in the Schine Student Center on Syracuse University’s campus, it is used as a show of support for Palestinians living under occupation.

The Syracuse University Student Code of Conduct outlines that our community must maintain “integrity, respect for one another and others’ property”, as well as a “commitment to intellectual and personal growth” (Page 9). Robert Hradsky, Vice President for Student Engagement, was in clear violation of this code of conduct, targeting a female student of color for displaying a small sign with the word “Intifada” on it in Arabic and other languages. Mr. Hradsky spoke directly to the student while ignoring several white Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP) activists, also participating in the sit-in and attempting to intervene and request clarification. This interferes with the educational activity of studying and is in violation of the Education Amendments of 1972, which prohibits discrimination based on sex and gender, as applied to education programs and activities.

This is also a clear example of biased targeting of a student, in violation of the SU Anti-Harassment Policy Section I General Policy Statement and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which “prohibits harassment related to any protected category including … race, color, creed, religion, sex, gender, national origin, citizenship, ethnicity, marital status, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression, veteran status, or any other status protected by applicable law.”

Mr. Hradsky responded disproportionately to the alleged violation of the Code of Conduct by bringing armed DPS officers to tell students peacefully studying in, to take down a sign. This disproportionate response created an “intimidating, hostile” environment, which is,  again, a violation of University Anti-Harassment Policy Section III Article 1: Prohibited Harassment. The group was targeted based on political orientation, contradictory to the Anti-Harassment Policy which affirms a commitment “to protecting academic freedom and the freedom of speech...This policy is not intended, and may not be applied, to abridge the free speech or other civil rights of any individual or group on campus. However, harassing speech or conduct that effectively prevents equal access to University programs or otherwise violates federal or state law, or University policy, is prohibited.”

This discussion of genocide fails to address the ongoing ethnic cleansing in Palestine and the murder of tens of thousands of civilians, predominantly children, in Gaza and the West Bank. The Jewish, Arab, Muslim, and Palestinian community has experienced and is currently experiencing genuine threats to their health and well-being. We oppose all such threats and stand united in our commitment to anti-racism against all forms of discrimination and harassment that target any group of people. However, these threats are not stemming from the pro-Palestinian movement or from activism in support of Palestine. As students, faculty, and staff, we should be deeply concerned about the real and unfolding genocide in Gaza, funded by our nation, international powers, and this very university.

We call on administration to answer our questions: why are pro-Palestinian voices being censored on campus? How will these violations of students’ freedom of speech be addressed?

Additionally, we demand that the administration do the following:
1. Provide written documentation that there were no violations of the Student Code of Conduct.
2. Affirm that there will be no repercussions against students involved in the study-in.
3. Commit to protecting students, faculty, and staff in the event of doxxing, intimidation, and harassment from within the university and/or by outside parties.
4. Uphold the right of students to create community and engage in peaceful, non-violent activities.
5. Commit resources to creating educational spaces where Palestinian voices and narratives are centered, in consultation with students, faculty, and experts in the field.
6. Investigate Robert Hradsky's role in student harassment, intimidation of students of color specifically, and his history of institutional violence against students.

We call on the administration to respond in a timely manner and take action by investigating Robert Hradsky’s actions so we as students can feel safe on the Syracuse University campus. We demand that Robert Hradsky be held accountable for his current and past harassment of students, especially students of color, based on political orientation, race, perceived gender, and other targeted identities. We demand that the Deans of Students and members of the Syracuse University administration hired to represent students commit to doing so.