Over 100 students at the University of Texas at Dallas staged a sit-in in the administration building Tuesday afternoon to raise awareness for the Gaza conflict and encourage the university to divest from companies involved in weapons manufacturing. Tuesday’s protest and sit-in lasted around nine hours, and over 1,000 emails were sent to UTD administrators by students protesting the school’s “complacency in genocide,” a press release from UTD’s chapter of the Students for Justice in Palestine read.
"One of UTA's institutional responsibilities is to provide opportunities for civil discourse, regardless of how controversial, uncomfortable, or emotional a topic may be," the email said. "This University expects that our freedom of speech policy and our Student Code of Conduct will be followed."
UT Arlington, the university police and the campus SJP chapter did not respond to requests for comment.
An Escalation of Student Frustration
An Escalation of Student Frustration
According to Fatima Tulkeram, a third-year student at UTD and member of the SJP chapter, the group has repeatedly attempted to meet with administrators throughout the academic year to discuss the role university investment funding has played in “the genocide in Gaza.”
“Our administration has continued to ignore us, ignore our demands and failed to listen to their students,” Tulkeram said. “It’s clear that the students stand with Palestinians and stand with Palestine.”
Last spring, the UTD student government passed a resolution asking the university to “divest from death” by divesting its shares in the University of Texas Investment Management Company, or UTIMCO, which manages investments and endowment funds for the UT and A&M university systems. SJP is protesting five companies involved in weapons manufacturing where UTD currently has investments: Raytheon Technologies, Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Northrop Grumman and General Dynamics.
“We’re seeing those weapons being used currently,” Tulkeram said.
Students also sent emails encouraging the UTD administration to issue a call for an immediate permanent ceasefire in Gaza and to reject an executive order from Governor Greg Abbott that students believe is anti-Palestinian and a threat to first amendment rights.
Tuesday’s sit-in ended when UTD President Richard Benson agreed to meet with students from SJP to discuss their concerns. That meeting is scheduled for next week, Tulkeram said. Benson is also planning to meet with a Jewish student group, a statement from the university said.
“Our administration has continued to ignore us, ignore our demands and failed to listen to their students.” – Fatima Tulkeram, UT Dallas student
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While Tuesday’s protest at UTD ended peacefully, other university protests across the country have resulted in arrests, suspensions, faculty walkouts and allegations of antisemitism. In New York City, over 100 pro-Palestine Columbia and Barnard students were arrested and charged with trespassing after setting up an encampment on Columbia’s campus in support of Gaza.
The daughter of U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar was one of the students arrested in New York. She said on the social media platform X that she was suspended from Barnard for “standing in solidarity with Palestinians facing a genocide.”
An unconfirmed number of students associated with the University of Texas at Austin were arrested Wednesday afternoon after hundreds walked out of class in protest of the war in Gaza and UTIMCO’s investments. State police wearing riot gear responded to the demonstration, which a letter from UT’s dean of students called disruptive to campus operations. The letter, sent to students Tuesday, forbade the planned protest and said students who failed to comply would be subject to student discipline.
“Right now we are seeing student organizers stepping it up because of Columbia,” Tulkeram said. “Especially in Texas, students are heeding those calls and they are escalating.”
