A group of student activists at Cal Poly Humboldt remained inside Nelson Hall overnight after rejecting the administration's response to their demands. The students initiated a sit-in, which has now evolved into an extended occupation, citing dissatisfaction with the university's stance on financial divestment, campus sanctuary policies, and labor disputes.
The situation intensified after administrators closed the building and locked the bathrooms, prompting students to remain in place to maintain their protest. University officials have stated the students are in violation of campus policy.
Key Takeaways
- Student protesters at Cal Poly Humboldt are occupying Nelson Hall for a second day.
- The students rejected an official response from the university administration, deeming it inadequate.
- Core demands include full divestment from war-related industries, a stronger sanctuary policy for undocumented students, and support for union labor contracts.
- Tensions have risen with locked facilities and the removal of a support tent by university staff.
Occupation Continues Amid Standoff
Student protesters have fortified their position inside room 102 of Nelson Hall, signaling their intent to continue the occupation indefinitely. Their decision to stay overnight came after a day of protest that saw them reject a written response from the university's new Vice President, Michael Fisher.
The conditions inside the building have become a central point of contention. With bathroom access cut off, protesters reported being forced to use bottles and a bucket. "This is inhumane!" one student remarked. Another pointed out the specific difficulties faced by some students, stating, "there are students here menstruating- and admin thinks it’s ok to block bathroom access."
University staff communicated that students were free to leave the building at any time to use other facilities. However, the protesters argued that leaving would undermine their demonstration and effectively end the sit-in, a choice they described as unfair.
Core Demands Remain Unmet
The student group's protest centers on three primary issues that they feel the university has failed to address adequately. These demands were first issued during a brief occupation of a different campus building, Siemens Hall, a week prior.
Background of the Protest
The current occupation of Nelson Hall follows an earlier demonstration at Siemens Hall. After that initial protest, students received a formal response from the administration. Finding the answers unsatisfactory, the students escalated their actions by moving to occupy Nelson Hall, leading to the current standoff.
Financial Divestment
The students are demanding that the Cal Poly Humboldt Foundation fully divest from any corporations involved in manufacturing weapons. The university's response noted its ongoing work towards Environmentally and Socially Responsible Investments.
Protesters, however, took issue with the university's claim of having "less than one percent of investments" in such companies. In their formal rebuttal, they stated that this figure "is not zero" and called for a complete and total divestment from any company producing weapons, regardless of its other commercial activities.
Sanctuary Campus Policy
A second major demand is the implementation of what students call a "true sanctuary policy." The university's response included a commitment to not "voluntarily" share individual student data and to continue taking steps to address federal immigration enforcement activity on campus.
"We will continue to revisit our publicly posted protocols that help ensure the safety and well being of undocumented and immigrant students," the university's letter stated.
The student activists found this language insufficient. They argued that the word "voluntarily" creates a loophole that would allow the university to comply with federal requests for student information. They are pushing for a more robust and legally enforceable policy that offers greater protection.
Support for Organized Labor
The third demand involves labor disputes on campus. The students are standing in solidarity with campus unions, specifically criticizing the California State University (CSU) system for revoking previously negotiated salary increases for Teamsters. They also pointed to what they described as an attempt to undermine union solidarity by offering a one-time bonus to non-unionized employees.
The administration's letter stated, "We value our employees and commit to providing a platform so their voices can be heard." However, it also noted that Cal Poly Humboldt has limited control over system-wide bargaining conducted between the Chancellor's Office and the unions.
An Uncertain Path Forward
As the occupation entered its second day, the atmosphere outside Nelson Hall remained tense. A group of approximately two dozen students and community members gathered in support, passing water and pizza to the protesters inside. This support was offered despite warnings that they could be cited for violating the university's Time, Place, and Manner (TPM) policy.
At one point, supporters attempted to set up a tent in a nearby walkway. According to activists, university staff quickly removed it over the students' objections. The student who provided the tent was heard saying, "I just don’t want [administrators] to destroy it."
University Policy Violations
According to campus officials, the students occupying Nelson Hall are in violation of the university's Time, Place, and Manner (TPM) policy, which governs protests and demonstrations on campus. The potential repercussions for these violations have not yet been specified.
The protesters have released their own formal statement rejecting the administration's proposals. "We, the students, will not accept the response from the Cal Poly Humboldt campus administration. We do not believe that our demands have been adequately addressed," the document reads.
With the weekend approaching, both the student occupiers and the university administration have yet to announce their next steps. The students inside Nelson Hall have expressed their resolve to continue their protest, while the university has maintained that they are in violation of campus rules, leaving the situation at a delicate impasse.