Civil liberties group asks UF to drop punishment on student protester

A national civil liberties group is calling on the University of Florida to drop charges on one protester who participated in April’s pro-Palestine demonstrations, saying “disproportionate” charges brought against her raise “constitutional concerns.”

In a letter sent to UF President Ben Sasse, an attorney from the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression asked for a suspension to be reversed for graduate student Keely Gliwa, who had been suspended for three years and denied her master’s degree, contrary to the recommendation of the board that held her conduct hearing. Gliwa was among seven students who were suspended from UF for three to four years.

The letter states that Gliwa, who was arrested after police officers told protesters to disperse, stayed behind to help a student who was experiencing a panic attack. It says Gliwa had urged the student to leave with her, “to no avail.” Gliwa lingered on the sidewalk, and was arrested.

The letter said Gliwa’s account was supported by video evidence which was presented to the board that conducted her hearing and deemed her account credible, but still constituting a violation of policy.

The letter said the board recommended two years of probation “based on Gliwa’s spotless disciplinary record and the large number of letters testifying to her positive character and contributions to the community.” The board found “suspension an inappropriate sanction because Gliwa posed no danger to UF and the level of violation did not warrant deferring or denying her master’s degree.”

The letter said Dean of Students Chris Summerlin then unilaterally overturned the board’s recommendation and suspended Gliwa for three years, denying her a degree.

“UF’s disproportionate response to the April 29 peaceful protest — based on new protest rules hastily adopted for seemingly viewpoint-discriminatory reasons — raises serious constitutional concerns,” the letter said.

Jessie Appleby, the organization’s attorney, said in a statement Friday that she hoped Sasse, who has frequently spoken about First Amendment rights, would reverse the decision.

“A three-year suspension is an expulsion in all but name,” she said. “It’s a shockingly disproportionate punishment to mete out to a student with no disciplinary history, on the whim of a single dean.”

The organization called on the university to respond by Friday. Appleby said in an email that it had been in communication with UF’s counsel and that the organization remained “hopeful that UF will reconsider the sanctions in this case.”

Cynthia Roldan, a spokesperson for UF, said the university “cannot provide any confirmation or detail regarding any student-related disciplinary process or record.

“The University of Florida was clear from the very beginning that an arrest for violations of prohibited activities would result in an interim suspension and a trespass order for three years,” she said. “We made the consequences clear with students.”

More USF students face charges

At the University of South Florida, at least four more students who were not arrested but participated in protests were charged with Code of Conduct violations in late June, according to the sanctioned student groups Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society and Students for Socialism.

This brings the total to at least six students who have not been arrested, but have faced disciplinary charges. Five additional students were among 13 people arrested; they will also face conduct charges.

While the consequences for the latest charges have yet to be presented to the students, who are still going through the hearing process, the student groups believe they could range from having to write letters about how to conduct responsible protests to suspension and expulsion.

Ria Sanchez, president of USF Divest, said she believes universities are trying preemptively quash plans for protests in the fall by intimidating students.

“It’s just trying to crush student dissent,” she said. “They just don’t want students to speak out.”

A USF spokesperson previously said the university could not provide information related to individual students’ cases due to privacy laws, but that USF “values free speech and protecting the constitutional right for individuals and groups on campus to gather and express themselves.”