Negotiations between UW-Madison encampment protesters and administration at a halt

Communication between UW-Madison pro-Palestinian student protesters and campus administration seemed to have fallen apart on Wednesday after protesters requested more than the university leaders were willing to agree to. 

The student-led encampment is in its second week, as protesters join similar encampments on campuses around the country to display their opposition to Israel’s ongoing war in Gaza, where nearly 35,000 people have been killed. Student protesters have said that they plan to stay until their demands that the university cut ties to Israel are met, despite opposition to the encampment from UW leaders. 

Protesters at UW-Madison issued updated demands for the university Wednesday afternoon that included establishing an “ethical investment strategy” for the university, establishing a framework for accountability and oversight and committing to certain ethical standards, including calling for an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza. They have been calling for UW to divest from Israeli institutions and Israel-aligned companies.

Protesters also called on UW-Madison to take steps towards “rebuilding trust” by calling for charges and citations against those arrested at the protest on May 1 to be dropped; ensuring that retaliatory actions aren’t taken against participants in the “peaceful acts of solidarity for Gaza,” reducing investment in policing on campus, increasing investments in other social services and ending university expansion.

According to a proposed resolution by UW-Madison, university administration said it “can and will only commit to facilitating access for you to relevant decision-makers so that you may present your concerns and requests.”

UW-Madison emphasized that it doesn’t have direct authority over how the University of Wisconsin Foundation’s endowment is invested and whether investment decisions made by others are disclosed.

The proposal said that Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin would be willing to attend a meeting with Wisconsin Foundation and Alumni Association decision-makers “solely to emphasize the importance of listening to your concerns and requests.” 

In exchange, UW-Madison said that protesters would need to begin removing the encampment by 4 p.m. on Wednesday, May 8; would agree to comply with university regulations and state laws in future protest and would engage in no further disruption of university operations, including final exams and commencement-related events.

However, protesters rebuffed the proposal and called on people to rally at the encampment at the time it was supposed to be removed. They are also circulating a petition that includes a summary of their talks with UW-Madison administration and asks UW-Madison students, staff, faculty, alumni and community members to support their updated demands.

A statement from UW-Madison providing an update on the encampment Wednesday said students and faculty members who are part of the “illegal campus encampment have elected to end talks with campus leaders” and walked out of a meeting Wednesday morning.

“For the moment, campus leaders remain open to further discussions, but are deeply disappointed at this outcome,” the statement said. 

UW-Madison issued another update Wednesday saying there were no current plans to have law enforcement take action to remove the encampment.

Administrators, including Mnookin, have repeatedly said that the encampment must eventually come down and have urged protesters to comply with state law that prohibits camping on university grounds. 

In a statement later on Wednesday, UW-Madison said that student protesters “may be interested in meeting” on Thursday. It also said the breakdown in communication on Wednesday was due to “an important misunderstanding of the chancellor’s role and authority.” 

The statement included a comment Mnookin made on Monday: “The simple reality is that we do not control how the great bulk of our endowment is managed and invested. These decisions are quite literally not at all under my control.” 

“While no such police action will occur at 4 p.m. today, it remains an urgent campus priority to end the encampment, which is illegal, a violation of student and registered student organization conduct rules, and an increasing safety concern,” UW-Madison stated. 

Safety concerns have been a continuing factor in the university’s stance that the encampment be removed; Mnookin said that was part of the reason she called police in to physically remove the encampment last week. Reports of antisemitic and Islamophobic messages near the campus have been reported in recent days, and according to a Wednesday afternoon release, the UW-Madison Police Department is investigating three separate reports of violence, including a possible hate crime, that occurred on Library Mall.

The breakdown in negotiations also comes as the university is preparing for graduation activities this weekend. UW-Madison issued a warning that interruptions during commencement events could lead to suspension and arrest. 

“Disruption of university events, including graduation activities, violates state law and will not be tolerated,” UW-Madison’s commencement website states. “The University will recommend a minimum of suspension for students (including current graduates) who participate in any disruption and will also place holds on their degrees, registration, and official university records. Students and non-students who engage in disruption also risk arrest, citation, and criminal charges.”