UPDATE: May 6, 7 a.m.
Today, Students for Justice in Palestine posted a timeline of their attempts to negotiate with University administrators on Instagram.
According to the SJP Instagram, on April 28, the Popular University for Gaza was reinstated on the Main Quad. At 5 p.m., tents were set up with negotiations following soon after. Administrators later canceled a meeting with student organizers that was scheduled for Monday.
On April 29 through May 2, student negotiators spoke with administration representatives such as Associate Vice Chancellor Jim Hintz and Assistant Vice Chancellor Domonic Cobb; however, administrators refused to meet with students until the Popular University was taken down. Protesters remained posted on the Main Quad.
According to the Instagram post, “The administration relented and dropped most conditions for a meeting with Chancellor Jones. However, two stipulations remained: only negotiators could know about the meeting and faculty representatives were not allowed.”
On May 3, Dr. Irfan Ahmad, assistant dean for research at Carle Illinois College of Medicine and a supporter of the movement, passed away. Students met with Chancellor Jones, Provost John Coleman and Vice Chancellor Danita Brown Young. After two hours of negotiations, Jones offered to schedule a meeting with the University of Illinois Foundation leadership, in which student organizers could propose an investment policy statement on divesting.
According to the post, “the chancellor commended student advocacy for Palestinian liberation, honoring Dr. Ahmad’s legacy.”
On May 4, Hintz and Cobb invited student negotiators to a meeting, where the student negotiators were handed two documents: one consisting of sections from the student code and the other being a draft of a statement announcing a planned meeting within the coming week.
Administration clarified that they were planning on using it in response to any inquiry they might receive regarding the validity of the planned meeting but not publishing it publicly.
According to the post, “The newly drafted statement mentioned that Chancellor Jones would schedule a follow-up meeting between the student negotiators and the University of Illinois Foundation CEO as well as the University of Illinois System CFO.”
On May 5, Jones, Coleman and Brown Young requested an emergency meeting. Jones informed SJP that he had decided to cancel the meeting due to a miscommunication. Jones said the meeting was never about negotiating for divestment.
According to the post, “Jones later claimed he wanted to ‘give this one more run’ and attempt to schedule a meeting with President Killeen. If he was unsuccessful, he advised the student negotiators that it is the ‘quality of good leaders to know how to deliver bad news to their constituents.’”
The SJP Instagram post stated that the protest will persist and continue to fight for divestment and a liberated Palestine.
