April 14 Career Fair protest
I am writing to clarify facts and provide information about San Francisco State University's actions in a matter about which you are clearly concerned: the removal from a career fair of 10 students who were disruptive and the University’s subsequent actions concerning them.
The University has long-standing policies –- developed over the years in consultation with students –- about conduct during University events, as well as use of University buildings and grounds. Those policies prohibit demonstrations in academic buildings and behavior that disrupts a University event, interfering with the rights of others to participate in it, whether that event be a class, a convocation, or a job fair.
In our judgment, the students in question were behaving in a way that did interfere with the ability of other students to participate in the job fair. This was, by the way, a major event, with 99 employers present and more than 1,000 students participating during the day.
When the disruptive students refused to modify their behavior, they were asked to leave. The University's actions had nothing to do with the content of the students' views, only with how they acted on them.
Our intent at the job fair was to remove the violators from the room where other students were trying to engage in job interviews. The 10 students were subsequently admonished -- told to leave the campus. They were not suspended, much less expelled. The University sees no value in keeping these students away from their classes for an extended period, and they were informed on Monday, April 17, that they could return to campus immediately.
J.E. Saffold
Vice President for Student Affairs/Dean of Students
