Upon reading in The News that Northeastern on March 7 issued a suspension of the student group Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), I read into the situation and was disappointed to learn that the university failed to apply regulations and policies in a consistent manner.
It is neither an issue of free speech, nor civil rights. As much as I disagree with the message of SJP, that is not why they were suspended. Instead it was due to their continuous refusal to follow university policy.
It usually begins with Students for Justice in Palestine’s “Apartheid Week.” SJP makes some lavish display that offends pro-Israel students, who respond with their own rhetoric. Then comes Holocaust Remembrance Week, which Huskies for Israel and NU Hillel have used in the past to show their support for the Israeli state.
As of late, it would seem as though the fate of the Israel-Palestine conflict rests solely on the shoulders of Northeastern’s student body. From protests, to fake evictions, to suspensions, one would think that Northeastern University is where change will come.
The Senior Gift Drive is a way for Northeastern’s graduating classes to give back to the university. I see it as a way to inspire someone to come to this incredible institution and pursue his or her dreams. Dreams that, for me, have been made possible by Northeastern University.
This week students have the opportunity to vote in a Student Government Association (SGA) sponsored referendum on the university’s investment in fossil fuels. Though the results of these referendums are generally meaningless for all practical purposes, the intent and message of divestment’s proponents are worthy of attention.
In a world filled with humans, mistakes are bound to happen. It is part of who we are and what we do. But we have marked a gap between mistakes and crimes, making the latter a punishable offense – although not necessarily if you’re an Army general.
In 2007, 2010 and 2013, Congressional hearings on climate change were cancelled or postponed due to snow. While short term weather patterns do not prove or disprove long-term trends, one cannot help but chuckle at the juxtaposition of the two events. In the same vein, DivestNU is pushing for Northeastern’s endowment to cease investing in the fossil fuel industry in the throes of a winter that seemingly will not end.
It’s 2 a.m. on a Saturday, and even though you told yourself you’d catch the last T, you’re still downtown, just heading out of Ned Devine’s. You’ve already dished out a couple of bucks for two beers, but you need to get home somehow. With T service long over for the night, you try feebly to hail a cab, but with such high demand it isn’t until 20 freezing minutes later that you finally get one and hand $15 plus tip to the driver before walking up the stairs to your Mission Hill apartment.
Today, Northeastern University makes investments in the fossil-fuel industry that threaten the stability of our future and directly undermine our mission as an institution.
