Student protest is vital to creating change at Bowdoin. Encampments and sit-ins have historically been a cornerstone of student activism at the College, leading to impactful changes in investment strategies. During this charged moment in our community, the legacy of student activism on campus teaches invaluable lessons in the wake of last weekend’s encampment.

For four days, Bowdoin Students for Justice in Palestine set up an encampment in Smith Union in response to the College’s inaction after the “Bowdoin Solidarity Referendum” passed last May. Though protesters reached an agreement with administrators to end the encampment on Monday night, the College continues to refuse to meet the demands of the referendum and has administered temporary suspensions to eight students.

We implore College administrators to uphold the legacy of student activism on Bowdoin’s campus and rescind these suspensions.

The letters of suspension passed out to students who remained in the encampment on Monday morning referenced the College’s Code of Community Standards and read, “If the suspected behavior of a student seriously jeopardizes the safety and/or welfare of the campus, the Dean or designee may implement temporary measures, pending a disciplinary process, including, but not limited to: loss of privileges, immediate temporary suspension from the College or other College directives.”

These suspensions break precedent with how the administration has handled encampments and student activism in the past. In 2015, when Bowdoin Climate Action protesters occupied President Barry Mills’ private office for 48 hours, no students faced suspension or other severe punishment. Last weekend, student protesters set up tents in Smith Union, a public campus hub with 24-hour access. They did not disrupt College operations or block important pathways through the building, yet they walked away facing significant disciplinary action.

The College claims to honor certain values regarding freedom of expression. One of these values, listed in the Student Handbook, is that “a learning community encourages free expression of widely varying views; it challenges assumptions and values.”

The eight students currently placed on temporary suspension engaged in freedom of expression the College supposedly values. These students cannot attend class, use meal swipes or access their campus housing, and they were required to vacate campus until their disciplinary hearings.

As President Zaki has emphasized in her emails to students and employees, “student activism at Bowdoin has a long and admirable history.” Students in the encampment should be treated with the same grace as prior students, who engaged in protests in pursuit of the common good without receiving considerable individual punishment. It’s time for College administrators to examine Bowdoin’s history of student activism, revoke the temporary suspensions and withhold from suspending students for thoughtful protest in the future.

This editorial represents the majority opinion of the Editorial Board, which is composed of Julia Dickinson, Lily Echeverria, Catalina Escobedo, Caitlin Panicker, Maile Winterbottom and Kristen Kinzler.

Correction 2/14/2025 6:15 p.m.: An earlier version of this editorial incorrectly stated that the BCA was forced by the administration to disband after its 2015 sit-in in the president’s office. The BCA was not forced to disband and was active for several more years following the sit-in.