Navigating Campus Protests and Unrest

This book shares an innovative approach to supervision, leadership, and management in the higher education workplace. Drawing from humanism and positive psychology, Fitch and Van Brunt weave together a compelling narrative for managing employees across generational differences. This book shares key leadership lessons and advice on how to inspire creativity, increase efficiency, and tap into the talents of your diverse, multi-generational staff. This guide offers practical and detailed advice on establishing new relationships, setting expectations, encouraging accountability, addressing conflict, and supervising difficult staff. Focusing on how to build and strengthen connections through genuineness and empathic caring, this book provides important guidance for today’s college and university leaders.

This article discusses the ongoing campus protests against U.S. involvement in the Israel-Hamas conflict, emphasizing the importance of free speech and academic freedom. It argues that while protests are crucial for open inquiry, university leaders must uphold rules and accountability to prevent harassment, ensure safety, and maintain a culture of genuine dialogue and learning.

The article explores how universities are preparing for anticipated protests in the fall of 2024, driven by political tensions and social issues. Institutions are revising their policies to handle protests more effectively, emphasizing both free speech and safety. They are balancing support for civic engagement with stricter rules on campus demonstrations, focusing on preventing disruptions while protecting students' rights to express their views.

The article discusses how colleges are preparing for potential unrest and protests by prioritizing civic dialogue and free speech. With rising tensions around political and social issues, institutions are emphasizing programs that encourage constructive discussions. Administrators are focusing on initiatives that foster respectful exchanges of differing viewpoints while maintaining a commitment to free expression. These efforts aim to prevent conflict and promote understanding on campuses, especially in a time of increased polarization.

A crisis communications expert recently weighed in on how universities can effectively handle campus protests, offering insights particularly relevant in the current climate of increased social and political unrest. Andrew Jarrell, a communications strategist, highlighted several key steps institutions can take to better prepare for protests and maintain their reputations. He stressed the importance of proactive crisis planning, including having established decision-making processes, identified spokespersons, and clear communication strategies for key stakeholders. This preparation ensures that when a crisis hits, the university can respond quickly and effectively.

The article highlights efforts by colleges like the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Denison University to teach free speech and civil discourse to students. These initiatives, including debates and discussions, aim to equip students with skills to engage across political and social differences. With rising campus tensions, especially around protests and controversial speakers, these programs seek to foster respectful dialogue while balancing free expression and inclusivity. Many institutions are incorporating these lessons into orientations and coursework.

The U.S. House of Representatives recently passed a Republican-backed bill aimed at curtailing what its supporters describe as "woke" ideologies in higher education. The legislation targets practices such as requiring diversity statements for faculty and student admissions, and it aims to safeguard free speech rights, particularly for conservative students who, proponents argue, have faced suppression on college campuses. The bill also limits public universities' ability to charge higher security fees for controversial speakers, potentially reducing barriers for conservative groups to host events.

This article details the negotiations between student protesters and administrators at the University of Wisconsin at Madison over demands to divest from companies associated with Israel. Protesters set up an encampment demanding the university cut financial ties with such companies, leading to a week of tense negotiations. The university initially resisted, citing lack of control over divestment decisions, and resorted to police intervention, which only intensified the protests. Eventually, the administration agreed to provide more support for students from war-torn areas and facilitate meetings with the UW Foundation to discuss divestment. This case reflects the complex dynamics between campus leaders and student activists amid charged debates over Israel and Gaza, suggesting that while challenging, a negotiated path forward is possible.

Pro-Palestinian activists at the University of Michigan have taken control of the student government and are withholding funding from student groups until the university agrees to divest from Israel and military-related companies. This bold strategy is causing concern among students who fear the lack of funding will impact campus activities. Despite the pressure, the university has no plans to meet the divestment demands. Administrators are exploring ways to provide emergency funding to student groups.

Gentelligence: The Revolutionary Approach to Leading an Intergenerational Workforce presents a transformative way to end the generational wars once and for all. This book first introduces Gentelligence as a powerful business strategy and shows why it is critical for the future of work. It then presents a practical guide and a call to action for leaders of all ages to unlock the potential strengths of each generation. Readers will learn how an intergenerational workforce can be reframed as a profound business opportunity and discover how Gentelligence can help them win the talent war, create strong, diverse teams, and build adaptable cultures that will flourish in an era of rapid change.

This article discusses widespread pro-Palestinian protests on U.S. college campuses sparked by the Israel-Hamas war, beginning with events at Columbia University. Nearly 100 colleges saw encampments and sit-ins, leading to clashes with police and challenges for administrators balancing free speech and safety. Some protests involved violence and property damage. In response, universities like Indiana University at Bloomington imposed new protest regulations. The article highlights the ongoing tension between student activism and university policies.

The article discusses how colleges can comply with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination based on race, color, or national origin. Colleges are facing increased scrutiny, particularly over their handling of antisemitism. Recent cases highlight the challenge of balancing free speech with the obligation to prevent hostile environments on campuses. Institutions must investigate reports of discrimination, track patterns, and take actions to address issues. However, this is complicated when protected speech is involved.

This book addresses the polarized political and racialized climate in the United States. This practical resource offers faculty and staff much needed direction related to hosting difficult conversations as they occur in the classroom, residence halls, orientation events, and coffee shops around college and university campuses. Chapters provide insights, case examples, interactive exercises, and "how-to" tools and tips to hosting these conversations, covering issues such as immigration, White supremacy in academia, women’s rights, the Black Lives Matter movement, trans rights, reproductive rights, and cancel culture, among many others. This resource is designed to better prepare instructors, faculty, higher education staff and administrators to enter into these hard conversations with an improved awareness of contentious issues and how to facilitate, and potentially de-escalate, discussions that are already occurring.

In his article, a fromer college president reflects on his experience leading a college during a 1992 student protest over racial issues, emphasizing lessons learned about negotiation and protest management. He highlights the importance of engaging directly with protesters, respecting their concerns, and ensuring their safety while maintaining open lines of communication and building trust. He notes that while the protest was handled without major violence or external disruptions, leaders today might face more complex situations with different dynamics but can still benefit from principles of respect and open dialogue.

The article discusses the resurgence of antiwar protests on U.S. college campuses, focusing on pro-Palestinian demonstrations. As the fall semester begins, campuses have implemented stricter rules and increased security to manage protests. This comes after intense protests last spring, which included building takeovers and arrests. Institutions like Columbia and USC have tightened campus access, and new guidelines have been introduced to differentiate between free speech and antisemitism. Colleges face growing pressure to balance free expression with addressing antisemitism.

At Cornell University, pro-Palestinian activists recently disrupted a campus job fair, causing significant tensions on campus. Over 100 students are facing suspension due to their participation in the protests, which raises concerns about free speech and the rights of student activists. One international student, in particular, is at risk of deportation as his punishment could affect his visa status, highlighting the personal stakes in these protests.

This essay describes the escalation of tensions between students and administrators at Pomona College, which culminated in the arrest of student protesters in April 2024. It reflects on how what began as a series of antiwar protests over Gaza led to a severe response from the administration, culminating in a heavy police presence and arrests, despite the lack of any real threat to safety. It critiques the administration’s overreaction and the growing disconnect between campus leadership and student activism, emphasizing the absurdity of using police force to address what he views as symbolic gestures rather than genuine threats.