To the Case Western Reserve University community:
Last night at approximately 7 p.m., about 200 protesters marched from the Kelvin Smith Library Oval to Adelbert Hall, where they glued posters to the building and doors and engaged in threatening behavior. About 10 students remained overnight, blocking both doors and access to the building. Earlier this morning, we notified staff who work in Adelbert Hall to work remotely.
As I have previously noted, any individual violating university policy will be held accountable through legal action and/or the appropriate conduct process. For students, this could include interim suspension, expulsion or removal of degree conferral. Those who continue to illegally trespass and vandalize university property will be subject to criminal charges.
In recent days, we have seen an influx of escalated activities that violate—in some cases continually—our freedom of expression policy, among others. This includes protesters at the non-sanctioned encampment on Kelvin Smith Library Oval, those who are obstructing access to and closing operations at Adelbert Hall today, and the individuals who painted the advocacy and spirit walls with messages that were threatening and intimidating to members of our community, including language directed toward protesters.
None of this behavior is acceptable, nor does it contribute to the safe, welcoming and inclusive environment for which Case Western Reserve is known.
Today marks the last day of final exams—the culmination of a year of hard work in classrooms, labs, clinicals and other hands-on experiences. I want to take this time to commend the students, faculty and staff who have shown such exceptional commitment to their academic, research and extracurricular activities throughout this year. This should be a time to celebrate your achievements and look forward to what’s next.
With commencement celebrations beginning in less than a week, I want to confirm that Case Western Reserve will still hold all ceremonies to recognize our graduates’ accomplishments. Like many of you, I am especially looking forward to this year’s festivities, as most members of the undergraduate Class of 2024 had their high school graduation ceremonies canceled at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. This is an exceptional time for our soon-to-be alumni and their families, and I am eager to celebrate alongside them.
Unfortunately, in recent weeks, we have witnessed the disruptions caused at other universities that have detracted from the achievements of students and spirit of the day. To avoid such interruptions and ensure our celebrations are centered on our graduates, we will be implementing a variety of safety and security measures, which will share with the community soon.
As we close out this academic year, I encourage you to reflect on the remarkable accomplishments of the students who soon will walk across the stage at commencement—and the impact of each of you who helped them get there. This time of year is an incredible reminder of the critical importance of higher education and the hard work happening in every corner of our campus.
Sincerely,
Eric W. Kaler
President