Dear Barnard Community Members,
As many of you already know, during the early hours of Wednesday, April 17, 2024, a group of Columbia and Barnard students set up an unauthorized encampment on Columbia’s South Lawn with the stated intention to remain. We want to share information directly with you about the University and College responses to this unauthorized encampment.
Before noon on April 17, Columbia made multiple requests that students participating in the unauthorized encampment leave the lawn. A number of Barnard Senior Staff also went to the lawn to ask Barnard students participating in the encampment to leave and to advise Barnard students that they would be subject to sanctions at Barnard if they did not leave the encampment.
Members of the Barnard Senior Staff provided participants in the unauthorized encampment with written warnings at approximately 7 p.m. on April 17. These written warnings stated that students would receive interim suspensions if they did not leave the encampment by 9 p.m. on April 17.
This morning, April 18, we started to place identified Barnard students remaining in the encampment on interim suspension, and we will continue to do so.
Now and always, we prioritize our students’ learning and living in an inclusive environment free from harassment. Given the evolving circumstances at Columbia and in the area, we are working to ensure the safety and well-being of the entire Barnard community. We have temporarily restricted access to certain outdoor spaces on our campus.
Students requiring academic support should contact their class deans, students wishing to report discrimination should contact the Nondiscrimination and Title IX office, and the Furman Counseling Center remains available to all students.
The Barnard College Senior Staff