Official Statement on Emerson College Alumni Weekend 2024
Provided in full to the Berkeley Beacon on June 5
Alumni Weekend is traditionally a time where Emerson asks Alumni to “give back” and donate financially to the College. This year, Emerson scaled back its programming, vaguely alluding to “recent campus events and climate” as the reason. But Emerson cannot continue to value investment profits over the lives of Palestinians and the safety of its students, and expect to continue with business as usual. At the “Meet Me at the Wall” event, members of EAJP informed alumni about the college’s failure to disclose, divest, and address the brutalization of students by the BPD. When we stated that “more students got arrested at Emerson by percentage of the student body than other schools,” Professor Michael Brown interrupted our speakers to ask: How is that important?
We pose the question back to the College. Over 100 students were arrested because of their failure to meaningfully engage with ESJP’s work. The Boston Police injured and traumatized students. This happened because Emerson will not divest from Israel’s brutal occupation and murder of Palestinian people. And the administration asks “how is that important?”
At our alternative event, we called on fellow alumni to redirect their donations to UNRWA, demonstrating to the College that until they act with their conscience, we will not give them financial support.
President Jay Bernhardt and Board of Trustees Chair Eric Alexander’s failure to appear at an event where they would be interacting with the Alumni community is disappointing. When leaders remove themselves from community events that they were supposed to appear at, it raises the question of what conversations are they avoiding? Removing access to administrators will not stop the movement started by students. Any attempts by Emerson affiliates to take the focus off of the horrific treatment of students, and insinuating that everything is fine because BPD dropped charges, is insulting and dismissive of Emerson’s role in everything that has transpired over the last 8 months.
If one thing is clear from the events of this past academic year, it’s that students have no confidence in the current administration to protect their safety or engage in productive dialogue. The Emerson community has suffered so much pain and trauma at the hands of the administration and the Boston police. While our community heals, we continue to push the demands at the core of the students’ peaceful protests: that Emerson College must disclose, divest, and publicly call for an immediate ceasefire.
In his May 6 letter to the community, President Bernhardt expressed eagerness “to meet more frequently with our faculty, staff, students, alumni, and parents”, and work towards “rebuilding and growing these relationships, which are the basis for restoring mutual trust.” In the same statement, he wrote: “Regarding financial divestment, the Board of Trustees has considered this request and may continue to do so further in the future.” As alumni, we have witnessed Emerson issue vague calls for unity instead of implementing actual change for generations. If Bernhardt sincerely wishes to restore the trust of the community, then he must take action on ESJP’s clearly stated proposals.
Administration cannot ask alumni for financial support on top of the thousands of dollars we have paid for our education without being held accountable for what those dollars are funding. We will not allow the College to continue to function without answering to those who actually make up the College - students, faculty, staff, alumni. WE are the school - not administration.