A group of McMaster students are calling on the school to reverse a ban issued to three students that took part in the pro-Palestinian protest earlier this year.
The three students say the university issued notices several months ago about a looming punishment, but were recently given additional letters from McMaster which made clear they could only attend academic activities on campus.
“Basically, they say we cannot be on campus for anything other than academic activities, like classes and research,” Mason Fitzpatrick, one of the students McMaster is attempt to restrict, says. “We’re not allowed to contact the president, I’m placed on leave from teaching as well.”
Rand Clayton, another student who has found themselves deemed as a “persona non-grata” by the school, says he can’t believe he’s being punished before being told what he did.
“They talk about innocent until proven guilty, than why am I facing such harsh punishment when I don’t know what’s going on?” I couldn’t access my office for the entire summer, PhD students don’t get a summer off, this has seriously dinged my productivity.”
The students say they were individually sanctioned and expect interviews with the school soon.
McMaster University responded to CHCH News on Tuesday, saying they do not speak to specific cases, but acknowledged persona non-grata punishments when the students code of conduct policy is breached.
They say the sanctions could be issued for a variety of reasons, including threats of violence, criminal activity and or endangering the health and safety of others.
