The University of South Florida is doubling down on penalties for two student protestors after rejecting their appeals.
Joseph Charry, an incoming junior, is facing suspension until next May and Victoria Hinckley, who was a senior, has been expelled, putting her degree in limbo.
Though the two were not among 13 protestors who were arrested during a pair of on-campus protests in April, the university identified them as key organizers and charged them with violating student code of conduct rules.
Pro-Palestinian rallies swelled on college campuses across the nation this spring, resulting in clashes between protestors and law enforcement. Thousands have been arrested as university administrations cracked down on encampments and demonstrations.
Many protests are calling for schools like USF to cut ties with Israel, or divest from companies supporting the military conflict in Gaza between Hamas and Israel.
Hinckley is the president of the student group Tampa Bay Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), which led multiple on-campus protests in support of Palestine. The group was placed on an interim suspension when its members participated in a pro-Palestinian rally on April 29 that resulted in three arrests.
The sociology and women's studies major said she was looking forward to graduation, but received a suspension letter that barred her from campus days before commencement.
USF then expelled Hinckley, and upheld the expulsion earlier this week after she submitted an appeal last week.
"I did do everything that I was supposed to do, I did all the education that was required, it's just USF refusing to give me the physical degree," she said.
Charry, a sociology student, is also an SDS member and served as a liaison between protestors and university administration during protests. He said he's being unfairly targeted for his position.
"They targeted me because I was the visible face that was talking to [university administration] and relaying the information that admin was giving to people," he said.
Charry is also an international student from Colombia, and said the suspension may put him at risk for deportation. He said he's not sure if he can stay in the country if he's not enrolled and is exploring transferring to another school during the period of his suspension.
"What the university did is disproportionate, overblown," said Charry.
When asked about Hinckley's degree and Charry's enrollment status, USF responded with the following statement:
"The University of South Florida values free speech and protecting the constitutional right for individuals and groups on campus to gather and express themselves. This includes protests and demonstrations that have occurred many times on our campuses without incident. However, those activities must remain peaceful and there are consequences for violating the law or university policies. USF has been clear that violence, threats, harassment and disruptions will not be tolerated."
Of the 13 protestors who were arrested April 29 and April 30, four were USF students. The university declined to provide information on what student code of conduct violations they may be charged with, citing student privacy laws.
Sebastian Martinez, a student who was one of the three protestors arrested on April 29, was taken into custody again on Thursday after being charged with two felonies at his misdemeanor hearing.
Charry and Hinckley said they will continue rallying for the other protestors as well as for their individual cases.
