By the CPJ Auxilary Team
At 3:30 PM today, a bargaining team made up of Evergreen students reentered negotiations with administration to continue working towards that goal. The community gathered around the Evergreen Gaza Solidarity Encampment had continued the rally in Red Square to call for The Evergreen State College’s divestment from Israel since 11am, keeping energy going with new waves of participants. The rallyiers anxiously awaited their return (or possibly news of a camp sweep), but were advised by administration that it would have been bad faith for a sweep to occur whilst negotiations were ongoing. The team returned at around 5:30 PM to a Red Square filled with students, faculty, and the Olympia community lined up in front of the encampment, chanting with fervor in solidarity with Palestine.
The bargaining team emerged from the basement of the Daniel J. Evans Library and delivered updates to the impassioned crowd on what was presented from the students during the meeting. As of right now, the negotiations establish the creation of several divestment committees and fight for more community transparency and reciprocal participation. They also demand new community oversight over Police Services, demand pursuit of new modes of crisis response away from police, and that there be no travel abroad to occupied Palestine approved through the school, additionally creating provisions against misinformation. Flyers were distributed that contained an email from Evergreen’s Dean of Students, Holly Joseph, who wrote that “given our continued progress and good faith negotiation the temporary exception to the campus habitation policy will be extended 48 hours to 5 PM on Wednesday”. The crowd responded to this news with chants of “I believe that we will win!” and “TESC, divest! TESC, divest!”. Their hope and excitement at the possibility of progress resounded across campus for at least the next half hour; you could say that people responded well to the news.
Members of the bargaining team feel confident that administration is continuing to respond in good faith, and that “many, if not all” of the demands will be met as written. Juniper Campbell, student negotiator and GSU representative, told the CPJ: “Administration seems serious about moving forward. They feel the pressure, and they are looking at the encampments’ divestment demands intently.” After negotiations occur between the student bargaining team and the administration, Vice President Dexter Gordon and Holly Joseph bring the demands to a Senior Leadership board that further deliberates on the final decision; this will be the next step taken before the next meeting of students and administration.
Finally, shortly before the publishing of this article, an email was received by the All Staff & Faculty DL mailing list. After establishing the daily dialogue that has been happening, they wrote:
“Steady progress and good faith negotiations continue and as such, the college has agreed to extend an exception to the temporary campus habitation policy until Wednesday, May 1, at 5 p.m. Future extensions will depend on continued progress in negotiations. We affirm our students’ rights to free speech and to keeping the Olympia Campus open to all members of our community. As shared last week, core college functions and safety must continue, with adherence to Evergreen’s existing policies and administrative codes.”
Students are inviting community to show out once again for a rally tomorrow at 11am and firmly stand in solidarity with Gaza while fighting for our university’s divestment. Bargaining will continue tomorrow, April 30, at 12:45 PM. More to follow.
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