During its weekly meeting on Tuesday at Nordy’s Place, Student Government Board approved an anti-hate committee that was introduced at last week’s meeting and heard concerns from Students for Justice in Palestine at Pitt (SJP) regarding on-campus discrimination.
The anti-hate ad hoc charter was instituted by board member Evan Levasseur as an effort to respond to recent on-campus acts of hate towards Jewish individuals.
“Creating and maintaining an inclusive environment free of all acts of physical and verbal violence is of the utmost importance,” Levasseur said. “This ad hoc committee will identify acts of hate in all forms.”
The Board unanimously approved the ad hoc, which will begin to hold meetings sometime soon in spring 2025. Board member Andrew Elliott said that the committee will help to “bridge the gap” between students and the University.
“A lot of students have raised concerns about the University’s unwillingness or inability to deal with all forms of hate on campus,” Elliott said. “It’s great that this ad hoc is being proposed, especially considering [American political] events in the past week or so.”
A representative from SJP raised concerns during the first open floor of the evening. They brought awareness to the “punitive actions” they believe Pitt has taken against SJP over the past year.
“Black, brown, and Muslim students are facing heightened scrutiny, security measures and even legal consequences simply for engaging in activism,” they said. “We call on this board to recognize these as acts of discrimination.”
The representative said they feel that the University has not treated SJP fairly, which, according to them, has changed the way students engage with social justice demonstrations on campus. The University is currently moving towards suspending the organization, according to the representative, despite no recent protests.
“This sets a troubling precedent,” they said. “Excessive sanctions and vague procedural changes create a chilling effect that discourages students from engaging in advocacy altogether.”
The board acknowledged SJP’s concerns and expressed willingness to continue working with them to find a resolution.
“I really hope we can find a good solution for you guys,” Elliot said. “It’s often really hard when we don’t have all the documentation we need, and that can impact the results students see.”
SGB President Sarah Mayer expressed her support for SJP’s stance and left the possibility of further meetings to discuss the issue open.
“A conversation is a great first step in thinking about what we can do to uplift your guys’ voices while maintaining what the University sees as fit,” Mayer said.
Mayer announced her first meeting with the dean of students, Carla Panzella, to discuss how the University will adapt to recent White House executive decisions that may threaten student wellness.
“We had a really great conversation about supporting students, especially in light of the new executive orders. I’m excited to continue to meet with [her],” Mayer said.
Mayer said that Chancellor Joan Gabel is also working to interpret how these decisions will affect the University moving forward.
“She explained that there are teams examining [the orders] and how they may impact students. I will continue to update as we go on,” Mayer said.
Allocations:
Dhirana requested $11,793 to hold an event at their last public meeting. The board denied the request in full after a full reexamination.
Salsa Club requested $5,600 to fund an instructor fee. The board amended and approved the request to $4,800.
Luso-Brazilian Student Association requested $4,385.04 to hold an event. The board approved the request in full.
Phi Chi Pre Health Society requested $2,000 to hold an event. The board approved the request in full.
This article was updated to provide anonymity for one of the sources.