The University suspended the Palestine Solidarity Committee leader Wednesday until August 2025 for campus disruption during his participation in the pro-Palestine demonstration on April 24.
On Thursday, he filed a motion asking a federal judge to prevent the University from enforcing the suspension. The University has until Monday at 5 p.m. to file a response to the motion.
In August, PSC leader Ammer Qaddumi filed a lawsuit in a federal court against the University, President Jay Hartzell and former provost Sharon Wood for “unlawfully attempt(ing) to restrict” his right to free speech. Qaddumi filed a motion to halt disciplinary proceedings against him, but a judge denied the motion, saying Qaddumi had sustained no injuries because he was not yet suspended.
Qaddumi’s lawyer did not respond to requests for comment.
The University informed Qaddumi on July 3 that it was taking disciplinary action against him, saying he “failed to comply” with law enforcement and “disrupted” campus activities. After a 10-hour long disciplinary hearing that spanned over two days, a student conduct panel gave him a sanction of deferred suspension on Sept. 26.
The Student Conduct and Academic Integrity Office appealed the deferred suspension on Oct. 3, and an appellate officer revised the sanction on Oct. 23 to a suspension for three academic semesters. He is barred from campus and cannot receive course credit during that time.
Qaddumi’s suspension comes after waves of disciplinary action against pro-Palestine demonstrators. Most of the disciplined protesters received deferred suspension or academic probation, but at least one other student was suspended.
Law enforcement arrested 57 protesters on April 24 for criminal trespassing, and County Attorney Delia Garza has since dropped all charges from that day.
“When we have a reasonable basis to believe a planned activity will disrupt campus, we can lawfully decide that activity can’t proceed as planned,” University spokesperson Mike Rosen said in an email. “We do not have to wait for the disruption to occur.”
Editor’s note: This story previously misattributed Qaddumi’s saction and its revision to the Office of the Dean of Students. This has been corrected. The Texan regrets this error.
