Two resident assistants at Emerson College were terminated on April 14 for their alleged involvement in campus protests, according to statements from one of the fired RAs and a spokesperson for the Emerson College RA Union.
Three weeks prior to their dismissal, these students faced multiple charges, including vandalism for allegedly pasting stickers on the exterior of an Emerson building, as stated by a representative in a message to The Beacon.
The Beacon has independently confirmed the identities of the two RAs; one has opted to speak anonymously due to concerns about potential retribution.
The senior RA received notification of their termination on Monday, with Housing and Residential Education officials indicating they must vacate their room by April 22—just weeks before the semester’s conclusion on May 2.
Failure to comply would result in losing access to on-campus housing and meal plans.
Documents verified by The Beacon reveal that the student was adjudged responsible for breaching campus demonstration policies, poster policies, and for acts classified as vandalism and unauthorized alterations of college property.
In an email to The Beacon, the college reiterated their stance: “Students are not disciplined for the content of their speech or beliefs.”
They further stated, “The College cannot comment on specific student employment information, job actions, or conduct decisions. All student disciplinary actions are the result of direct policy violations.”
In a subsequent interview, the former RA described a series of meetings with administrators from various disciplinary offices, during which their alleged participation in a protest organized by Boylston Students for Justice in Palestine in February was examined, leading to a probationary period.
They later appealed the decision, claiming it was built on “biased reporting and racial discrimination” due to being identified as a protestor.
However, this appeal was denied, with the response indicating that a fair process had been followed, yet without providing a clear explanation for the dismissal.
A performance concern meeting was held after the appeal was rejected about six weeks after the incident.
During this time, the student was informed of their changed disciplinary status, which subsequently affected their role as an RA.
The former RA explained they were told last week that further information was being gathered about their case, with no updates provided until an urgent meeting request arrived on Monday.
At the meeting, they were met by two HRE administrators who announced their termination without any formalities.
“The first and only thing they stated was that I was being terminated,” the RA recalled, expressing disbelief over having to vacate their room so close to the semester’s end.
The RA further articulated, “They could not wait two weeks. Having to vacate by April 22 when the semester ends on May 2 is just cruel. This is very reflective of the fact that they do not view us as students; they view us as workers.”
A shared post on Instagram by Boylston SJP and EURA on the same day alleged that the RAs’ termination was directly connected to their engagement in pro-Palestine protests on campus.
“Now, these students, one of whom is weeks from graduating, will lose not only their income, but their housing and access to food,” the post’s caption proclaimed.
“For most RAs, the role is more than just a job—it is their ability to attend this institution.”
In response to the controversy, the college emphasized that no student has been denied campus housing due to employment changes.
A college spokesperson clarified that students who lose their RA position still have the option to continue living on-campus at a prorated cost or alternatively move off-campus, noting a seven-day grace period following termination for resolving housing situations.
Additionally, the spokesperson mentioned that the loss of college-provided housing was agreed upon in negotiations with the RA union.
This controversy comes in the wake of the college’s interim demonstration and expression policies released after the arrest of 118 individuals in April of the previous year.
These policies imposed restrictions on the time, place, and manner of campus expressions, with violations potentially resulting in disciplinary action, including termination from an RA role, as outlined in Emerson’s community standards.
The former RA elaborated that the progressive discipline outlined in RA contracts means that any change in disciplinary status could lead to termination based on the perceived severity of the violation.
They explained that while HRE does not directly handle community standards violations, being placed on probation after such a violation puts an RA at risk of termination due to diminished capacity to fulfill their responsibilities.
“A lot of times, RAs that are in these positions are the most vulnerable,” the former RA noted, adding that affected students often include individuals of color and international students.
The Instagram post further alleged that numerous resident assistants across seven residential buildings have received disciplinary summons, including four out of seven union stewards.
HRE has not responded to requests for comments from The Beacon.
“This is going to bring up a lot of fear, and that is the exact point,” the former RA expressed.
“They want people to stay in line. If it can happen to me right now, it can happen to anyone.”
image source from：https://berkeleybeacon.com/two-resident-assistants-fired-weeks-before-semester-ends-for-alleged-pro-palestine-protest-involvement/
