ST. LOUIS COUNTY — Only the Washington University’s board of trustees is allowed to investigate anti-Boeing protests on campus, the board’s chair said in a message aimed at shutting down a faculty-led effort.
Board of Trustees Chair Andrew Bursky wrote in an email to faculty this week that it’s not the faculty’s place to perform such an investigation and suggested a faculty-led committee would be unqualified and biased.
“The board will not relinquish this important responsibility, nor will it authorize the administration to participate in any internal inquiry related to this matter other than the board’s investigation,†Bursky wrote to the faculty senate’s council.
Faculty members voted last week to create a fact-finding committee to compile evidence and testimonials about two April protests on Washington U.’s campus that led to over 100 arrests.
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Students, university employees and others unaffiliated with Washington U. protested the private university’s ties to Boeing Co., urging administrators to cut ties with the aviation and weapons giant as the death toll in Gaza from the Israel-Hamas war climbs.
Debate over the justification of administrators’ responses continues two months after an April 27 protest resulted in dozens of arrests. Nine university employees were suspended in the aftermath, and graduating students who were arrested say the university continues to withhold their degrees as inquiries into their conduct continue.
The board of trustees has begun its own review, which is expected to conclude by the end of the year, Bursky said.
“It is imperative to ensure that any investigation is conducted with the involvement of qualified individuals who can review evidence without bias or preconceived notions and overseen by individuals with an institutional obligation to ensure that protected and confidential information is handled with the utmost care, including how and whether it is shared with the press,†Bursky wrote.
That doesn’t sit right with suspended employees, who hoped an investigation would also scrutinize the board’s involvement.
“It is clear that the board of trustees has no intention of bringing transparency to their so-called investigation, nor do they care about the thoughts and concerns of their faculty,†ºüÀêÊÓƵ Board of Aldermen Megan Green told the Post-Dispatch on Thursday.
Green, an adjunct professor who was present at the April 27 protest, was among the faculty suspended after the protest. She was not arrested.
“If the administration has nothing to hide and believes they acted correctly, then they should not take issue with an independent investigation,†Green said.
The faculty committee may continue an investigation, nonetheless. In an email on Thursday, senate leaders told faculty they’re continuing to assemble the committee, which will include staff, administrators, faculty representatives from all schools and at least two students.
Chancellor Andrew Martin said the university is working “as quickly as possible†to resolve investigations into conduct violations against employees and students.
“As we deliberate the outcomes of these cases, we are prioritizing the wellbeing of our students in balance with what is in the best interest of our entire WashU community,†Martin wrote, in an email to faculty senate leaders this week.
Students wait for degrees
Ellis Wu, a student and arrested protester who uses they/them pronouns, said Washington U. has not prioritized the wellbeing of students. And they said the disciplinary process has been far from speedy.
Wu is one of about a half dozen graduating students whose degrees have been withheld as disciplinary proceedings against them have continued for more than two months.
Students say it’s at the point where it’s disrupting their lives. Some have lost job opportunities as they wait.
Wu said they’re not sure what they should do in the meantime. They want to become a physician’s assistant, but that requires a master’s degree in most states, and going to graduate school isn’t possible without their undergraduate degree.
“Every single one of my plans have sort of been flipped,†Wu said. “I can’t doing anything right now regarding my life plans.â€
Another student, Valencia Alvarez, said her employment hasn’t been affected, but she wants to go back to school to receive her master’s in public health.
“I would like this process to be done by now,†Alvarez said. “I’ve been going through a lot of other stressful events in my life. This just kind of adds to the feelings that are going on.â€
Some students finally started receiving emails from administrators about university code of conduct violations against them Friday afternoon. But municipal charges have yet to be filed in the ºüÀêÊÓƵ County Municipal Court.
In Wu’s case, the university levied four allegations against them: disorderly conduct/disturbing peace, failure to comply with “the reasonable and lawful requests†of university officials, unauthorized entry/vandalism and knowingly violating university policy, rule or regulation.
Wu can either meet with the associate dean of student conduct and community standards to discuss the charges —or they can accept responsibility for the alleged violations and forego further university investigation.
Under the latter option, Wu would be placed on “probation†until May 6, 2026, or for the duration of their enrollment at Washington U. And they’d be subject to a deferred penalty of a one-semester suspension if they’re found to re-offend.
The university did not specify how the options would affect conferring Wu’s degree.
Wu said they haven’t decided which option they’ll choose.