These policies reach beyond the scope of the suspensions after April 27. WashU administrators have the authority to evict students from housing based on subjective criteria and without an investigation, conduct hearing, or confirmation that the student has somewhere to go.

Washington University revised its Danforth Campus Facilities Access Policy and introduced two new subsections under the Safety and Security section of the policy. The new subsections outline the factors considered by administrators when determining event security needs and explicitly prohibiting sleeping or camping outdoors or in nonresidential areas without University approval. 

WashU’s Office of Student Conduct & Community Standards (OSCCS) released an updated Student Code of Conduct over the summer of 2024. The updates came after a semester of internal discussions and feedback from Student Union (SU) members about University policies and procedures.

If administrators only answer certain criticisms, are students really being listened to?

In the last year, university administrators nationwide have come under fire for their handling of campus protests. On Wednesday, Sep. 4, WashU Chancellor Andrew Martin shared his perspective. When asked a similar question that landed some of his colleagues in hot water — like university presidents at the University of Pennsylvania and Harvard University — Martin had a different answer.

Heather McGhee, a New York Times bestselling author and policy advocate, gave a lecture titled “The Sum of Us: Moving Beyond the Myth of Equity as a Zero-Sum Game” in Graham Chapel on Feb. 1.

Administrators altered the Washington University expungement policy to no longer allow students with interpersonal violence violations on their record to submit appeals for expungement on Oct. 11, after vocal opposition from numerous student groups. 

As the semester begins, here are some changes to the Forum section.

Regardless of how many administrative conversations had to take place for the change to be made, student safety should always come first, and we commend the University for taking strides to protect student health.

Yet again, the University’s communication with us has been lacking transparency and timeliness, leaving us in the dark when we need to be anywhere else.