Clark’s policy of “institutional neutrality” is a lie, and of course it was. Anyone could see that the adoption of “institutional neutrality” was a thinly-veiled code for “we will not divest from Israel – now stop asking!” Clark has never been institutionally neutral, and has once again decided to take a firmly progressive stance in its messaging in response to the Trump administration. 

Do not get me wrong, I am happy to hear that President David Fithian and other administrators are saying that Clark will remain a safe space for the LGBTQ+ community. Their efforts to educate students as to what to do in the event of an ICE raid is also commendable. These are the kinds of things we should be seeing from the administration of a progressive institution such as Clark. 

However, their statements certainly are not “neutral.” Our administration continues to be outwardly progressive on LGBTQ+ rights, but refuses to comment on genocide due to “institutional neutrality.” Clearly, institutional neutrality was a fake policy designed exclusively to silence critics of Clark’s handling of the Israel-Hamas conflict.

Words are easier, and notably for our neoliberal administration, much cheaper than action. I look forward to seeing real action to protect LGBTQ+ and undocumented students on campus. I hope that our administration will leverage their words of commitment into action items, and I hope more deeply that these actions items would never have to be used. However, in none of the written communications which the administration has sent out, have students received a promise from our administration to do anything material other than continue current policies and dismantle the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

The dismantling of the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion certainly goes against the progressive statements made by the University. The removal of this office arguably could not come at a worse time in history. A time in which LGBTQ+ individuals, myself included, feel deeply threatened by our Federal government and concerned about our future, our University’s Administration is weakening our protections. 

Despite the ceasefire in Palestine, I continue to hope that our administration divests from Israel, especially now that we have clearly abandoned our so-called “institutional neutrality.” The last line of one of the emails sent to students by the President’s Office read: “through our deep sense of community, to encourage one another and draw strength from our values of civility, empathy, respect, and justice for all.” Clearly, civility, empathy, respect, and justice for all does not extend to the Palestinian children slaughtered financed using Clark’s (our) money.