Today while USC President Carol Folt delivered her State of the University address inside Bovard auditorium, USC faculty members protested outside.
The professors are members of the Palestine Justice Faculty group. They sported academic robes and colorful Keffiyehs.
Members gathered outside of Bovard auditorium to protest the University’s response to the Israel-Palestine conflict and commemorate the lives of academics killed in the conflict, holding up signs with their faces and names. According to PBS, more than 800 schools have been bombed since October 7, 2023.
The Palestine Justice Faculty group aims to educate students about the historical context of the conflict and support Pro-Palestine free speech on campus.
Kate Levin associate teaching professor of writing and member of the Palestine Justice Faculty group said that the University has not done enough to support Palestinian students on campus.
Levin: There are students here who have lost dozens of family members in Gaza and have to go through their day and carry on without any obvious signs of public support from their university.
Sarah Rebecca Kessler, another member of the organization and an assistant professor of English agreed.
Kessler: We just wanted to make our presence known as faculty that oppose this genocide, and to just be visible to show support for Palestinian students, faculty and staff.
Levin believes the University needs to provide more resources for Palestinian students.
Levin: The university needs to listen to the voices of the students most affected really solicit what they feel that they need, and what would they feel would help them thrive here during this devastating time and provide them with that.
During the State of the University address, President Carol Folt spoke about the intricacies of the conflict and how is it impacting the University and students.
Folt: And I know it’s for people, very personal, very real. And I can just say how I admire the strength and the courage that our community is showing. And I know that we have more to do in this way.
Kessler and other members of the group want to draw more attention to this cause on campus and with administration.
Kessler: Our president, our administration is doing everything they can to not speak about what is happening. And you know, we just refuse to be silent about that.
The vigil started at Bouvard, marched past Wallis Annenberg Hall, and ended at Kaprielian Hall.
Correction: In a previous version of this story, a quote from President Carol Folt was misattributed. The quote has been changed to reflect this correction. We regret the error.