Editor’s note: This story has been updated to include comments from Vice President for University Relations and Marketing Rob Odom.
After an almost month-long presence on Oregon State University’s campus, the Students United for Palestine Equal Rights encampment disbanded on Wednesday night.
The encampment started on May 15, on Nakba Day, in the Memorial Union Quad. On May 29, the encampment moved to the Valley Library Quad after members of the encampment were banned from central areas of campus.
The OSU Faculty & Staff for Justice in Palestine announced the decampment in an Instagram post, commending students for their commitment to changing university policy on Palestine.
“We are deeply disappointed that OSU’s senior leadership thought it more appropriate to surveil our students rather than to meet with them,” OSU-FSJP said in the Instagram post.
In a statement on Instagram about their decampment, SUPER said that although they were disappointed in the closing of the encampment, they succeeded in pressuring OSU to release an action plan in response to their demands. However, SUPER expressed dissatisfaction with the adequacy of the plan, criticizing OSU for failing to negotiate with them in good faith.
“Our mission from the beginning stands clearer than ever: The encampment served as a visual and audible reminder to the OSU administration that the OSU community refuses to take part in the ongoing genocide the State of Israel is committing against Palestinian people,” SUPER said.
The organization continues to demand negotiations with the OSU administration and OSU Foundation.
“We demand disclosure, divestment, a call for a ceasefire, and amnesty for student protesters,” SUPER said.
In an email response to the encampment disbanding, Vice President for University Relations and Marketing Rob Odom shared the university’s statement.
“While OSU did not engage in negotiations with encampment demonstrators, it has been highly responsive to concerns related to violence in Gaza, Israel and the region. The actions now being implemented are concrete, meaningful and consistent with the university’s mission, values and commitment to engaging broad community input,” the response states.
The only signs of the encampment left are small flags on the Valley Library Quad representing the number of dead Palestinians in Gaza.