Talk:State University of New York at New Paltz

Palestine Protests
I believe that a mention of the 2023-2024 recurring on-campus protests in relation to the Israel–Hamas war should be included. My entry may have been long, but I think that it's important to include, considering that soldiers from a foreign nation were invited to the campus while the army they're fighting for is under intense international scrutiny and condemnation. Bisexual Antifa Terrorist (talk) 18:58, 13 April 2024 (UTC)
 * I'm sorry, but I don't think the page for the University is the right place for mentions of protests, unless they might be of historical importance to the University. Personally, I was going to leave your changes up for a couple months, since I feel that Wikipedia can be useful as a news source.  But then I was going to delete them, since I don't think they're important to the TOPIC OF THE ARTICLE.DavidHobby (talk) 03:00, 16 April 2024 (UTC)
 * I strongly advise you to not make edits to this article that others may view as lacking neutrality, especially edits that could be construed as protecting the institution's reputation. As an employee of the university, you have a direct conflict of interest. ElKevbo (talk) 03:53, 16 April 2024 (UTC)
 * I'm not employed by the university to edit Wikipedia, I'm doing this on my own. Trust me, I can maintain neutrality.DavidHobby (talk) 02:57, 25 April 2024 (UTC)
 * Thanks for taking to the talk page. Perhaps you could include a brief mention of the protestors as part of a broader collection of things that have been protested at/against at New Paltz. My sense is the point you are trying to make is SUNY NP, compared to maybe other colleges in NY for the most part is more politically active. I just felt the the particular piece was too long/detailed for a fairly small event. Feel free to take a crack at it, and I'll try to do the same when I am free. Thanks for editing Wikipedia! Jjazz76 (talk) 15:43, 19 April 2024 (UTC)
 * Will do, especially as today an encampment started Bisexual Antifa Terrorist (talk) 21:19, 1 May 2024 (UTC)
 * I'll also say that given the mass arrest at New Paltz yesterday, a brief nod to the event I deleted earlier might be appropriate - i.e. some events/protests re: Israel/Palestine had been peaceful but escalated following the larger series of protests around the country starting in April 2024. Jjazz76 (talk) 18:46, 3 May 2024 (UTC)
 * Thoughts?: Talk:State University of New York at New Paltz Wikiwikiwawa (talk) 22:13, 3 May 2024 (UTC)
 * @Wikiwikiwawa In general it looks pretty good to me. I'd probably go through and make some small changes/contractions but overall it looks good. I'd probably also would like/will try to find some cites for the 1960s stuff. Jjazz76 (talk) 02:48, 4 May 2024 (UTC)
 * Finding sources for the stuff about earlier protests has proven to be difficult for me sadly. Hopefully you or another contributor can find sources to support it because so far I've only been able to find things referencing the older protests but not contemporary sources or things actually talking about them in detail. Wikiwikiwawa (talk) 10:11, 4 May 2024 (UTC)
 * Just got back to reading your edits and I think you did a good job with them. Did a little bit of trimming/copy editing, etc. Happy to discuss further on any points as needed.
 * And yes, I def think there is a good oral history project on campus activism at SUNY NP in the 60s and 70s. Lots more folks that mention it in conversation than we have gotten written sources on. Jjazz76 (talk) 02:09, 27 May 2024 (UTC)

Edit request: New section about activism
I suggest that the article have a section that pertains specifically to protests. This part may be too long or have a bias lean, so revisions would be appreciated. {{Collapse|1

Student activism
There were several student-led demonstrations in the late 1960s and early 1970s, primarily against the Vietnam War. In the spring of 1967, a sit-in protesting military recruitment on campus blocked the entrance to the Student Union for two days. While there were scores of demonstrators the first day, all but 13 dispersed before New York State Troopers arrived and bodily carried the demonstrators to a waiting school bus for a trip to court. In the fall of 1968, students rallied in support of Craig Pastor (now Craig DeYong) who had been arrested by New Paltz Village Police for desecration of the American flag which he was wearing as a superhero cape in a student film directed by Edward Falco. College President John J. Neumaier posted bail. Pastor was released and charges were dropped.

The Cambodian Campaign and concomitant Kent State shootings in May 1970 led to a protest that culminated in a five-day student occupation of the Administration Building, subsequently renamed Old Main after the opening of the Haggerty Administration Building two years later. A March 1974 sit-in at the Haggerty Building reacted against perceived discriminatory hiring practices, the state-mandated reintegration of Shango Hall (which then housed underrepresented students), and the threatened cessation of the experimental studies program in the wake of a budget shortfall.

Protests at the university over the issue of Palestinian emancipation have taken place throughout the 2020s. On February 28, 2024, members of the Israeli Defense Forces were invited to the campus by the Jewish Student Union with the assistance of the New Paltz chapter of Students Supporting Israel in the midst of the Israel-Hamas war. The event was held at College Terrace, and it featured three service members discuss their experience serving, as well as their opinions on the ongoing war. Organized in part by New Paltz Students for Palestine, protesters numbering over 150 students, alumni, and activists held a rally during and after the event, and protesters inside of College Terrace held signs and Palestinian flags. Following the event and the protest, President Wheeler released a statement, saying, "I write today to share a brief note of gratitude to those within our community who helped ensure that all participants’ safety and rights were protected during the event organized yesterday by our Jewish Student Union and the corresponding counter demonstration." On May 1, over 100 people pitched in to establish an encampment on Parker Quad. The creation of the encampment was spurred on by the Gaza Solidarity encampments established at other colleges across the country. Students and faculty participated. President Wheeler visited the encampment and asked them to dismantle the tents, but students refused. President Wheeler also wrote down notes regarding the demands of the organizers, which included divestment from companies doing business with Israel, amnesty for people disciplined by the school, and disclosure of the investments the school makes. On May 2, two members of Student Affairs visited the encampment in an effort to get students to dismantle it by 7:00 PM. The protesters refused, and were later told to leave by 9:00 PM. When the time came, they refused to leave, and administration called the police. Officers from New York State, the university, Ulster County Sheriff’s Office, and the New Paltz Police Department all participated in the sweep. At least one student was injured after the police arrived.

}} --Wikiwikiwawa (talk) 12:57, 3 May 2024 (UTC)