‘We Will Not Accept the Response’: Students Remain Overnight in Cal Poly Humboldt’s Nelson Hall

Student protesters at Cal Poly [Photo by Ryan Hutson]

On the heels of a full day of protest at Cal Poly Humboldt, a group of student activists conducting a sit-in protest settled in for an unplanned overnight stay in Nelson Hall after administrators closed the building.

With the bathrooms inside Nelson Hall locked as a consequence of the sit-in, many student protesters within Nelson Hall occupying room 102 had chosen to remain rather than leave to access facilities. Some reported urinating in a “piss bucket” rather than leaving the building. 

Piss bucket with bottles used by students rather than leave the area. [Photo provided by student activist]

Rather than abandon the cause and leave their fellow protesters behind, students said they made the choice to use bottles or the bucket due to lack of access to facilities. University staff explained to students within and outside of Nelson Hall that they were free to leave the protest to find a bathroom at any time. To leave, protesters argued, would give way to administrators’ attempts to curtail their free speech activity.

This was not a fair choice, they explained. “This is inhumane!” said one student, as another explained that “there are students here menstruating- and admin thinks it’s ok to block bathroom access,” they said.

Being wary of academic and possibly criminal repercussions for their on campus protest activity, students providing this video asked that their identities be blurred in light of a possible Time, Place and Manner policy violation. 

Those student demands were initially issued a week earlier, during a brief occupation of Siemens Hall. At the time, students requested further divestment from war-related investments, a protective and proactive written sanctuary policy for the campus, and for the CSU to accommodate employment requests from union staff and non-union staff alike. 

A written response from Cal Poly Humboldt’s (CPH) new Vice President Michael Fisher was received by the student group inside Nelson Hall. In regard to divestments, it read, “the Cal Poly Humboldt Foundation Board continued its work towards Environmentally and Socially Responsible Investments… and will commit to continuing this work as part of their next Finance & Investment Committee meeting.”

Protesters at Cal Poly [Photo by Enoch Ibarra]

• Our University commits to continuing our stance of not voluntarily sharing individual student data.
• The University has taken, and will continue to take clear, lawful, and actionable steps to address ICE and CBP activity on our campus and provide space and resources to support our communities and populations that are at risk today and into the future.
• We will continue to revisit our publicly posted protocols that help ensure the safety and well being of undocumented and immigrant students.
• Our Community Resilience Task Force has been active and will continue to build a community network that provides support for our students and community members in preparation and recovery from ICE activity.

In addition, the letter from CPH to students also contained this explanation of the situation with the Union. “We value our employees and commit to providing a platform so their voices can be heard, on our campus, at the Chancellor’s office and in Sacramento, “ it said but it pointed out that Cal Poly Humboldt has little control over the bargaining that it conducted between the Chancellor’s Office and unions.

A tent was set up in the walkway area outside Nelson Hall, only to be removed by CPH staff against the objection of students. The student who offered the tent could be heard saying, “I just don’t want [administrators] to destroy it,” as the tent was positioned in front of the protest zone.

“We, the students, will not accept the response from the Cal Poly Humboldt campus administration. We do not believe that our demands have been adequately addressed.”

Their demands center on three primary issues: divestment from war-related investments, implementation of what they call a “true sanctuary policy,” and honoring promised raises for Teamsters and other organized labor on campus.

Student protesters at a side entrance to room 102 at Nelson Hall speak to a staff member assigned to the nearby building entrance to advise students of their trespass and violation of TPM, as a loaf of Challah was thrown to protesters by student supporters from the footpath below. [Photo by Ryan Hutson]

Regarding divestment, students argue that “less than one percent of investments” the university says it has “is not zero” and they call for the university to fully divest from any corporation manufacturing weapons, regardless of other products produced by those companies.

On sanctuary policy language, students objected to phrasing that the university will not “voluntarily” share student data, arguing that this leaves room for compliance with federal requests. They are calling for what they describe as an enforceable sanctuary policy rather than symbolic language.

On labor issues, students expressed dissatisfaction with the CSU’s revocation of previously negotiated salary increases for Teamsters and criticized what they described as direct outreach to non-unionized employees offering a one-time bonus.

While student protestors remained inside, roughly two dozen students and community members stood by in support, observing the student protest from outside.  Water bottles and pizzas were delivered to the protesters under threat of trespass and violation of Time, Place and Manner policy. 

As sunset approached, a tent was set up in the walkway area outside of Nelson Hall. According to activists, university staff removed the tent over student objections. The student who offered the tent could be heard saying, “I just don’t want [administrators] to destroy it.” [Photo by Ryan Hutson]

Currently, students inside Nelson Hall say they plan to remain overnight. The University advised them that they are  in violation of the TPM policy and as the situation headed into the weekend, the students haven’t clarified what steps they will take next. And neither has the CPH administration.  Any additional information provided from Administrators or from student activists will be reflected in future reporting as the situation continues to develop.

Palestinian Flag at Cal Poly [Photo by Enoch Ibarra]

• • Students Briefly Occupy Siemens Hall at Cal Poly Humboldt This Afternoon
  • Cal Poly Humboldt Responds After Yesterday’s Occupation of Siemens Hall by Protestors
  • Students Dispute Cal Poly Humboldt’s Investment Claims After Siemens Hall Protest
  • Students Occupy Nelson Hall at Cal Poly Humboldt, Citing Unmet Demands