Detroit Evening Report: Wayne State to host listening sessions for students to engage with university leaders after encampment raid

Wayne State University’s Office of Multicultural Student Engagement says it will host four hybrid listening sessions for students to engage in dialogue with university leaders.

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This is in response to last Thursday’s dismantling of a student-led pro-Palestinian encampment, where 12 people were arrested by Wayne State University police.

The detainees were all released later that day.

WSU President Kimberly Andrews Espy said the university has added extra security on campus, as in-person classes resumed after the university was remote for three days.

Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib called on President Espy to meet with students publicly and condemned the violent arrests — which included women’s hijabs being removed — saying the action of campus police violated their freedom of religion.

Tlaib urged Espy to meet with students to negotiate and to be transparent about university funds that go toward war manufacturers.

Students are asking the university to divest from Israel and end Wayne State University PD’s training with the Israeli Defense Forces, among other things.

The first student listening session is scheduled for Tuesday at noon on the 7th floor of the WSU student center. Attendees can join in-person or online at getinvolved.wayne.edu. The full schedule is below:

• June 4 at noon
• June 5 at noon and 4:30 p.m.
• June 11 at noon
• June 25 at noon

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