Defend Student Rights at UVM

Legal Battle Against University of Vermont

We are raising funds to support our legal battle against the University of Vermont (UVM) because of the prior restraint of free speech rights and for other violations of the Federal Civil Rights Act and the First Amendment of the Constitution of the United States. Our situation stems from a 10-day demonstration which occurred at UVM on a small grassy triangular portion of the Andrew Harris Commons on April 28, 2024. Citing a "threat to the health, safety, and wellbeing of persons within the UVM community and our guests," on May 1, 2024, UVM's Dean of Students David Nestor suspended UVMSJP as a student organization on an interim basis. No specific factual allegations of who, what, when, where, and how supporting these conclusory allegations were provided to UVMSJP. The order suspended UVMSJP's rights to engage in any activities on UVM's campus pending an investigation, including—with the exception of internal organizational meetings relating to UVM's investigation—the rights to speak, organize, recruit, and associate, and to use campus resources available to other student organizations, which we believe not only affects us but sets a troubling precedent for other and future students. Thank you to all who contribute and continue to speak up and fight for our rights!