Some Indiana University professors say Hoosier fans who showed up overnight for ESPN’s College GameDay show violated the university’s new expressive activity policy.
IU officials say they didn’t.
The policy, UA-10, bans peaceful assemblies and protests between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. on campus. It also bans carrying signs during those times and building unapproved structures.
The policy was created ahead of the fall semester by the Board of Trustees, after large pro-Palestine encampment protests in Dunn Meadow and rallies for President Pamela Whitten’s resignation. About two dozen people — including staff, students and faculty — have been cited for attending late-night candlelight vigils that intentionally violate the expressive activity policy’s curfew.
Read more: IU threatens to fire another employee over expressive activity policy
Before the Hoosiers defeated the University of Washington Huskies at Memorial Stadium on Oct. 26, fans queued up and celebrated the team’s undefeated streak beginning late Friday. Students and fans camped out all night before the free admission at 6:30 a.m. They lined up on 17th Street and around Memorial Stadium’s parking lot. Some carried signs and cheered for IU. Others brought chairs and sleeping bags.
In a letter to Provost Rahul Shrivastav and Vice Provost for Faculty and Academic Affairs Carrie Docherty, 15 sanctioned professors said they believe “students were clearly in violation of multiple regulations included under UA-10.” But, they don’t want students or fans to be punished.
Alex Lichtenstein, a Department of History professor, signed the letter. He said IU is enforcing the policy unevenly.
On a college campus, Lichtenstein said people should be able to party before a football game and also have a candlelight vigil. But only one group has been punished.
“I know the university is happy to hear yelling and screaming about a football game and unhappy to hear people talking about Palestine, but I can't do anything about that,” Lichtenstein said. “The university is not allowed to pick and choose which expressive activities are okay and which are not.”
An IU spokesperson said the fans didn’t violate the expressive activity policy.
"Waiting in line for an event is not considered an expressive activity,” an IU spokesperson said. “Additionally, the event was sanctioned and operated with IU’s consent.”
Lichtenstein said there’s video evidence of fans standing on university property holding signs, yelling and cheering and expressing themselves.
The policy says expressive activity must take place between the hours of 6 a.m. and 11 p.m.
“This is a blanket policy, and it applies to everyone equally,” Lichtenstein said.
The professors’ letter said they don’t want GameDay fans to be punished, but instead for IU to rescind reprimands from the candlelight vigil protesters. They invited Shrivastav and Docherty to their next vigil on Nov. 3.
“This would be a bold action, but it would be a small step to winning back the trust, confidence, and good will of the faculty, which is currently at rock bottom,” the letter said.
Aubrey is our higher education reporter and a Report For America corps member. Contact her at aubmwrig@iu.edu or follow her on X @aubreymwright.
Ethan Sandweiss contributed to this story.
This story has been updated to clarify the activities banned by UA-10.
