The University of Minnesota ruled that because of their involvement in the Morrill Hall occupation, seven members of the Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) will be suspended for up to two and a half years, according to a Wednesday post of the group’s Instagram.

The students were found guilty on charges including vandalism, disruptive behavior and causing harm to others, according to SDS members Rowan Lange and Ava Schaeffel. These charges, which outline the actions members of the group took during their Oct. 21 occupation, resulted in the University suspending the students and requiring them to pay over $5,500 in restitution and 20 hours of community service to be readmitted.

During this suspension, SDS members will not have access to their official transcript and credit records, making them unable to transfer without forfeiting all previously earned credits.

“I think definitely, it’s scary, this is a pretty extreme offer,” Schaeffel said. “I’m just hopeful we’ll see the community support we saw manifest.”

While the group has acknowledged the punishment, they are continuing to campaign against the ruling from the University. They have worked in tandem with the Minneapolis City Council, who voted 7-5 in favor of a resolution on Dec. 3 that supports nonviolent protests on campus and urges University officials to not enforce the rulings.

During this meeting, Council Member Robin Wonsley (Ward 2) said that protests like the Oct. 21 occupation and the 1969 occupation of Morrill Hall have been celebrated by the University for their bold and decisive actions, but SDS is receiving unfair treatment.

“I’m pretty sure, decades from now, the University community will look back and honor students who protested for Palestine human rights in 2024,” Wonsley said. “But we don’t have to wait 30 years to acknowledge that those who are protesting against a genocide are taking a courageous stance.”

Despite the successful vote, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said in a statement that he would veto the resolution because he worried about the precedent it would set for future protests.

“It is concerning to me that any council member could view this as acceptable and I will be vetoing the resolution without hesitation,” Frey said.

The University’s ruling emphasized a critical stance towards disruptive protests from the University administration. A University representative said they were unable to comment due to privacy laws surrounding student affairs, but an earlier statement from President Rebbeca Cunningham condemned the group’s actions.

“This is clearly unacceptable behavior within our University community,” Cunningham said. “And to be clear, this was not a peaceful protest and not a First Amendment-protected activity. These activities crossed the line into illegal activity.” 

SDS was informed the suspensions will likely take effect next semester, according to Lange. For now, many members are unsure of their next steps while they still register for classes and prepare for the future.

“They have every right to be upset that we disrupted their classes and stuff,” Lange said. “But from our experience and historical experience, that’s how we get the change that we need.”