A UT Austin student has asked a federal court to intervene after university officials suspended him for his involvement with pro-Palestinian protests on campus last April. Ammer Qaddumi, a senior, learned Wednesday he received a three-semester suspension that retroactively took effect on Aug. 21 and lasts through Aug. 15, 2025.
“He is barred from entering campus, receiving credit for coursework, or registering for courses in the Spring,” according to a motion Qaddumi’s lawyer filed on Oct. 24.
In a declaration included in the court filing, Qaddumi stated he was planning to graduate next May and was hoping to attend law school beginning in the fall of 2025.
“A suspension from UT through the summer of 2025 will seriously interfere with my academic future,” Qaddumi wrote.
As first reported by the Austin American-Statesman, Qaddumi is seeking a temporary restraining order to prevent UT Austin from enforcing the suspension. U.S. District Judge Robert Pitman gave university officials until 5 p.m. Monday, Oct. 28 to respond to the motion. They have argued for the suspension to remain in place. Qaddumi now has until Oct. 30 at 5 p.m. to respond.
Qaddumi, a member of the Palestine Solidarity Committee at UT Austin, was one of 57 people police arrested during an April 24 demonstration against Israel’s war in Gaza. The Travis County Attorney quickly dismissed the criminal trespass charges against those protesters.
Michael Minasi
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KUT News
Qaddumi filed a lawsuit in August against UT Austin and two of its leaders: President Jay Hartzell and then-Executive Vice President and Provost Sharon Wood. He alleged his arrest during the protest violated his First Amendment rights.
Qaddumi has also argued his speech was lawful because the outdoor areas of the UT Austin campus are considered public forums under a 2019 state law.
UT Austin spokesperson Mike Rosen told KUT News that while common outdoor areas are public forums, the university can still enforce “time, place and manner restrictions.”
“In an educational setting, like our University, when we have a reasonable basis to believe a planned activity will disrupt campus, we can lawfully decide that activity can’t proceed as planned,” Rosen said in an emailed statement. “We do not have to wait for the disruption to occur. Students are expected to listen to Dean of Students staff and work to plan something within the bounds of the rules.”
When Qaddumi filed the lawsuit in August, he also requested a temporary restraining order to prevent the university from suspending him. U.S. District Judge David Ezra did not grant that request because Qaddumi had not been suspended yet.
According to Thursday’s court filing, Qaddumi learned on July 25 that he was facing suspension for his participation in the protest. UT Austin claimed he violated its rules because the Palestine Solidarity Committee moved forward with the demonstration after university officials told the group the night before and the morning of the event that it was not allowed to hold the gathering. UT also accused Qaddumi of “engaging in disruptive conduct” and “promoting or inciting disruptive conduct.”
Qaddumi appealed the suspension to a Student Conduct Board. The board, which included two students and one faculty member, held hearings on Aug. 23 and Sept. 6. A few weeks later, on Sept. 26, the board found Qaddumi did violate a UT Austin rule by failing “to comply with the directives of any university official(s).”
However, the board said suspending Qaddumi was not an appropriate punishment for several reasons including the fact that he was set to graduate next year. The board also noted in its decision that he had no history of behavioral misconduct, only violated one of UT Austin’s institutional rules and did not pose a threat to the university community.
The Student Conduct Board instead said Qaddumi should receive a deferred suspension for three semesters, during which time he would be suspended if he violated any university rules. Other students who participated in the April protests received this punishment. In addition to deferred suspension, the board said Qaddumi should attend an “Ethical Decision-Making Seminar.”
UT Austin appealed the board’s decision, which ultimately resulted in Qaddumi being notified of his suspension last week. His lawyer Brian McGiverin did not respond to KUT’s request for comment before publication. But in the court filing, McGiverin said Qaddumi will “suffer imminent, irreparable injury” if the university isn’t blocked from enforcing the suspension.
Qaddumi told KUT News in a text message that he is frustrated the university chose to suspend him even after a student board recommended less severe sanctions.
“I am disappointed in my university, for continuing to choose the path of punishment instead of trying to help students grow,” he said.
Rosen told KUT News that students do not face disciplinary action for protesting but rather for violating university rules.
“We had 60 demonstration and free speech events on campus during the ’23-’24 academic year and the vast majority occurred without incident,” Rosen said in an email.
Earlier this month, students at UT Dallas successfully challenged deferred suspensions they faced for a pro-Palestinian protest in May.
