Tag: Surjaditya Sarkar
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Opinion: Sanctions, reflections
Editor’s Note: Student X is one of nine students of the “UTD 21,” the 21 students, faculty and community members arrested at the May 1 encampment. Student X is currently facing both academic and legal litigation because of their arrest. Due to the exceptional circumstances they face, The Mercury has granted their request for anonymity…
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73 Questions with your SG executives
As the newly elected 2024-2025 executive officers of Student Government, president and philosophy-computer science double major Devin Schwartz and vice president and sociology senior Debopreeta Bhattacharya sat down with The Mercury to shed light on who they are outside of their lofty titles, in the viral interview style of Vogue’s “73 Questions.” Q: How long…
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Campus construction update: projects ongoing
Several roads and pedestrian paths will be closed from the beginning of June 24 to Aug. 16 because of new developments in construction, altering the usual trajectory of both vehicular and pedestrian traffic. Major construction projects have been underway since fall 2023 such as the Performance Hall, SOM Phase III and the new Student Success…
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Despite administration’s silence, community supports 21 arrested at ‘Gaza Liberation Plaza’
In a historic first, UTD administration called in law enforcement with riot gear to destroy the “Gaza Liberation Plaza” encampment while arresting 21 students, faculty, alumni and community members. Despite outcry across the UTD community, administration has not responded to demands to drop legal charges and disciplinary action against those arrested. Students for Justice in…
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UTD professor reflects on arrest, experiences of ‘UTD 21’
While attempting to reduce the tension between encroaching police and student protesters, UTD history professor Ben Wright was arrested alongside two other colleagues on May 1 at the “Gaza Liberation Plaza” encampment. Wright spent over 20 hours in Collin County Jail alongside the rest of “the UTD 21” — the 20 other professors, students and…
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Comets, community members demand return of 21 individuals detained overnight at Collin County Jail
Nine students, three professors, one alum and eight community members were arrested after state troopers and local police stormed UTD’s “Gaza Liberation Plaza” encampment at 4 p.m. May 1. Officers transported the detainees to Collin County Jail, where they remained until the evening of May 2. Protests demanding the release of the 21 individuals began…
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Law enforcement raids pro-Palestine encampment, arrests students and faculty
Less than 12 hours after pro-Palestine student activists formed the “Gaza Liberation Plaza” encampment in UTD’s Chess Plaza, local police and state troopers stormed the event, dismantling the tents and barricades constructed throughout the day and arresting student and faculty protesters. At 4:30 a.m., a coalition of student groups including Students for Justice in Palestine,…
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Comets create encampment in solidarity with Gaza
Students established a solidarity encampment with Gaza at the Chess Plaza, surrounded by walls made of cardboard, plywood and tires with a sign reading “Free Palestine: all the walls will fall.” State and local police forces arrived 4 p.m., tearing down the encampment and arresting at least 16 students and three professors less than 12…
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Pro-Palestine Comets reject meeting conditions with President Benson after week of protests
At the climax of a nearly 10-hour long demonstration April 23, representatives from Students for Justice in Palestine and UTD’s Cabinet of the President agreed to a meeting to discuss the concerns of Palestinian students. During the meeting April 26, SJP representatives delivered a letter to Benson, refusing to speak with him, before leaving. SJP’s…
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Cecil and Ida Green Center demolished
The demolition of the Cecil and Ida Green Center began April 17 and will continue until the end of the spring semester. Originally known as the Cecil and Ida Green Center for the Study of Science and Society, the center was created in 1992 for speaker events and cross-disciplinary research in honor of UTD founder…