OSU Student Group Sends Email Advocating Pro-Palestinian Events

Oklahoma State University is under fire after an email was distributed by the school’s psychology department promoting a series of pro-Palestinian events marking the anniversary of Hamas' brutal October 7 attack on Israel. The email, authored by the Student Diversity Committee (SDC), called on students to participate in a “Week of Rage” organized by the university’s chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP). The events were scheduled to coincide with the one-year anniversary of the Hamas attack, which left 1,200 Israelis dead and more than 5,000 wounded.

The email’s language, referencing “a year of genocide in Palestine” and advocating for “the end of the Zionist regime,” has sparked significant controversy. Among the listed events was a “Vigil For Our Martyrs” and a “Demand Divestment” protest, both set to take place on campus. While OSU has emphasized that the email was not endorsed by the university, the use of a university-affiliated mailing list and the official-sounding “osupsychdiversity” account name has raised concerns.

In response to the growing outrage:

• OSU issued a statement clarifying that the university does not support or endorse the political positions of SJP, reiterating their commitment to free speech while enforcing campus policies that maintain order.

• OSU did not address whether those responsible for sending the email would face disciplinary action, though the email appears to conflict with the university’s Code of Conduct, which prohibits discrimination based on national origin or religion.

• Critics argue that using university resources to promote events with inflammatory language violates the principles of academic neutrality and fosters division on campus.

The controversy comes as universities across the country face growing concerns over rising anti-Semitism, particularly in the wake of pro-Palestinian protests on the anniversary of the Hamas attacks. At the City University of New York (CUNY), protesters vandalized a research center, and similar protests at Columbia University saw pro-Israel demonstrators respond with chants of “Bring them home,” in reference to the 97 hostages, including seven Americans, still held by Hamas in Gaza.

As events unfold, OSU has promised to enforce its rules and urged students to remain peaceful. However, the question of whether promoting such politically charged events violates university policy remains a point of contention.

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