Maurie McInnis isn't much of a scientist.

Everywhere you observe - using police force on campus encampments have led to severe backlash and more student protest, often more encampments even. This decision has incredibly bad optics, and I'm surprised the president thinks she knows better than the empirical reality of student reactions and responses. I was really hoping it wouldn't lead down this road, Stony Brook would know better given their explicit promise: "To empower Stony Brook’s driven, imaginative community in the relentless pursuit of tomorrow’s big ideas."

Are you educating powerful voices, leaders for tomorrow? Or are you suspending and silencing them?

I'm sad. I saw so much use of force on campuses, and now I see it replaying in my head against a familiar background. Students deserve better than cops dragging them as they hold onto a tent. A policy violation - and it justifies that response? Will you begin sending UPD to tackle cigarettes out of people's mouths? How would you have responded if your students took part in the civil disobedience of the past "in the relentless pursuit of tomorrow's big ideas" if it broke policy, let alone broke a law. Would you want to admit you would have called the police because your students staged a sit-in against segregation? Maybe they put up tents to protest the Vietnam war? The same policies would be broken, someone call the UPD on those well-intentioned students.

Campus is a place of expression, not your playground to play big boss and have your final say. Students' actions were non-violent - didn't put any students in danger. How far are you willing to go? Call the police on striking grad students if their picket line blocks access to a building? Conveniently have the police start the riot so that you can arrest dissent?

This is my rant. It may not be perfectly written, but I am devastated in the choices taken. But so proud of the students. You're doing the right thing. This is what university is about. From the official position of Stony Brook:

As society stares down global issues that challenge our health, natural resources, economy and social well-being, the true champions will be the ambitious learners who can work across boundaries, find focus and emerge with inventive solutions.

Stony Brook University complements its extraordinary strengths in science, technology, engineering, math and medicine with a dedication to the humanities and social sciences, forging graduates ready to inspire our complex, connected world.