Chancellor Mark Mone shared the following message to UWM students, faculty and staff on May 12, 2024.
Dear UWM Students, Faculty and Staff,
I’m writing to share that UWM leadership has reached an agreement with representatives of the student protesters encamped on the lawn outside of Mitchell Hall. As a result, students have started dismantling the encampment and will finish doing so by Tuesday morning. The agreement also includes assurances that those involved will not disrupt UWM’s upcoming commencement ceremonies. You can read the full terms of the agreement here.
I’m grateful that the ongoing dialogue with our students has resulted in this peaceful resolution. I want to extend my personal thanks to everyone who played a role in the process. The voluntary dismantling of the encampment is the safest conclusion for everyone. And as I mentioned in my campus message last week, dismantling the encampment in no way infringes upon free speech.
I know this has been a trying time for many, especially for those concerned by the encampment’s presence and those who have been personally impacted by the war. I also recognize that many have criticized UWM for not forcing the removal of the camp earlier. Indeed, the most common question asked of us involved when police would be sent in to break up the encampment. Our consistent answer: UWM leadership prioritized the safety of everyone involved, which meant seeking resolution through dialogue with our students. Today, as this agreement goes into effect and the encampment begins to come down, we are thankful there were no significant safety issues and that counterprotests remained peaceful.
UWM is a public university that serves a broadly diverse community, and our core responsibility is the education of our students. And so, consistent with our mission, we’ve charted a path forward that prioritizes strengthening our community of care, mutual respect, accountability and collaboration for a better future.
Best regards,
Mark A. Mone, PhD
Chancellor