U.S. colleges brace for possible return of war protests: USA Today

Academic workers protest at the University of California (UC), Los Angeles, in Los Angeles, California, the United States, on May 28, 2024. (Photo by Zeng Hui/Xinhua)

"Though on-campus demonstrations lulled this summer as students dispersed, the conditions that motivated the recent wave of activism haven't changed dramatically since the spring," said the report.

NEW YORK, Aug. 26 (Xinhua) -- As the fall term gets underway at many U.S. colleges, administrators are preparing for another possible surge in campus activism, reported USA Today on Monday, noting that the last school year ended acrimoniously as anti-war protests persisted on many school grounds, disrupting graduation ceremonies and jeopardizing some students' academic standing.

"Though on-campus demonstrations lulled this summer as students dispersed, the conditions that motivated the recent wave of activism haven't changed dramatically since the spring," said the report.

While several high-profile college presidents have left their roles, many schools haven't substantively changed their investing strategies -- a demand made by the lion's share of protesters but a complicated ask in practice.

International negotiations over a potential cease-fire in Gaza are tenuous. And members of Congress continue to see political opportunity in inserting themselves into the debate over how campuses should go about quelling unrest.

As young activists prepare to ramp up the momentum again, harsher rules await them on some campuses. The punishments for anti-war protests have differed significantly across campuses, according to the report.