Student Kivlighan de Montebello faces suspension after protesting for Palestine on campus, while some activists also raised concerns about the end of an Arabic language program
Kivlighan de Montebello speaks at a press conference about pro-Palestine repression at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Credit: Western Mass People’s Tribunal/YouTube
When Kivlighan de Montebello started as a freshman at the University of Massachusetts (UMass) Amherst in the fall of 2023, he expected a typical college experience. He thought he would join the jazz club, play club sports, and grind away at his studies. He certainly didn’t think he would spend the weeks before final exams navigating disciplinary hearings, gathering signatures for a petition, and enlisting the help of a lawyer.
Now a junior, de Montebello faces a suspension after being charged with violating the student code of conduct during an on-campus pro-Palestine protest this fall. As he appeals the sanction, he’s left feeling disillusioned by how his expectations differed from reality at a college that touts the slogan “Be Revolutionary.”
“There was just no foundation for any of these charges,” de Montebello said in an interview. “It’s extremely disappointing. I’ve been just learning about—or sort of unlearning—what the world really is and what universities are. And learning that the university is not a place of education, but is a place of profit and is a component of the U.S. war machine.”
De Montebello and other activists say his disciplinary proceedings are part of heightened repression of campus speech and academic freedom at the state university system’s flagship campus in Western Massachusetts. Some activists also shared concerns about the termination of an Arabic language program by a consortium of colleges in the area…
