The University of San Diego abruptly canceled this weekend’s Sun God Festival on Thursday, citing the encampment that pro-Palestinian students and supporters had created a day earlier on campus.
“This decision was not made lightly,” the university said in a message to the campus community Thursday evening.
“Due to the ongoing protest activity adjacent to Library Walk, our campus security resources that would otherwise be available to ensure the safety and security of those participating in Sun God must be deployed elsewhere to support overall security of our students, professors, staff and visitors…
“We know this event is a much-loved tradition on campus and understand the disappointment this decision causes for many. »
The statement was signed by Maureen Harrigan, interim vice chancellor for resource management and planning. No mention was made of Chancellor Pradeep Khosla, who remained in the background while the protest took place.
Khosla previously declined multiple requests from the San Diego Union-Tribune to publicly discuss the tensions.
The annual festival, which dates to the mid-1980s, is expected to attract between 6,000 and 8,000 students and alumni this year, according to Associated Students. It costs about $1 million to put on the event.
On Wednesday, amid a wave of pro-Gaza protests on college campuses across the country, pro-Palestinian demonstrators began setting up tents near Geisel Library. More than 20 tents were set up Thursday and protesters spoke peacefully to passersby, as about eight campus police officers stood nearby.
“The university is in communication with (the protesters),” university spokesman Matt Nagel said Thursday evening.
The decision was not well received by many students, including Raymond Tran, editor of the Guardian, a campus newspaper.
“My friends and I aren’t necessarily angry about the encampment,” Tran said. “We don’t blame them. We are angry at the administration for making this decision. We read it as an attempt to divide students.
Another take was offered by Associated Student Council member Ivan Ramirez.
“It is always unfortunate when an event is canceled, especially one as important and central to campus culture as the Sun God,” Ramirez told the Union-Tribune in a text message. “But I believe that given the number of developments on our own campuses and on neighboring campuses, it was a difficult decision that leadership had to make and ultimately, based on the information they had, they decided to ‘Cancel.”
The university has given no indication that it intends to make major changes at the start of the school year, scheduled for June 14 and 15.
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