Nineteen Days on Merion Green: Bryn Mawr's Women's College Encampment Forces Commencement Off Campus
·PA·civil unrestadvisorymedium confidence
On April 27, 2024 at 9:30 AM EDT, Bryn Mawr College students set up tents on Merion Green, calling the space 'The People's College for the Liberation of Palestine.' The encampment grew to over 49 tents and 500 participants at its peak. After Bryn Mawr relocated commencement and trustees agreed to meet with students about investments, the encampment voluntarily ended after 19 days on May 15, 2024.
Alerts
4
Response
—
Killed
0
Injured
0
Institution
Bryn Mawr College
Private Liberal Arts · PA
~1,700 studentsBryn Mawr Alert
Confirmed Timeline
Alert Sequence
4 messages in sequence
Some alert texts below are approximate reconstructions from news coverage, not confirmed verbatim transcripts. Reconstructed texts are shown in italic with a dashed border. Verified verbatim texts have a solid border and are marked accordingly.
INITIAL ALERTEmail
Approximate reconstruction·646 chars
Members of the Bryn Mawr community: Earlier this morning, a group of students began setting up an encampment on Merion Green to protest the war in Gaza and call for the college's divestment from companies they identify as connected to Israel. The college is committed to free expression and peaceful protest. Campus Safety is monitoring the situation. We ask all community members to respect one another and to allow Campus Safety officers to do their work. Please continue to follow college policies regarding amplified sound, overnight gatherings, and the use of college property. We will share additional information as the situation develops.
This text has been reconstructed from news coverage and may not reflect the exact original wording.
Reconstructed; the morning email from Bryn Mawr's administration was summarized in Bi-College News but never publicly posted in full
Tents were initially permitted to be set up at 9:30 AM EDT; the official response came roughly 90 minutes later
Bryn Mawr's Honor Code shaped the language — emphasizing community-respect rather than enforcement
UPDATEEmail+5d
Approximate reconstruction·386 chars
Members of the Bryn Mawr community: The encampment on Merion Green must be removed by end of day today. Continued occupation of college property in violation of community policies may result in Honor Board referrals and other consequences. We remain open to dialogue, but the encampment cannot continue. Students who wish to discuss concerns are encouraged to contact the Dean's Office.
This text has been reconstructed from news coverage and may not reflect the exact original wording.
Reconstructed from Bi-College News May 2 coverage of the administration's ultimatum email
The ultimatum was not enforced — the encampment remained for an additional 13 days after the May 2 deadline
Honor Board referrals are Bryn Mawr's student-run accountability mechanism, distinct from administrative discipline
UPDATEEmail+16d
Approximate reconstruction·433 chars
To the Bryn Mawr community: Because the encampment continues to occupy Merion Green, the traditional site of our commencement ceremonies, this year's commencement will be relocated. Details about the new location and timing will be shared with seniors and their families directly. We remain committed to celebrating the Class of 2024 and to ongoing conversations with members of our community about the issues raised in recent weeks.
This text has been reconstructed from news coverage and may not reflect the exact original wording.
Reconstructed from Inquirer and PhillyVoice reporting that commencement would be moved due to encampment occupation of Merion Green
Commencement was held off-campus on May 18, 2024
Bryn Mawr joined Pomona and several other institutions whose commencement was relocated due to spring 2024 encampments
ALL CLEAREmail
Approximate reconstruction·373 chars
Members of the Bryn Mawr community: After 19 days, the encampment on Merion Green has been peacefully concluded. Trustees have committed to meeting with student protesters to discuss the college's investment practices. We are grateful for the patience and good faith shown by members of our community throughout this period. Restoration of Merion Green will begin tomorrow.
This text has been reconstructed from news coverage and may not reflect the exact original wording.
Reconstructed from Bi-College News May 16 coverage of the encampment's voluntary end
Bryn Mawr Board of Trustees subsequently met with students in June 2024 per Inquirer reporting
The 19-day duration ranks among the longest spring 2024 encampments resolved without arrests
Context
Background
On April 27, 2024 at 9:30 AM EDT, a coalition of students from Bryn Mawr College and the Tri-College Consortium (Bryn Mawr, Haverford, Swarthmore) set up tents on Merion Green, the historic central quad of Bryn Mawr's campus and the traditional site of the college's commencement ceremonies. Calling the space 'The People's College for the Liberation of Palestine,' organizers demanded that Bryn Mawr divest approximately $5 million — roughly 0.5% of the endowment — from Israeli technology companies, and that the college publicly call for a ceasefire in Gaza. At its peak, the encampment included over 49 tents and drew more than 500 participants. The college issued an administrative email on May 2 demanding the encampment disperse by end of day; the deadline was not enforced. On May 13, the college announced commencement would be relocated off campus. The encampment ended voluntarily on May 15 after 19 days, with trustees agreeing to meet with students. The episode is notable in the Clery-alert context for the absence of emergency-notification text alerts — Bryn Mawr handled the situation entirely through community emails despite the encampment occupying a central campus location for nearly three weeks. The Honor Code culture of the women's college shaped both the protest and the administrative response.
Analysis
Key Findings
01Bryn Mawr's Honor Code framing shaped both protester conduct and the administration's response — emails referenced 'Honor Board referrals' rather than threats of police involvement
02The encampment forced commencement relocation, a tangible operational consequence shared with Pomona, Columbia, and other 2024 spring-term encampment institutions
03Among the longest 2024 spring encampments to resolve without arrests, demonstrating an alternative model to Columbia's Hamilton Hall NYPD clearance
Outcome
The encampment ended on May 15, 2024 after 19 days. Bryn Mawr's Board of Trustees agreed to meet with student protesters to discuss investments. Commencement on May 18, 2024 was relocated from Merion Green to off-campus due to the encampment occupying the traditional ceremony site.