UC San Diego Professors Face Discipline Over 2024 Pro-Palestinian Protest

Two professors could face suspensions for alleged involvement in a campus encampment protest.

Apr. 13, 2026 at 1:36pm

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A dimly lit, cinematic painting of a university building with a lone figure standing in a doorway, the scene bathed in warm, golden light and deep shadows, conceptually representing the tensions surrounding academic freedom and political activism on college campuses.The disciplinary actions against UCSD professors for their alleged involvement in a pro-Palestinian protest encampment have sparked concerns about academic freedom and the right to peaceful dissent.San Diego Today

Two UC San Diego professors are facing disciplinary action from the university, including potential suspensions, for their alleged connection to a pro-Palestinian protest encampment on campus in 2024. The professors claim the disciplinary actions are politically motivated attempts to suppress free speech.

Why it matters

The case highlights ongoing tensions around free speech and political activism on college campuses, particularly around the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The disciplinary actions against the professors come nearly two years after the protest encampment was dismantled by authorities, raising questions about the timing and motivations behind the university's actions.

The details

One professor, BT Werner, is facing a potential two-year suspension without pay for allegedly participating in the encampment that 'disturbed university operations.' Another professor is also facing potential disciplinary action, including a possible one-quarter suspension without pay. Both professors deny wrongdoing and claim the university's actions are politically motivated attempts to suppress speech critical of Israel.

  • In May 2024, authorities dismantled a pro-Palestinian protest encampment at UC San Diego and arrested dozens of people.
  • In February 2026, one of the professors, BT Werner, was notified of the disciplinary administrative proceedings expected to take place in May 2026.
  • The university has a three-year statute of limitations for bringing charges against faculty.

The players

BT Werner

A professor of environmental physics and complex systems with the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, as well as a faculty member in the critical gender studies program at UC San Diego. Werner is facing a potential two-year suspension without pay.

Gary Fields

A UC San Diego professor who says he and others were sanctioned by the university last year for protesting a guest lecture by a former Israeli ambassador.

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What they’re saying

“It is absolutely crystal clear that this was not an attempt to fairly administer discipline. This is basically a political prosecution.”

— BT Werner, UC San Diego Professor

“Faculty shouldn't be in a position where they have to jeopardize their careers to protect students' right to the First Amendment. I think it is outrageous that the university is doing this, especially after all this time.”

— Samar Ismail, UC San Diego Alumnus

What’s next

The disciplinary proceedings against the two professors are expected to take place in May 2026.

The takeaway

This case highlights the ongoing tensions around free speech and political activism on college campuses, particularly when it comes to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The university's actions against the professors, nearly two years after the protest encampment, raise concerns about the motivations behind the disciplinary measures and the potential chilling effect on academic freedom.