The students have organized in the wake of Israel's nearly-200-day assault on Gaza, following an Oct. 7 attack by Hamas that killed 1,200 people. Displaced Palestinians are currently staring famine in the face, according to the United Nations.
“This is the highest number of people facing catastrophic hunger ever recorded by the Integrated Food Security Classification system – anywhere, anytime,” U.N. Secretary General António Guterres said. “This is an entirely man-made disaster, and the report makes clear that it can be halted."
“We are gonna be marching across campus to make our demands heard,” said Mleczko.
Mleczko’s efforts took a drastic turn last Tuesday during an occupation of the school’s Patel Center when he fell to his knees and required medical attention.
From its @usfhungerstrike social media account, USF’s hunger strikers said that Mlezcko felt his arm and chest go slack before being advised by medical workers to end his strike.
“But the remaining strikers are adamant that they will not give in until USF concedes to our demands. We beseech USF admin to take action and prioritize the lives of their students over profit once and for all. You must divest now for the sake of your students,” organizers wrote on March 27. “It has been ten days now with no food and no concession — enough is enough.”
But last week, Kevin Watler, Media Relations Manager for USF’s University Communications and Marketing department, told Creative Loafing Tampa Bay, “The university will not be taking action on any of the group's demands.”
Watler added that USF attempts to communicate with students about guidelines for planned protest or demonstration, and said that the presence of any school officials or officers “is to help ensure a peaceful event.”
The school immediately became concerned about the well-being of hunger strikers when it learned about the action, according to Walter.
“The University of South Florida’s highest priority is the health and safety of our students, faculty and staff,” he said. “Our staff members, including a representative from Student Health Services, initiated a meeting with the organizers to better understand whether the activity would put students at risk. Following the meeting, the USF Dean of Students Office sent the attached letter to the student organization.”
The letter appears to be directed at USF’s Students for Socialism organization. In part, it says that the hunger strike could jeopardize the health of students and violate USF standards of behavior—and directs the organization to immediately cease its “passive support, coordination, and publication of the Hunger Strike.”
The @studentsforsocialismusf Instagram account currently makes no mention of the hunger strike.
Photo by Dave Decker
EJ, one of seven remaining hunger strikers who would not share their last name, citing fear of retribution, inside the Patel Center at the University of South Florida in Tampa, Florida on March 28, 2024.
USF students say that the school does have a precedent for divesting companies that support controversial social policies and actions. In 1987, students demanded that the school completely divest from companies with connections to South Africa, which was wrestling with apartheid at the time. The USF Foundation did not completely divest as students demanded, but did sell the securities of 18 of the 24 firms with operations in South Africa, according to the Tampa Tribune.
Walter said, “We don’t have any information about events in the 1980’s immediately available.”
In the meantime, students are wrapping up their three-day occupation of USF’s Patel Center and leaning on supporters who’ve coalesced around their movement.
“With the community that we have around us it is very helpful. It gives me hope and since USF has divested in the past with South African apartheid,” EJ one of seven remaining hunger strikers who would not share their last name, citing fear of retribution, told CL. “I believe, and I know that they will divest. It’s just a matter of when.”
