Traducción al español:
Una profesora de Cal Poly está esperando su veredicto según su participación en una protesta pro-Palestina que sucedió en Enero de 2024. La profesora, Shanae Martinez, tuvo su audiencia de facultad el Martes, lo que duró siete horas para decidir si ella debería estar suspendida por dos cuatro-semestres sin paga. Ellos en contra de Martinez discutieron que ella estaba impidiendo el trabajo de la policía y estaba en contra del código de ética de la facultad de Cal Poly. En el otro lado, ellos en favor de Martinez dijeron que su presencia en la protesta muestra su apoyo a los estudiantes, lo que es su trabajo como profesora. Después de los testimonios de ambos lados, el comité hicieron una recomendación al presidente Armstrong, quien nos dará la decisión final en los días que vienen.
Cal Poly English professor Shanae Martinez appeared before a faculty hearing committee on Tuesday to address a proposed two-quarter suspension without pay due to her involvement in pro-Palestinian protests last year. The seven-hour hearing concluded without a final decision, as the committee will now make a recommendation to Cal Poly President Jeffrey Armstrong.
The committee will either support the proposed suspension, suggest a different sanction or abandon the charges entirely. It is expected to submit its recommendation to Armstrong within 14 days, after which Armstrong will issue a final decision and inform Martinez within 15 days, according to provision 19.10(e) of the Cal State Collective Bargaining Agreement.
Roughly 40 people attended the hearing in Fisher Science (Bldg. 33), which was monitored by three police officers.
Allegations and charges
The university has accused Martinez of violating California Education Code of Conduct Section 89535, during two pro-Palestinian protests in 2024. The university found Martinez violated the Cal Poly Civility Statement, Faculty Code of Ethics, and the Statement on Commitment to Community, university spokesperson Keegan Koberl said in an email to Mustang News.
In January 2024, Martinez was involved in a physical altercation with police outside the Cal Poly Recreation Center, where eight individuals were arrested. During the hearing, Martinez described placing her hands on a barricade and tightening her grip when ordered to let go. She was charged with misdemeanor battery of a police officer following this incident.
Martinez was also present at a May 2024 protest at the intersection of California Boulevard and Campus Way, where they were charged with misdemeanor unlawful assembly and misdemeanor obstruction of free movement in a public place.
Martinez and their faculty representative, Sang Kil, emphasized during the hearing that she was acting in the defense of student protesters and in alignment with her role as a faculty member. Kil cited Martinez’s teaching of decolonial praxis and her support of students as evidence of her intentions.
“My heart led me to defend students against harm in those two incidents,” Martinez said.
University prosecution witnesses testify
The university called three witnesses to testify, including Martinez herself. Although not present on scene during the January 2024 incident, Cal Poly police officer Scott Severn testified about the authenticity of the video footage from the protest. In cross-examination, Kil questioned the relevance of Severn’s testimony, given he was not present at the protest where the video was taken.
As the university’s representative, Maren Hufton described herself as an “impartial fact-finder” in the investigation, whose role was to make an objective assessment to determine what likely occurred. She argued Martinez’s “repetitive pattern” justifies the two-quarter suspension.
“Cal Poly did not hire Dr. Martinez and does not pay Dr. Martinez to impede the work of peace officers who are trying to bring calm to a chaotic situation,” Hufton said.
Witnesses testify in defense of Martinez
Before any witnesses were called to testify, Martinez’s defense suggested that the proximity of Armstrong’s May 8 Congressional hearing discouraged some potential witnesses from coming forward.
The defense also suggested that witnesses were hesitant to testify because of the “repressive climate” on campus and the potential for “retaliation.” Studio art professor Elizabeth Folk walked out from the spectator area saying, “That is why I declined to serve as a witness.”
Martinez’s first defense witness was Eman Castillo Hernandez, a member of Students for Justice in Palestine, who filmed the January 2024 Recreation Center protest. Hernandez said Martinez was acting as a “peace liaison” and had no involvement in planning the protest. He praised Martinez’s support of students and criticized how police treated protesters and their presence at the hearing.
“There are police officers outside of this very room for no reason. Are any of us a threat to anyone in this room?” Hernandez said. “I personally, and other students, trust the faculty more than we do the police, and for a very good reason. A lot of us are students of color, and we as students of color, we’ve had negative experiences with police.”
Two other impromptu witnesses were called to testify by the defense before the hearing was adjourned.
This is a developing story, Mustang News will update as more information becomes available.
Nick Forselles contributed to the reporting of this story
Correction: This article was updated at 2:21 p.m. to correct Folk’s quote and to add context prior to her comment.
