On July 25, a panel of the University Hearing Board held Sriram Parasurama “responsible” as charged in connection with the September 18, 2024, protest at Statler Hall targeting defense contractors who participated in an ILR Job Fair.
Parasurama is a graduate student in the School of Integrative Plant Science. Serving on the Hearing Panel were: Maria Wolfe, a senior lecturer of management communication at the Hotel School; Davis Upchurch, Graduate Student, School of Integrative Plant Science, Horticulture Section; Sebastian Young ’26, an undergraduate student and Language Resource Center Student Assistant; Fatoumata Conde, a student in Human Ecology; and Jennifer Michael, Senior Director of Student Experience, Admissions and Student Services in AAP.
RELATED: Sriram Parasurama Gets A Public Hearing
Parasurama issued the following statement through The Coalition for Mutual Liberation:
“Hi folks, I received the decision from the hearing panel today. They have found me not responsible for assault and endangerment and violation of public laws, but guilty on all other charges, including collusion or complicity. The sanctions are: (1) suspension and PNG continued through August 25, 2025, meaning I can return for the Fall semester if I desire but this will remain as a mark on my transcript; (2) if I am found violating any provision in the code of conduct I will be immediately suspended for three years (yes years, not semesters); (3) a written reprimand that will be on my disciplinary record till I graduate.
The hearing panel did not find it appropriate to pursue restorative practices. This is their rationale: “The Respondent portrayed himself as the victim in this matter and showed complete disregard for the safety of the campus community. He either refuses to see or is indifferent to the impact his deliberate actions on September 18, 2024 had on the Cornell community and his peers. The Respondent’s actions prevented his fellow students from exercising their own rights and freedoms. The Respondent demonstrated no remorse for disrupting his peer’s employment opportunities, and he attempted to dictate which employers they could engage with. Rather than acknowledge the impact of his actions and demonstrate a commitment to avoiding similar conduct in the future, the Respondent doubled down when he said in his impact statement that ‘he will not rest until this university relinquishes every single share it holds with the merchants of death.’
I am debating if I should return or not as I have lost all my funding and would be under constant surveillance by the university for the remainder of my time.”
In general, hearing panels vote on a verdict at the conclusion of a hearing. In this case, the public panel hearing was on June 23, but the announcement of its decision was delayed for more than one month.
The case was processed under the Student Code Procedures and was in parallel with criminal charges filed in the Tompkins County courts. The criminal changes were resolved with a six-month deferred prosecution agreement.
