Dear Trent Administration and Senior Leadership,

As students who attended the Nakba Day event on May 15, we feel compelled to address some troubling incidents involving Stewart Engelberg—the Director of Student Wellness at Trent University—which we feel pose a threat to our well-being and safety.

In the early morning of May 15, as we set up our peaceful event, many of us noticed the presence of a man filming us in what was collectively felt as a hostile demeanour. This was also noticed by Arthur journalist, Evan Robins, who described a man (later identified as Mr. Engelberg) as displaying hostility towards demonstrators. Between 8:00 and 8:30 A.M., we saw Mr. Engelberg step away from his duties at Blackburn Hall and walk towards us, phone in hand.

His facial expression, stance, and the proximity from which he filmed us felt purposefully intimidating and uncomfortable. One of our fellow students tried to signal to him that his behaviour was unwelcome with body language as we witnessed his continued non-consensual filming. Concerns were also raised amongst our colleagues that he may try to instigate a fight. Many of us who came in peaceful support felt threatened and unsure of how to respond in this situation. Alarmingly this all took place under the supervision of the Head of Trent Security.

We have reason to believe that his motive for recording us is rooted in a desire to silence us, and that his intended use of the footage he now possesses is malicious. This unease is heightened by Mr. Engelberg's recent conduct on social media, as he has been using his Instagram account @stewartengy to engage with our student page for Palestine, leaving comments that are offensive and dangerous on many fronts.

We believe it is important to highlight that his comments are not only racist, but also spread pseudo-historical misinformation that serves genocidal interests. He denied Palestinian identity, referring to Palestinians as ‘so-called Palestinians’. This is racist rhetoric often used by extremists in an attempt to justify the genocide of Palestinians. More generally, many of the the comments he left hinge on Islamaphobic stereotypes, and are aggressive and hateful. To give an example, he concluded one of his tirades with “perhaps your next sabbatical should be in a war [torn] country controlled by Jihadists. Travel tip: don’t wear your rainbow T-shirt”. This comment deploys racist tropes and is an egregious display of hostility towards members of the Trent community. Moreover, his mocking tone can be easily read as a homophobic slight. We can only describe Mr. Engelberg's online conduct as harassment as he also privately messaged our student account repeatedly, making unfounded accusations of anti-semitism. This continued despite our refusal to engage, and only stopped when we decided to block him for the protection of students who follow and interact with our solidarity page.

Mr. Engelberg's position within the university adds considerably to our concerns regarding the potential consequences of his actions. Someone charged with the responsibility of our wellness should not be engaging in hostile behaviour towards peaceful student protests, or subjecting us to deeply offensive comments online; he is endangering the very thing he is supposed to be a custodian of. This is a misuse of his power, your resources, and our tuition money that pays Mr. Engelberg a wage of $158,466​​​​​​​ as of 2023 for him to ensure our comfort and well-being.

How are Palestinian students, and students in the general Muslim population, supposed to feel safe seeking support at Trent when the Director of Student Wellness has made racist and Islamophobic comments, and demonstrates overt antagonism toward our condemnation of genocide? The answer is simple: they cannot.

We ask you, Trent Leadership, to stay true to the statement recently made by President Leo Groarke to the Board of Governors: “In these complex and difficult times, we remain committed to providing a safe and positive campus experience for students, faculty, staff, alumni, and visitors in an environment that is free from violence, harassment.” It is unacceptable for a university official to engage in behaviour that undermines these commitments and violates the rights of students and faculty members.

We urge you to address these concerns promptly and take appropriate action to ensure that incidents like these do not occur in the future. We should feel safe and supported on campus, and university staff must uphold the values of respect and inclusion that Trent University stands for.

Sincerely,

Trent Students in Solidarity with Palestine

Sign S4P's Open Letter to the administration of Trent University here.