Hashemite University’s decision to suspend engineering student ‘is final’

AMMAN — Despite students’ demands to “bring [Ibrahim] Obeidat back”, the Hashemite University’s council of deans on Wednesday announced its final decision to approve the suspension of the engineering student for four academic semesters.

Dean of Student Affairs Mustafa Khawaldeh said the decision was taken after several discussions on whether the Zarqa-based university should reverse the move. 

“After all the challenges we faced over the past weeks upon the initial decision to suspend the student, we decided to maintain the decision in line with the law in Jordan and the university’s regulations,” Khawaldeh told The Jordan Times.

Obeidat, according to the dean, violated several university rules over the past four years, by organising events on and off campus without taking the administration’s permission, speaking on behalf of the student union without being an official member of it and providing students with “vague” job opportunities on campus.

Khawaldeh said the council agreed that not only did Obeidat violate the university’s regulations before his suspension, but he also insulted university staff on Facebook after the university suspended him for two years.

On October 24, the fourth-year electrical engineering student was banned from entering campus and attending classes for the fall semester, and four other terms following it, according to university officials.

Being an activist on campus and on social media, Obeidat voiced his rejection of the decision, especially since “he was supposed to graduate next year”.

But Khawaldeh said suspending Obeidat is a way of applying the law on all citizens, adding that “it is part of the reform process”. 

“Jordan is a country that follows laws and the Constitution... We cannot exempt anyone from suffering the repercussions of their actions, this would create more problems,” he added.

The dean urged students to abide by the rules and respect the law.

He added the decision is “official” and the council of deans cannot reverse the suspension.

Several students at the university viewed the decision as “a tool to oppress the student body and to silence the younger generation”.

“This is not only about one student; it is about all students and young Jordanians who are free individuals — who do not approve of injustice and oppression,” a 21-year-old student told The Jordan Times.

Activists at the university started an open-ended protest on Tuesday in front of the administration building on campus to protest their classmate’s suspension. 

Khawaldeh said the university “follows the rules set in Jordan and respects students’ freedom of expression”.