section_path: History/2024 – present: Student occupations and conclusion of Maskell's tenure
section_name: 2024 – present: Student occupations and conclusion of Maskell's tenure
paragraph_text: 2024 – present: Student occupations and conclusion of Maskell's tenure
  
  On 24 April 2024, students occupied the South Lawn of Parkville campus in solidarity with international, grass-roots, student-lead Pro-Palestine movements. Concerns arose as students sought to keep the university accountable in its investments. More specifically, to disclose research and investment ties with Israeli Government companies, stocks, or bonds benefiting from the occupation of Palestine and the Gaza humanitarian crisis since October 7, 2023. Students occupied the Arts West building, "renaming" it Mahmoud's hall after a Palestinian student who was expected to commence his studies at the university but died in the Gaza war.
  
  On 29 April 2024, it was announced that Vice-Chancellor Maskell would step down from his position, partway through his second term, by early 2025.
  
  Despite student efforts to comply with university policies while exercising their right to protest, on 14 May the university issued a breach notice, warning students of potential expulsions and faculty of disciplinary actions if protest activities continued. The notice also referenced the possibility of state law enforcement involvement, though no intervention occurred as the protests remained peaceful.
  
  On the evening of 22 May, University of Melbourne for Palestine representatives announced that an agreement had been made with the university administration to disband encampments in exchange for disclosure of endowment investments and research ties with weapons manufacturers. However, as of 23 May, protesters and university are at a stalemate, citing lack of correspondence from the latter, with encampments remaining in place.
  
  The university is subject to an investigation by the Office of the Victorian Information Commissioner to investigate whether it breached privacy laws after allegedly using surveillance technology to identify students who participated in the protests.
  
  On 30 September 2024, it was announced that Emma Johnston would be appointed the university’s next Vice-Chancellor, succeeding Maskell. Johnston will be the first woman to hold the position in the university’s history.