Support Antonio Ruiz, unfairly dismissed from UIUC

Fourth year PhD student Antonio Ruiz has been unfairly dismissed from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign for COVID-19 testing non-compliance while sheltering in place. Antonio has numerous health risks and physical disabilities, including a medically diagnosed inability to take the University’s saliva test. Despite this fact, the University is choosing to expel him and evict him from his University apartment. Antonio has appealed this decision with the support of his department, the Associate Dean of his college, and the GEO, but his appeal has been callously denied.

On March 10th, the University revised its testing requirements for graduate students living off campus, but it has continued to issue harsh disciplinary measures to students who were non-compliant before the change and to students in University housing. After the public outcry and show of support for Graduate Employee Yidong “Ivor” Chen, the University made no modifications to their  COVID-19 disciplinary procedures and continues to unfairly, disproportionately, and callously discipline graduate students.

As long as Antonio is dismissed, he is without a consistent source of income. If the University reverses its decision to dismiss Antonio Ruiz, all donations will be returned to individual donors.