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Statement by Brooklyn College Student President RE: BDS event. |
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"Dear students, faculty members, and administrators,
Over the past few days, there has been much confusion as to exactly why
students are upset about the upcoming BDS event on campus. Although the
controversy first became public last week, each of Brooklyn College’s student
governments have not been directly involved until the past few days. The reason
for CLAS’s involvement, accordingly, has nothing to do with the event itself,
but instead the recklessness in which faculty members and administrators have
approached the event.
The department’s approach to the issue is far from constructive; knowing well
in advance that such sponsorship would insult and isolate a large portion of
its students, it chose to express its own opinions through a venue that
inhibits open dialogue and honest debate. Far from being receptive to students’
concerns, I regret to inform you that they have repeatedly turned down
students’ requests to meet and discuss the issue further. Student leaders with
questions about the intent of the sponsorship were repeatedly denied meetings, which
does worry me as to their original intent. The consequences of these decisions
are clear; a growing number of students on campus feel isolated from the very
professors whom they once looked to for guidance, and unnecessarily divided
against a large portion of the student body. What’s worse, the cause of this
rift stems from administrative and faculty bodies who have, throughout the
years, frequently stressed the importance of cultivating campus unity.
Along with their right to promote certain opinions comes the responsibility to
convey these opinions in a proper manner. This is not an opinion of mine, but
rather that of the AAUP, a body responsible for defining what exactly academic
freedom rights entail. Professors, according to the AAUP, “should exercise
appropriate restraint” when speaking about controversial matters, and “should
show respect for the opinions of others”. In endorsing a divisive,
controversial event while failing to do so in a way that allows our students
and faculty to engage in constructive dialogue, the Political Science
Department has failed its students miserably. Like the right to free speech,
academic freedom rights are not unbounded; the department has basically yelled
“fire” on campus, and locked the doors to their department after doing so. By
doing so, it has failed to accomplish one of the main benefits of academic
freedom rights, that is, the approach of all ideas and issues with an open
mind. Such a failure constitutes as a gross abuse of such rights.
Moreover, I find the administration’s slow, halfhearted response to the issue
to be appalling. Without any support or sympathy for students’ complaints, the
administration seems complacent in a department’s clear abuse of its rights and
responsibilities. Furthermore, the administration has failed to consult any
student group before issuing its statement in support of the Political
Science’s sponsorship decision. I believe this approach to be indicative of the
respect, or lack thereof, which they have for students on campus. Whereas I
understand its hesitation, the administration has clearly failed to represent
and act for its own constituents.
While fully cognizant of the academic freedom rights enumerated to Brooklyn
College faculty members, I truly regret the divisive attitude with which both
the Political Science Department and the Administration have approached the
department’s recent decision to sponsor a BDS event. I sincerely hope that,
should a similar scenario occur in the future, the administration act in a more
responsible, sensible manner. Regardless of those involved, more respect is due
to the students of Brooklyn College."
Please voice your support for Israel and dismay at the
official university promotion of the BDS Movement to:
Karen L. Gould
President, Brooklyn College
bcpresident@brooklyn.cuny.edu
718-951-5671
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| Filed under Education, Israel, Politics, Knesset, Anti-Semitism, Muslims in Israel, Incitement, Palestinian Authority, Arab - Israeli Relations, Campus, Anti-Semitism, Anti-Israel, Religion, Media, Hamas, Anti-Semitism, Boycott, Free Speech, Palestinian, Fatah, Gaza, West Bank, Unites States, IDF, Divestment on Thursday, January 31, 2013 by Author: Admin. |
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(8.5" x 11") |
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