The University of Illinois has arrived at a settlement regarding Professor Salaita. This agreement effectively marks the conclusion of our collective boycott action. We will monitor the implementation of these terms to ensure the protection of faculty rights moving forward.
August 31, 2014
Final supporters
Dear Chancellor Wise,
We are members of Sociology departments from around the world who write, regretfully, to inform you that we will not engage with the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign as speakers, or as participants in conferences or other events at Illinois, until you rescind the decision to block Professor Steven Salaita’s appointment to the Department of American Indian Studies at the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign. Many prominent academics have written eloquently about the chilling effect your decision will have on the free expression of dissident ideas by academics; legal scholars have argued that it is a violation of academic freedom and more fundamentally, of freedom of speech.
Diverse and discordant voices, voices that some find "difficult," are key to the survival of our schools as living institutions. Critical thinking of the kind that can lead directly to political dissent is exactly what any faculty in any college or university worthy of the name must teach.
Please reconsider your decision. Until then, we will not engage with a university we otherwise admire in so many ways.
PLEASE NOTE: All institutions listed below are for purposes of identification only. We sign as scholars, not on behalf of the institutions that employ us.
Sincerely,
Updates
Reached 250 supporters
August 23, 2014
August 22, 2014
Formal letters detailing these concerns are being finalized for delivery to the Chancellor and the Board of Trustees this week. Several academic departments are currently discussing internal motions to formalize their participation in this boycott.
Reached 100 supporters
August 14, 2014
6 Comments
unbelievable. hiring committees should be autonomous. stop playing politics with staff contracts.
universities are supposed to be places where you can challenge ideas not get fired for having them. bring him back.
SHAME ON UIUC. Free speech means listening to things you dont like! Disappointed in my alma mater.
its really sad to see a school cave to pressure. stand up for your professors!
this sets such a dangerous precedent for every other campus too. just awful.
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The University of Illinois has arrived at a settlement regarding Professor Salaita. This agreement effectively marks the conclusion of our collective boycott action. We will monitor the implementation of these terms to ensure the protection of faculty rights moving forward.
August 31, 2014
Final supporters
Dear Chancellor Wise,
We are members of Sociology departments from around the world who write, regretfully, to inform you that we will not engage with the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign as speakers, or as participants in conferences or other events at Illinois, until you rescind the decision to block Professor Steven Salaita’s appointment to the Department of American Indian Studies at the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign. Many prominent academics have written eloquently about the chilling effect your decision will have on the free expression of dissident ideas by academics; legal scholars have argued that it is a violation of academic freedom and more fundamentally, of freedom of speech.
Diverse and discordant voices, voices that some find "difficult," are key to the survival of our schools as living institutions. Critical thinking of the kind that can lead directly to political dissent is exactly what any faculty in any college or university worthy of the name must teach.
Please reconsider your decision. Until then, we will not engage with a university we otherwise admire in so many ways.
PLEASE NOTE: All institutions listed below are for purposes of identification only. We sign as scholars, not on behalf of the institutions that employ us.
Sincerely,
Updates
Reached 250 supporters
August 23, 2014
August 22, 2014
Formal letters detailing these concerns are being finalized for delivery to the Chancellor and the Board of Trustees this week. Several academic departments are currently discussing internal motions to formalize their participation in this boycott.
Reached 100 supporters
August 14, 2014
6 Comments
academic freedom is dead at illinois if this stands. do the right thing.
unbelievable. hiring committees should be autonomous. stop playing politics with staff contracts.
universities are supposed to be places where you can challenge ideas not get fired for having them. bring him back.
SHAME ON UIUC. Free speech means listening to things you dont like! Disappointed in my alma mater.
its really sad to see a school cave to pressure. stand up for your professors!
this sets such a dangerous precedent for every other campus too. just awful.
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academic freedom is dead at illinois if this stands. do the right thing.