University of Michigan Letter Update

The University of Michigan has been working to address several discriminatory incidents against Jewish students at the University of Michigan, including Professor John Cheney-Lippold’s refusal to write a letter of recommendation for a student to study abroad in Israel, a graduate student teaching assistant’s refusal to write a letter of recommendation for the same reason, and a lecture slide in a mandatory arts program comparing Hitler to Netanyahu. In the aftermath of these incidents, the Louis D. Brandeis Center (LDB), StandWithUs (SWU) and The Lawfare Project (LP) sent a letter to university President Mark Schlissel and the Board of Regents, stating “it is vital that university policy spell out the potential ramifications for faculty who interfere with a student’s academic privileges and/or opportunities based on that faculty member’s personal political views.” While emphasizing the deleterious impact and message of Professor Cheney-Lippold’s decision, the letter also expresses concern for the extent to which faculty’s behavior may encourage BDS and discrimination against pro-Israel and Jewish students.

The letter outlined how the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI) Guidelines serve as governing documents for faculty wishing to advance the academic boycott of Israel. By adhering to these guidelines (which include boycotting “Research and development opportunities, including joint research projects for faculty or students with Israeli universities, and research projects for foundations, institutions and corporations affiliated with or who have contracts or other agreements with Israeli universities,”
 “Study abroad programs in Israel for international students,”
 “Publishing or reviewing articles for academic journals based at or in collaboration with 
Israeli universities. . . ,” and more) “students become unwilling victims of their faculty’s political biases, in direct violation of university policy and academic guidelines––as well as federal and state anti-discrimination law.”

LDB, SWU, and LP urged UMich to:

…clarify its current policy to reflect zero-tolerance for faculty discrimination and efforts to limit student educational opportunities––whether the conduct is inspired or advanced by BDS or by any other discriminatory movement or government. In particular, it is vital that university policy spell out the potential ramifications for faculty who interfere with a student’s academic privileges and/or opportunities based on that faculty member’s personal political views–– and not based on the student’s academic merit.

The University of Michigan responded, mentioning several steps the university has taken in the aftermath of Cheney-Lippold’s refusal to write the recommendation, including the “establishment of a blue-ribbon panel of distinguished faculty members” who “will carefully examine the intersection between political thought/ideology and instructors’ responsibilities to students.” While the university clearly declared its anti-BDS policy, they expressed their promotion of free speech and openness to “U-M faculty who may organize events” on the BDS movement.

The full text of the letter can be found here.