The director and associate director at Harvard University’s Center for Middle Eastern Studies would be leaving their posts, The New York Times reported on Saturday. The move comes after the department was criticized for its anti-Israel bias and the university itself was under pressure from the federal government over antisemitism on campus.
James Chisholm, spokesman for the Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences, declined to comment, saying only that the was a personal matter.
4אוניברסיטת הרווארדאוניברסיטת הרווארד
Harvard University (Photo: Shutterstock)
4הפגנה פרו-פלסטינית באוניברסיטת הרווארדהפגנה פרו-פלסטינית באוניברסיטת הרווארדPhoto: Getty Images
Pro-Palestinian protest at Harvard
Cemal Kafadar, a professor of Turkish studies, and Rosie Bsheer, a historian of the Middle East, were asked in a letter sent by Hopi Hoekstra, the dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, which houses the Middle East center, to be prepared to discuss, among other things, the degree to which their programs and seminars met “goals of diversity of and exposure to different ideas, perspectives and topics.” And how they promoted “respectful dialogue across controversial topics”
The executive committee of Harvard’s chapter of the American Association of University Professors condemned what it called an abrupt termination of the two senior staffers.
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“In the context of recent events, the decision appears to be a shameful attempt to escape punishment from the Trump administration for engaging in academic discussions about topics the president disfavors,” the committee said in a statement. “These firings cede the university’s decision-making authority to bullies and bad-faith actors committed to silencing speech with which they disagree.”
4פרופ׳ קטרינה ארמסטרונג, נשיאת אוניברסיטת קולומביהפרופ׳ קטרינה ארמסטרונג, נשיאת אוניברסיטת קולומביהPhoto: Columbia University
Outging Columbia University president Katrina Armstrong
4נשיאת הרווארד לשעבר, קלודין גיי, בשימוע בקונגרסנשיאת הרווארד לשעבר, קלודין גיי, בשימוע בקונגרסPhoto: Mark Schiefelbein / AP
Former Harvard University president Claudine Gay
On Friday, Columbia University's president, Katrina Armstrong announced that she would be resigning, just nine months after her predecessor left office. Both resignations came amid criticism of the university's failure to respond to antisemitic incidents on campus.
Amstrong's announcement came weeks after Columbia University agreed to the demands of the Trump administration to discuss unfreezing of $400 million in research funding, imposed by the government.