Letter to Presidents of Florida's 10 State Universities

Letter

WEXLER URGES STATE UNIVERSITY PRESIDENTS IN FLORIDA TO REJECT THE BOYCOTT OF ISRAELI ACADEMIA

British Academic Boycott of Israeli Universities is the Latest Example of Anti-Israel Bias

(Washington, DC) Today Congressman Robert Wexler (D-FL) and16 Members of the Florida Congressional delegation sent a bipartisan letter to the President's of ten Florida state universities asking them to publicly reject the University and College Union (UCU) of the United Kingdom's recent vote to boycott Israeli academia. In the letter, Wexler and his Florida colleagues urge the university Presidents to support congressional efforts expressing disapproval of the UCU's attempts to stifle intellectual freedom and reject blatant anti-Israel bias. As a sign of solidarity with Israel and its academic institutions, on July 11, 2007 the House of Representatives unanimously passed House Resolution 467, condemning the UCU's decision to boycott Israeli academia.

"The UCU boycott of Israeli academics is unjustified and a direct assault on the principles of academic freedom and open exchange," Congressman Wexler said. "It is critical that university Presidents and Academics in Florida and across the United States stand with Israeli Academics in light of this misguided boycott."

The congressional letter urges the presidents of the State Universities in Florida -- including Florida A&M University, Florida Gulf Coast University, Florida International University, Florida State University, New College of Florida, University of Central Florida, University of Florida, University of North Florida, University of South Florida, University of West Florida - to follow the lead of Florida Atlantic University President Frank Brogan and Nova Southeastern University in publicly opposing the UCU's decision. Presidents from many universities, including Brandeis University, the University of Miami and the University of Virginia, have endorsed a statement issued by the Columbia University President Lee Bollinger that reaffirms his University's steadfast support for Israeli scholars and universities and expresses his support for open academic exchange and collaboration between American and Israeli institutions.

A copy of the letter is attached below.

Congressman Wexler is Chairman of the Europe Subcommittee, a senior member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs and the House Judiciary Committee, and he also sits on the Financial Services Committee.

August 3, 2007

Esteemed Presidents,

We urge you to join the United States House of Representatives as well as university presidents nationwide in condemning the May 30, 2007 decision of the main union representing 120,000 British college teachers, the British University and College Union (UCU), in boycotting Israeli academic institutions.

We strongly believe this unjustified boycott of Israeli academic institutions is an assault on the principles of academic freedom and open exchange and will limit cultural and scientific collaboration between foreign universities and academics. Unconscionably, it also contributes to the unacceptable de-legitimization and demonization of the State of Israel. As a sign of solidarity with Israel and its academic institutions against this deplorable action on the part of the UCU, on July 11, 2007 the House of Representatives unanimously passed House Resolution 467, condemning the UCU's decision to support this boycott of Israeli academia. This resolution also urges the international scholarly community to reject calls for an academic boycott of Israel and reaffirm their commitment to academic freedom and cultural and scientific international exchange.

As you may be aware, opposition to the UCU boycott has also been expressed by university presidents nationwide, led by Columbia University President Lee Bollinger, who reaffirmed his university's steadfast support for Israeli scholars and universities. Bollinger stated that he finds the boycott "utterly antithetical to the fundamental values of the academy, where we will not hold intellectual exchange hostage to the political disagreements of the moment." Presidents from many universities, including Brandeis University, the University of Virginia, and within our own state, the University of Miami and Florida Atlantic University, have endorsed Bollinger's statement and reaffirmed the responsibility of others in their distinguished positions to express their support for open academic exchange and collaboration between American and Israeli institutions.

We share the sentiments of President Bollinger and believe that is critical for the presidents of American colleges and universities to publicly express their condemnation of the UCU boycott of Israeli academia and their unequivocal commitment to promote academic freedom. In this vein, we respectfully request that you endorse President Bollinger's statement, and we strongly encourage you to release your own statement opposing the UCU boycott. We have enclosed a copy of President Lee Bollinger's statement for your review, as well as copy of a statement released on July 25, 2007 by Frank Brogan, President of Florida Atlantic University, endorsing Bollinger's statement, and a copy of a letter written to UCU President Linda Newman on July 19, 2007 by Ray Ferrero, Jr., President of Nova Southeastern University, calling for an end to the boycott.

At a time when our ally Israel faces grave threats from terrorist such as Hamas and Hezbollah and rogue regimes such as Iran, it is critical that the United States express solidarity with the Israeli people. The UCU's boycott is the latest example of anti-Israel bias that does little to resolve the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian divide and only emboldens the enemies of peace and reconciliation. It is essential that you join the House of Representative and your esteemed colleagues in sending a clear message that you and the Florida university community reject the UCU boycott, stand firmly for academic freedom and support Israeli scholars and educational institutions.

We greatly appreciate your support on this issue and look forward to your response to our letter. Please know we are working closely with several major Jewish organizations in Florida and nationally including the American Jewish Committee, Jewish Council for Public Affairs and the Israel Campus Coalition. These organizations share our unequivocal opposition to this unjustified boycott and stand ready to work with your University to address the UCU's deplorable decision to boycott Israeli academic institutions.

Respectfully,

Members of the Florida Delegation

1. Rep. Robert Wexler
2. Rep. Lincoln Diaz-Balart
3. Rep. Alcee L. Hastings
4. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz
5. Rep. Corrine Brown
6. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen
7. Rep. Ron Klein
8. Rep. Tim Mahoney
9. Rep. Vern Buchanan
10. Rep. Cliff Stearns
11. Rep. Ginny Brown-Waite
12. Rep. Tom Feeney
13. Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart
14. Rep. Kendrick Meek
15. Rep. Gus Bilirakis
16. Rep. Ric Keller
17. Rep. Kathy Castor

Source