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“What do you think about the Israeli / AUC controversy?” |
AUC- Israeli Controversy? It’s about security, security, security
Issues of campus security came up as the major concern of
the university administration in a second faculty senate discussion last
Wednesday about allowing academic exchanges with Israeli scholars at the
American University in Cairo (AUC).
“My opinion is that it will be
ill-advised and unwise for the senate to adopt a formal resolution dealing
with cooperation with Isreali universities and research institutions,”
said President David Arnold during the faculty senate meeting on Nov.
14.
Fred Perry, senate chair, told Caravan that a resolution is still being
discussed among members of the senate executive committee, which may or
may not be passed on to the full senate.
The issue of academic exchanges with Israeli scholars was addressed during
the last 10 minutes of the meeting, but no final decisions were made.
Provost Tim Sullivan made it clear that the university is not considering
agreements with Israeli universities or research institutes. The administration
will make its decisions about the participation of Israeli scholars in
international conferences hosted by AUC, will be made on a case-by-case
basis, said Sullivan.
In an email sent to all AUC students, staff and faculty on Nov. 11, Arnold
emphasized the “unique security concerns” faced by AUC. In
the meeting, Arnold reiterated the importance of taking safety and security
concerns into consideration and giving them priority.
“ We have to protect our people and our property,” said Sullivan,
adding that AUC must uphold the “ high principle of security”
in addition to the principle of academic freedom. Mohammed Yussr, Student
Union (SU) president agreed with Sullivan’s evaluation of security
concerns, saying,“ we can’t risk the security of 5,000 for
two or three Israelis.”
Both Sullivan and Arnold stressed the apolitical nature of AUC and its
commitment to academic freedom. “We have been and continue to be
guided by principles of academic freedom,” said Arnold, adding that
equal opportunity and non-discrimination are also among AUC’s core
values and ideals.
Reactions among students who attended the meeting varied. “ It’s
a win-win situation,” said Ahmed Abou Laban, an alumnus who was
invited by student leaders to attend the meeting “ The administration
now knows what the students want --- a combined decision between students
and administrators on each case.”
Another student, Ayah Ghoneim, a journalism and mass communication senior,
disagreed with Sullivan and Arnold’s concept of an apolitical institution:
“ Politics and political science is related to people: all students
at AUC have different political affiliations. They have no right to say
that AUC is only an academic institution.”
“They keep delaying the issue in hopes that fewer and fewer students
will care and show up,” said Sarah Abdel-Rahman, JRMC sophomore.
In any case, Arnold was explicit in his email: “ AUC will continue
to resist efforts by any group to use this institution to either further
its own political agenda or harm the reputation of the university.”
