Dear Chancellor Joan Gabel,
We, a group of University of Pittsburgh educators, are standing in solidarity with the students who established the “liberated zone” in support of Palestine on Schenley Plaza. Across the country, university administrations have taken punitive measures such as suspensions, expulsions and arrests against students using their freedom of speech in establishing Gaza solidarity encampments to protest ongoing violence in Gaza and to call for University disinvestment from the war on Gaza. We call on the University of Pittsburgh to set a different example, one that upholds our students’ civil rights and refrains from using force or intimidation to suppress students’ free speech.
At the University of Pittsburgh, numerous student organizations across campus have created a coalition working in support of the Palestinian-led movement calling for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions against Israel following the precedent set during past boycotts of apartheid South Africa. The “liberated zone” is an expression of these students’ discontent and demands for justice and University divestment. Their dedication to human rights and justice should be celebrated by the University.
As educators, we believe in fostering conscientious citizens willing to stand up against injustice, especially at this historic moment when university students nationwide are rising to have their voices heard. We stand with these students who are critically engaging with the world and their role within it. As such, we call for the University to refrain from any legal and disciplinary action for all encampment participants. We also call for the University to refrain from calling the police or threatening to arrest, suspend or expel students for their activism. Finally, as an institution dependent on our students, we call for the university to fulfill its moral obligation to engage in good-faith conversations with students’ demands.
In solidarity,
- Stephanie Love, Assistant Professor, Anthropology
- Elaine Linn, Assist Dir for Academic Affairs, Global Studies Center
- Omid Shekari, Assistant Professor, Studio Art, Dietrich
- Raed El Rafei, Assistant Professor, English Department
- Darlène Dubuisson, Assistant Professor, Anthropology, Dietrich
- Steve Goldstein, Assistant Professor, Anthropology, Dietrich
- Emily Wanderer, Assistant Professor, Anthropology
- R.A. Judy, Professor, English
- Tanzeen Rashed Doha, Visiting Assistant Professor, Anthropology
- Crystal N. Eddins, Associate Professor, Sociology, Dietrich
- Lisa D. Brush, Professor and Chair, Sociology DSAS
- Anonymous, Sociology, Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences
- Zachary Sheldon, Visiting Assistant Professor, Anthropology
- Melanie M. Hughes, Professor, Sociology, Dietrich School of Arts & Sciences
- Nancy Fultz, Teaching Assistant Professor, Sociology
- Mohammed Bamyeh, Professor, Sociology
- Michael Goodhart, Professor, Political Science
- Niklas Frykman, Associate Professor, History
- Marcus Rediker, Distinguished Professor, History/Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences
- Pernille Røge, Associate Professor, Department of History, Kenneth P. Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences
- Ruth Mostern, Professor, DSAS – History
- Sabina Vaught, Professor, School of Education
- Barbara McCloskey, Professor, History of Art and Architecture
- T. Elon Dancy II, Ph.D., Helen S. Faison Endowed Chair, Education Foundations, Org, and Policy/School of Education
- Jabeen Adawi, Clinical Assistant Professor of Law, School of Law
- Jules Lobel, Professor of Law, Law
- Alexandra Weiner, Part-time Instructor, Department of Mathematics, Dietrich
- Anonymous, Visiting lecturer, Sociology, Dietrich
- Martez Files, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Black Studies in Teacher Education, Teaching, Learning, and Leading
- Anonymous, Economics
- Dr. Scott Heath, Visiting Assistant Professor, Africana Studies
- John Stoner, Teaching Professor, History/Dietrich
- Peng Hai, Assistant Professor, DSAS-History
- Beatrice Dias, Assistant Professor, School of Education
- Michael E. Sawyer, Associate Professor, Department of English
- Rashad Williams, Assistant Professor, Graduate School of Public and International Affairs
- Alveena shah, Assistant Professor, Law
- Lisa Ortiz, Assistant Professor, Department of Teaching, Learning, and Leading; School of Education
- Angie Ocampo-Roland, Assistant Professor, Political Science – Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences
- Brooke Shannon, Assistant Professor, Graduate School of Public and International Affairs (GSPIA)
- Tomas Matza, Associate Professor, Anthropology
- Gabby Yearwood, Teaching Professor, Anthropology, Dietrich School of Arts & Sciences
- Hillary Lazar, Visiting Lecturer, Sociology, Dietrich School of Arts & Sciences
- Yasmine Flodin-Ali, Assistant Professor, Department of Religious Studies
- Victor Figuereo, Assistant Professor, School of Social Work
- Joy Priest, Assistant Professor, English
- Eladio B. Bobadilla, Assistant Professor, History, Dietrich
- Litzy Galarza, Assistant Professor, Communication, Dietrich School of Arts & Science
- Edouard Machery, Distinguished Professor, History and Philosophy of Science, A&S