What The College Fix’s Courtney Such reported early last month has come to pass: The American Association of University Professors voted to censure the University of Illinois for rescinding its job offer to Steven Salaita.
Having already released a report in April that said the university “violated the principles of academic freedom and tenure” when it reversed course on Salaita, the AAUP followed up with its vote yesterday in Washington DC.
An AAUP censure is a relatively rare condemnation that can damage a university’s reputation in the academic world, according to the Associated Press. There are currently 56 institutions of higher learning on the association’s censure list.
The university had announced last summer that Salaita would be joining the faculty. Chancellor Phyllis Wise later revoked the appointment after being made aware of tweets by Salaita attacking Israel and its U.S. supporters in harsh language.
The tweets, which appeared on Salaita’s personal Twitter account, were posted during Israel’s operation in Gaza last summer.
Donors to the university reportedly had complained about the tweets and called on the university to rescind the appointment.
Salaita has filed a lawsuit against the university, the board of trustees and several administrators claiming that they violated his constitutional rights, including to free speech and due process. He also is suing for breach of contract and for intentional emotional distress. Salaita is seeking compensation and for the job tenured professor in the American Indian studies department.
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