Faculty and staff to UO: Refrain from escalation
11 min read
University of Oregon Faculty & Staff are proud to support the student Gaza Solidarity encampment and urge UO administration to refrain from escalation
We, as faculty and staff members at the University of Oregon, stand in solidarity with our students who are exercising their fundamental rights to protest injustice, hold their institution accountable, and exercise academic freedom. We stand in opposition to police repression and the suspension, expulsion, or retaliation against students currently participating in the Gaza solidarity encampment on campus that we have seen at other campuses across the country including the brutal crackdown on May 2 at Portland State University. At least 2,000 people have been arrested at college campuses across the country in this historic moment in the longstanding movement for Palestinian human rights. We affirm our students’ right to protest the genocide being committed in Gaza and fight for the end to settler colonialism, ethnic cleansing and violent displacement of the Palestinian people by the state of Israel. We also denounce Islamophobia, antisemitism and racism in all forms.
While we have many other concerns about the university’s response to and complicity in the genocide in Gaza, most pressing of those for us is the safety and well-being of our students participating in the encampment. We currently have significant concern about potential escalation at the hands of the UO administration. We are concerned that although it has been stated by administration that there is no current plan to remove protestors from the encampment, students in the encampment were hand-delivered an official notice that threatened “legal consequences of non-compliance, such as student disciplinary action, arrest, and punishment for trespass and disorderly conduct.” We are concerned that President Scholz stated in his original response to the students demands letter that the leadership team would not engage in dialogue with the students with the reason cited that the current encampment “violates university policy.” This comes after failing to engage in productive dialogue with these same students after being given many opportunities to do so, including following numerous other student organized actions (several rallies, marches, speak outs, a sit-in) over the last several months before the encampment began. While we appreciate the efforts to engage in discussions with student organizers up to this point, we are concerned that the safety and rights of the students participating are not being prioritized and that their reasonable demands are not being taken seriously by the administration.
This encampment is not acting in any way that threatens the safety of our campus community. The students participating in the encampment are engaging in an act of peaceful protest while simultaneously engaging in educational discussions and critically important dialogue, some of which has been led by UO faculty members. What does threaten the safety of our campus community, and most importantly the students participating in the encampment, are 1) potential police/violent repression and 2) harassment and potential violence by counterprotesters which students participating in the encampment have already experienced. If the university’s top priority is truly safety, we expect that sentiment to extend to the students exercising their right to protest. The steps taken to address the safety of student protesters can and should be addressed by the administration by refraining from escalation through the use of discipline, force or police repression and protecting the rights of the students participating in this peaceful demonstration. We encourage the administration to act in ways that protect the safety of the students participating in the encampment from harassment, intimidation and potential violence.
We want our administration to know that we stand by our students and refuse to allow them to be harassed or intimidated in exercising their rights to freedom of speech and expression to call for an end to their university’s complicity in the genocide in Gaza. We will not stand idly by if students participating in this peaceful demonstration receive discipline notices, arrest, or any punishment related to exercising these rights and stand in solidarity with the demands they have made of the University.
The University of Oregon espouses the following values, among others;
- “We value the passions, aspirations, individuality, and success of the students, faculty, and staff who work and learn here.”
- “We value academic freedom, creative expression, and intellectual discourse.”
- “We value our diversity and seek to foster equity and inclusion in a welcoming, safe, and respectful community.”
If we are to embody these values, our students will stop receiving veiled threats and the administration will meet with students in good faith immediately to discuss their demands. We call upon university administration to engage in discussion and negotiation with the participating students on their demands rather than escalation through the use of discipline, force or repression.
Signed,
Michael B. Aguilera, Associate Professor, Department of Sociology
Stacy Alaimo, Professor, Department of English, Core Faculty, Environmental Studies
Hiba Ali, Assistant Professor, College of Design
Michael Allan, Associate Professor, Departments of Comparative Literature and Cinema Studies
Geordi Allred, Fabrication Lab Manager in OVPRI, UO alum from Art and Technology BFA
Jillian Balfour, Sr Technology Access & Support Specialist, Information Services
Kemi Balogun, Associate Professor, Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies and Sociology
Ray Balstad, Graduate Program Coordinator, School of Global Studies and Languages
Faith Barter, Assistant Professor, Department of English
Jaiden Seifert Bates, Office Manager, Office for Research and Innovation, UO Alumni BS in Planning, Public Policy, and Management Class of 2023
Martha Benson, Community Director for Barnhart and Riley Hall, UO Housing
Matthew Bicakci, Pro Tem Instructor, Composition Department
Liv Braiker, Administrative Coordinator, CMAE Division of Equity and Inclusion
Ben Brinkley, Director, Teaching and Learning Technology, Information Services
Kaleigh Bronson, Research Assistant, Center for the Prevention of Abuse and Neglect, College of Education
Alice Brown, Technology Service Desk Coordinator for Information Services
Tiffany B. Brown, Ph.D., LMFT, Senior Lecturer II; Clinical Director, Couples and Family Therapy Program, Director, Center for Healthy Relationships at the HEDCO Clinic
Will Brown, PathwayOregon Advisor, PathwayOregon
Trevor Brunnenmeyer, Pro Tem Instructor, Physics, UO Alumni PhD in Physics Class of 2022
Jason Bryant, Instructional Designer, UO Online
Freedom Buchanan, Technology Consultant, Information Services.
Carl Bybee, Associate Professor (retired), School of Journalism and Communication
Anna Carroll, Career Instructor in English and Composition
Chris Case, Data and Program Assistant, PathwayOregon, SEIU 503 Steward
Hana Chan, Manager, UO Libraries, UO ‘08
Roy Chan, Associate Professor, Departments of East Asian Languages and Literatures and Comparative Literature
Anita Chari, Associate Professor, Political Science
Samantha Chavez, Research Assistant, CAS Psychology/Center for Translational Neuroscience
Maria Chiochios, Assessment & Analytics Manager, UO Libraries
Yu-Fang Cho, Professor of Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies
Miriam Chorley-Schulz, Assistant Professor and Mokin Fellow of Holocaust Studies
Alex Segrè Cohen, Assistant Professor, School of Journalism and Communication
Sierra Corbin, Assistant Clinical Professor, Communication Disorders and Sciences
Diego Mauricio Cortés, Assistant Professor of Global Media at the School of Journalism and Communication
Courtney M. Cox, Assistant Professor, Indigenous, Race, and Ethnic Studies
Hannah Cutting-Jones, Director of Food Studies, Food Studies, Global Studies
Lauren M. Cycyk, Associate Professor, Communication Disorders and Sciences, College of Education
Stephanie De Anda, Associate Professor, Special Education and Clinical Sciences
Lauretta De Renzo-Huter, Senior instructor II of Italian, Department of Romance Languages
Cheyenne Dickenson, Business Affairs
Whitney Donielson, Office of the Dean of Students, BA ’11
Michael Dreiling, Professor, Sociology
Lane DuBois, Library Technician, UO Libraries, UO Alumni Class of 2023
Briana Duncan, Access Service Specialist, UO Libraries
Rena Dunbar, Research Associate, Department of Education Studies
Alexander H. Ellis, Assistant Registrar, The Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art, University of Oregon
Dustin Ellis, Adjunct Lecturer, Political Science
Michael Fakhri, Professor, School of Law
Rebecca Falleur, Academic and Career Advisor, College of Arts and Sciences
Nora Fandino, Academic adviser, TRIO Student Support Services (SSS)
Tannaz Farsi, Professor, Department of Art
Serge Faumont, Research associate, Institute of Neuroscience
Justin Filip, Program Manager, Donor Recognition and Reporting, University Advancement, UO Alumni Class of 1999
Katie Fitch, Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Education, UO Alumni PhD in CSSE Class of 2021
Lynn Fujiwara, Associate Professor, Department of Indigenous, Race, and Ethnic Studies
Cassandra Galentine, Career Faculty, English
Pedro García-Caro, Associate Professor of Spanish, Department of Romance Languages, School of Global Studies
Miriam Gershow, Senior Instructor II, English Department
Mel Gold, Sr HR Coordinator, Knight Campus
Joanna Goode, Professor, Department Head, Education Studies, College of Education
Zoë Haakenstad, Executive Assistant to the Associate Dean of Students, Office of the Dean of Students
Jill Ann Harrison, Associate Professor, Sociology
Alison Helzer, Accountant, Research Finance and Business Administration, OVPRI
Derrick Hindery, Ph.D. (Geography), Associate Professor, Department of Global Studies
Andrea P Herrera, Faculty Director, LGBTQIA+ Scholars ARC, Faculty Director, Social Change and Collective Liberation FIG, Pro Tem Instructor, WGSS, UO Alumni MA and PhD in Sociology Class of 2020
Christine Bender Herrera, HR and Payroll Manager, External Relations Administrative Services
Timothy Herrera, Pro Tempore Instructor, Anthropology
Kelley Howarth, Career Faculty in Spanish, Department of Romance Languages
Ruth Huang, Campus and Community Engagement Program Associate, Division of Equity and Inclusion
Sinthiya Islam, Academic Advisor, Office Of Academic Advising
Carolina Jackson, Recruitment Specialist Provost’s Administrative Service Team
Sherri Jones, Assistant Administrator of Education at Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art
Masami Kawai, Assistant Professor, Cinema Studies
Kate Kelp-Stebbins, Associate Professor English
Ishalom Keren, Pro Tem Research Assistant, Archaeological Research Division of the Museum of Natural and Cultural History.
Colin Koopman, Professor, Department of Philosophy
Finn Koval, Graduate Programs Assistant, Academic Support Unit 5
Sophia Lambert, Postdoctoral fellow, Department of Biology
Hanna LaPointe, Faculty Support Coordinator, ASU 2
Abigail Jinju Lee, Assistant Professor, Indigenous, Race, and Ethnic Studies
Stephanie LeMenager, Professor of English
Hannah Lewack, Lab Manager, Institute of Ecology and Evolution
Diertra Lomeli, Staff, Educational and Community Supports
Lana Lopesi, Assistant Professor, Department Indigenous, Race, and Ethnic Studies
Joe Lowndes, Professor, Department of Political Science
David M. Luebke, Professor of History
Farhad Malekafzali, PhD, Instructor, Department of Management
JoAnn Malone, Food Service Coordinator, University Housing Dining Services
Bonnie Mann, Professor of Philosophy
Samm Martin, Coordinator, Care and Advocacy Program, Office of the Dean of Students.
Dyana Mason, Associate Professor, School of Planning, Public Policy and Management.
Kevin May, Career Instructor, Cinema Studies
Lanie Millar, Associate Professor, Department of Romance Languages
Michelle McKinley, Professor of Law
Jessica McMullen, Cook 2, PNW Unthank, UO Housing
Annie McVay, Graduate Programs Assistant, School of Journalism and Communication, Executive Member SEIU Local 085
Chanel Meyers, Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology
Quinn Miller, Associate Professor, English
Henry Mills, Classroom Technology Specialist, Information Services
Kate Mills, Associate Professor in Psychology
Arian Mobasser, Coordinator of the Men’s Resource Center (MRC), Office of the Dean of Students, UO Alumnus PhD in Psychology Class of 2020
Erin Moore, Professor, Department of Architecture
Emily Adler Mosqueda, Clinical Associate Professor and Supervisor, College of Education, Communication Disorders and Sciences Program
Benjamin Murphy, University Archivist and Historian, UO Libraries
Rhonda Nese, Associate Professor, Special Education, College of Education
Kari Marie Norgaard, Professor, Department of Sociology
Suzanne Hanlon, Assistant Program Director for Student Activities, EMU
Aimée Okotie-Oyekan, Pro Tempore Instructor, Environmental Studies
Edward M. Olivos, Professor, Department of Education Studies
Dan O’Neil, Undergraduate Program Coordinator | ASU 2.
Catalina de Onís, Career Faculty, Clark Honors College
Dinorah Ortiz, Career Readiness Coach, University Career Center/ UCC DEI Committee Member
Jeff Ostler, Professor of History Emeritus
CJ Pascoe, Associate Professor, Department of Sociology
Simone Piper, Senior Research Assistant, College of Education
Scott Pratt, Professor, Department of Philosophy
Rikki Pritzlaff, Senior Conflicts of Interest Administrator, Conflicts of Interest, Research Integrity, OVPRI
Laura Pulido, Professor, Indigenous, Race, and Ethnic Studies
Forest (Tres) Pyle, Professor, Department of English
Heather Quarles, Career Instructor, Romance Languages
Andrea L. Quintanilla, Laboratory Technician, Paleontology Lab, Earth Sciences
Robin Quirke, Instructor, Physical Education and Recreation
Becky Raines, Marketing and Business Assistant, Museum of Natural and Cultural History.
Cecilia Enjuto Rangel, Associate Professor of Spanish, Romance Languages
Lara M. Ravitch, Senior Instructor II, Russian, East European & Eurasian Studies
Tina Rinaldi, Director of Donor Relations, College of Design, BA ’99, MA ‘01
Beth I. Robinson, Art Conservator, JSMA
Rachel Rochester, Career Instructor, Family and Human Services Program, College of Education, UO Alumni, PhD, class of 2018.
Andrea Romero, Executive Support Coordinator, School of Global Studies and Languages
Jerry Rosiek, Professor, Education Studies
Camisha Russell, Associate Professor, Department of Philosophy
Cheyney Ryan, Emeritus Professor, Philosophy and Law
Leilani Sabzalian, Associate Professor, Department of Education Studies
Jasmine Samara, Faculty Director, Legal Studies
Nadia Katul Sampson, College of Education, Senior Research Assistant II
Leah Schluter, Prevention Education and Advocacy Coordinator, Center for the Prevention of Abuse and Neglect
Christian Schmid, Postdoctoral Researcher, Institute of Neuroscience
Alison Schmitke, Senior Lecturer II, Education Studies
Vivian Schmolke, Assistant Director of Student Engagement, UO Alumni Association
Shari Schoohs, TRIO SSS Career Advisor
Ramsey Schumacher, Custodian, Campus Planning and Facilities Management
Lydia Scott, Urban Farm Instructor, Landscape Architecture Department
Stacy Jo Scott, Assistant Professor, Department of Art
Tomoko Sekiguchi, Retired Research Assistant, Department of Architecture
Naomi Serio, Faculty Research Assistant, Institute for Resilient Organizations, Communities, and Environments (IROCE)
Casey Shoop, Career Instructor, Robert D. Clark Honors College.
Jayme Sloan, Clinical Assistant Professor, Communication Disorders and Sciences.
Jackson Smith, Visiting Assistant Professor, Department of History
Cera Smith, Assistant Professor, Indigenous, Race, and Ethnic Studies
Jennifer Smith, Project Coordinator, Labor Education and Research Center
SEIU Local 085 President
McKay Sohlberg, Professor, Communication Disorders & Sciences
Maile Speakman, Writing Learning Specialist, UESS
Sarah Stapleton, Associate Professor, Education Studies and Environmental Studies
Beata Stawarska, Professor, Philosophy
Daniel Gómez Steinhart, Associate Professor, Cinema Studies
Michael Stern, Associate Professor, Department of German and Scandinavian
Sammi Strawser, Access Services Technician, Class of 2016
Jason Sydes, Lecturer / Senior Bioinformatician, Knight Campus Graduate Internship Program, Bioinformatics and Genomics
Amanda Thompson, Clinical Assistant Professor, College of Education
Courtney Thorsson, Associate Professor, Department of English and Faculty Fellow, Clark Honors College
Avinnash P. Tiwari, Instructor English Department, UO alumnus MA 2013
Jeff Todahl, Associate Professor & Director, Center for the Prevention of Abuse and Neglect, College of Education.
Lizzy Utterback, Research Compliance Administrator, Office of the Vice President for Research and Innovation
Jessica Vasquez-Tokos, Professor, Sociology
Cintia Martínez Velasco, Assistant Professor, Philosophy Department
Julie Voelker-Morris, Senior Instructor II, School of Planning, Public Policy, and Management
David Wagner, Technology Service Desk Coordinator, Information Services
Eleanor Wakefield, Senior Instructor, Department of English and Composition
Sarah Wald, Associate Professor of Environmental Studies and English
Liz Wallace, Graduate Program Coordinator, College of Arts & Sciences
Amy Warnock, Data Analyst, Student Life Assessment and Research
Sara Weston, Assistant Professor of Psychology
Nathan Whalen, Senior Instructor II, Romance Languages
Rebekah Whittaker, Career Instructor, Labor Education and Research Center
Marty Wilder, University Supervisor, College of Education
Jenna Witzleben, Research Assistant, InfoGraphics Lab, Geography/CAS
Micah Woods, Post-Baccalaureate Scholar, Institute of Ecology and Evolution
Maxine Wren, ProTem Instructor, Knight Campus Graduate Internship Program, Bioinformatics and Genomics, UO Alumni PhD in Biology Class of 2023
Kristin Yarris, Associate Professor, Global Studies and Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies
Richard York, Professor of Sociology and Environmental Studies.
Ahmar Zaman, Career Instructor, Department of Psychology
Cengiz Zopluoglu, Associate Professor, College of Education
Groups
The University of Oregon Faculty and Staff for Justice in Palestine
Additional Resources and Information
ASUO Senate Resolution To Protect & Empower Student Freedom Of Speech
PSU Faculty and Staff for Justice in Palestine Statement in response to recent student repression
ATF Oregon Statement on the Student-Led Pro-Palestine Movement
AAUP In Defense of the Right to Free Speech and Peaceful Protest on University Campuses
Jewish Voice for Peace On Antisemitism, Anti-Zionism and Dangerous Conflations
Daily Emerald Encampment Coverage
Resources for Higher Education Workers from Faculty First Responders
Faculty Statement and Announcement about Daily Vigil for Freedom of Speech & Peaceful Assembly
Are you a UO Faculty or Staff member or an authorized representative of a UO Faculty or Staff committee/department/group interested in signing on to this letter? Please send a message with your name, title and department or the name of the committee/department/group to uofsjp@gmail.com to be added.
UPDATE: Names as of 6 a.m., May 14, 2024.
