University of Michigan officials say they are working to ensure that faculty members' political views don't affect their responsibilities to students after two instructors decided not to recommend students for study programs in Israel.
The Ann Arbor school announced Tuesday that it has created a faculty panel to examine issues stemming from the incidents. A letter obtained by news outlets says the university also disciplined one instructor, Professor John Cheney-Lippold, by denying him a raise this year and freezing his sabbatical eligibility for two years.
Professor John Cheney-Lippold initially said he couldn't write a recommendation letter for junior Abigail Ingber because he supports an academic boycott against Israel. He later told The Michigan Daily that the boycott stance is "personal" and that he was not anti-Semitic.
Graduate student instructor Lucy Peterson also denied a student's request for a recommendation to study in Israel, citing her support for the boycott movement, according to a report in The Washington Post.
In a letter to members of "campus community," Michigan University President Mark Schlissel and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Martin A. Philbert, wrote, "Recent events on our campus have raised important questions around issues of personal beliefs, our responsibilities as educators, and anti-Semitism.
"[We] have been engaged in discussions about these issues with members of the university and broader communities in recent weeks. The incidents have caused hurt and made some members of our community feel that their religious identity and academic aspirations are not valued," they said.
"We want everyone in our Jewish community and beyond to know that we are committed to upholding an equitable and inclusive environment where everyone is given a chance to succeed and pursue the academic opportunities they have earned," the letter said. "First and foremost, this applies to our students. These are core values of our university, and even in moments of turmoil and strong disagreement, they guide our work and give us a path forward."
The interim dean of the university's College of Literature, Science and the Arts, Elizabeth Cole, chastised Cheney-Lippold in a letter obtained by The Detroit News.
Cole wrote: "Your conduct has fallen far short of the University's and College's expectations for how LSA faculty interact with and treat students. This letter is a strong warning that your behavior in this circumstance was inappropriate and will not be tolerated."
"In the future," she continued, "a student's merit should be your primary guide for determining how and whether to provide a letter of recommendation. You are not to use student requests for recommendations as a platform to discuss your personal political beliefs."
Cole emphasized the school opposes academic boycotts of Israeli academic institutions and took Cheney-Lippold to task for discussing his opinions on BDS during class time.
"You did not honor your responsibility to teach your students the material on your syllabus related to your field of expertise. … This use of class time to discuss your persona] opinions was a misuse of your role as a faculty member," she wrote.
Mark Ingber, Abigail's father, said he believed the professor waited to receive tenure before denying his daughter's request. He said he thought the university should have fired the professor and that Cheney-Lippold was anti-Semitic.
"The way he publicized everything and put his own personal beliefs ahead of the academic interests of the students and caused shame to the university and our daughter, that was sufficient basis for him to be terminated," Ingber said.
"We are happy the university acted quickly," he added. "It may not be the punishment we want but it's a punishment and I know they are watching him and if slips up again. … Then he will suffer further."
Anti-Defamation League CEO Jonathan Greenblatt took to Twitter to write that he was glad the University of Michigan "took steps to demonstrate there are consequences when faculty impose their personal politics and create barriers to student success."
He said the action taken by the school was "an important development and an appropriate reprimand of Professor Cheney-Lippold's reprehensible conduct."
