A recent vote by members of the American Studies Association (ASA) endorsed a boycott of Israeli academic institutions. We oppose academic boycotts because they are inconsistent with the tenets of academic freedom and open scholarly inquiry. We agree with the position of the American Association of University Professors (AAUP), as stated in a 2006 report, that such boycotts are antithetical to academic freedom. We are committed to protecting the rights of our faculty and students to express freely their beliefs and to engage in debate as they examine complex issues. That position also is consistent with our legal obligation, as a public university, to respect First Amendment rights to freedom of association and speech.

Contact: Dinah Winnick, dwinnick@umbc.edu, 410-455-8117