University of California at Berkeley
Statement from UC Berkeley Chancellor Robert J. Birgeneau in response to British Faculty Union's Proposed Action Against Israeli Universities
14 June 2007
BERKELEY - As chancellor of the University of California, Berkeley, I share the
growing outrage over the efforts by some members of Britain's University and
College Union to promulgate a boycott against Israeli academics and academic
institutions. Their threat to cut off all funding, visits, and joint publishing
with Israeli institutions violates the fundamental principles of academic
freedom and freedom of speech that are the hallmarks of great universities
nationally and internationally. We hold these values most deeply at Berkeley,
the birthplace of the Free Speech Movement.
I join in solidarity with President Lee Bollinger of Columbia University in
support of Israeli scholars and institutions, and I join him in saying this to
those members of the British UCU who would pursue this reprehensible action: if
you seek to isolate Israeli universities then you must also include Berkeley,
along with Columbia, in your boycott. We stand with all - including Prime
Minister Tony Blair and British higher education officials - who have rightfully
and strongly condemned this effort.
http://www.berkeley.edu/news/media/releases/2007/06/14_israel.shtml