On November 21, 2023, the Brock chapter of SAFS wrote to Brock President Lesley Rigg to protest her office’s connection to a pro-Palestine academic panel held at Brock on November 27th. The event was hosted by the President’s Advisory Committee on Human Rights, Equity and Decolonization. SAFS Brock noted that any connection by the President was a violation of institutional neutrality, a point that was reinforced by news coverage, social media posts and editorials. Rigg and Brock Communication’s office have chosen to characterize the conflict as one centering on academic freedom, and have taken no action to address SAFS Brock’s concerns.
- E-mail from SAFS Brock to Brock President Lesley Rigg, November 21, 2023.
- E-mail from Brock President’s Office to SAFS Brock, November 21, 2023.
- Pamphlet advertising “A Panel on Palestine,” Brock University, November 27, 2023.
- Elie Cantin-Nantel, “CAMPUS WATCH: Brock University President criticized over association with anti-Israel event.” True North. November 27, 2023.
- Jon Kay (@jonkay). “Profs at @BrockUniversity are free to host propaganda panels with anti-israeli zealots like @ShreeParadkar. But Brock’s *administration* is doing this one …” X (formerly Twitter), November 20, 2023. 7:48 a.m.
- John Bonnett, “As a prof at Brock University, I don’t want the ‘woke class’ telling me what to say,” National Post, December 7, 2023.
- Victoria Nicolaou, “Professors express concern over Palestine panel hosted by Brock presidential committee,” St. Catharines Standard, December 28, 2023. URL: https://bit.ly/47xSlPh