Campus Climate Resources
MESA has created a new Campus Climate resource page for our members in response to academic freedom-related developments on campuses across North America and beyond.
Pinned Story
Contact CAF
Middle East Studies Association of North America, Inc.
3542 N. Geronimo Avenue
Tucson, AZ 85705
520 333-2577 phone
520 207-3166 fax
Committee on Academic Freedom
MESA’s Committee on Academic Freedom comprises two sub-committees: MENA (Middle East and North Africa) and NA (North America). The mission of CAF is to address violations by protesting them at the highest government and diplomatic levels of the country where the violation occurs. The cases that CAF has addresses can be viewed in the list of interventions. To learn more about CAF, read the Committee's protocol.
Letter to the leadership of Columbia University urging it to reject the Trump administration’s ultimatum of 13 March 2025 and stand firm in defense of academic freedom & the university’s independence
Our letter expressing outrage about the letter dated 13 March 2025 that was sent to you by three Trump administration officials, and to urge you to respond in a principled and forceful manner to the unprecedented, unacceptable and extreme demands that it sets forth
Letter to the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture regarding its cancellation of a planned special journal issue on Palestine
Our letter expressing concern about the decision of the Board of Directors of the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture to cancel a planned issue of the Journal of Architectural Education (JAE) focused on Palestine. We are equally disturbed by the board’s termination of JAE Interim Executive Editor McLain Clutter for protesting this decision.
Letter to NY Governor Hochul and leaders of the City University of New York regarding the Palestinian Studies position at Hunter College
Our letter expressing grave concern about Governor Hochul’s unprecedented demand that Hunter College of the City University of New York (CUNY) take down a posted advertisement for a new open-rank position in the field of Palestinian Studies
Letter protesting the ongoing unjust incarceration of Dr. Ahmadreza Djalali
Our tenth letter to express our outrage and deep concern, and demand the release from prison of the dual national (Iranian-Swedish) Dr. Ahmadreza Djalali who has been detained on false charges for nine years and condemned to death on the basis of a forced confession.
MESA Statement on Dr. Laila Soueif
MESA expresses profound concern regarding the deteriorating health of Laila Soueif in Egypt, and calls for the release of her son Alaa Abdel-Fattah and the end of violations of academic freedom by the Egyptian government.
Salma al-Shehab released from prison
CAF welcomes the recent news that Salma al-Shehab has been released from prison
Letter to MIT expressing concern about the decision not to allow Professor Michel DeGraff to teach a course relating to Palestine in Fall 2024
Our letter expressing concern about the decision of MIT’s Department of Linguistics and Philosophy to deny Professor Michel DeGraff permission to offer a proposed course on language, linguistics and decolonization in Israel/Palestine
Letter to Emory University regarding the suspension of Umaymah Mohammad for exercising her right to free speech
Our letter expressing concern about the suspension of Umaymah Mohammad, a student from the Emory University School of Medicine, for a statement that she made during a media interview that was deemed in violation of the student code of conduct.
Letter to the Columbia University Senate calling on it to investigate the Office of Institutional Equity’s treatment of Professor Katherine Franke
Our letter expressing concern about the flawed disciplinary proceedings involving Dr. Katherine Franke and the circumstances surrounding her “retirement.”
Letter to New York University regarding its arbitrary repressive actions toward faculty and students
Our letter expressing concern about recent actions that have exacerbated the climate of repression on campus
Response from Cornell to our 26 November letter
The Committee on Academic Freedom received a response from the Interim President of Cornell University in response to our 26 November letter regarding a course proposal developed by Dr. Eric Cheyfitz
Letter to the Interim President of Cornell University regarding his criticism of an approved course proposal
Our letter expressing concern about the negative comments recently made regarding a course proposal developed by Dr. Eric Cheyfitz
Letter regarding the latest trial and sentencing of Dr. Nasser bin Ghaith
Our letter protesting the latest trial of Dr. Nasser bin Ghaith, who has already spent 11 years in prison and his sentencing to life in prison on dubious charges of “establishing and managing a clandestine terrorist organization,” as well as decrying his mistreatment in prison.
Letter to MIT expressing concern about its disciplinary action against Prahlad Iyengar
Our letter expressing concern about the recent disciplinary action by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) against one of its doctoral students, Prahlad Iyengar.
Letter to Tunisian government demanding the release from detention of French doctoral student
Our letter to Tunisian authorities insisting on the release from detention of French doctoral student conducting dissertation research in Tunisia and urging the protection of academic freedom in the country
Letter to Swarthmore College expressing concern about its flawed disciplinary process
Our letter expressing concern about the flawed disciplinary proceedings involving a number of its students that Swarthmore College is currently conducting
Letter to the University of Minnesota protesting the barring of students from campus without due process
Our letter expressing concern about the decision of the University of Minnesota administration to indefinitely suspend eight students who participated in an occupation of a university building
Letter to Harvard University regarding the suspension of library access for students and faculty for exercising their right to free speech
Our letter expressing concern about Harvard University’s decision to ban a number of undergraduate students, law students and faculty from entering Harvard University’s libraries
Letter to the leaders of the Claremont colleges regarding their repression of academic freedom and freedom of speech and assembly
Our letter expressing concern about the general atmosphere of repression on Claremont campuses as well as specific instances of repression at Harvey Mudd College, Pomona College, and Scripps College.
Response from Wake Forest in Response to our 30 September letter
The Committee on Academic Freedom received a response from the Provost of Wake Forest University in response to our 30 September letter regarding the decision to cancel a scheduled lecture by Professor Rabab Abdelhadi
Letter to Michigan State University expressing concern about the university’s censorship of an exhibition at the Broad Art Museum
Our letter expressing concern over the decision of the Michigan State University administration to cancel the public opening event for “Diasporic Collage: Puerto Rico and the Survival of a People,” and then to impose a significant change to the exhibit itself
Response from Muhlenberg College to our 26 September Letter
The Committee on Academic Freedom received a response from the President Muhlenberg College in response to our 26 September letter regarding Dr. Maura Finkelstein.
Letter to Wake Forest University concerning the cancellation of a lecture by Professor Rabab Abdelhadi
Our letter expressing concern about Wake Forest University’s decision to cancel a scheduled lecture by Professor Rabab Abdelhadi, who is currently director of San Francisco State University’s Arab and Muslim Ethnicities and Diasporas Initiative.
Letter to Cornell University protesting the suspension and threatened deportation of graduate student Momodou Taal
Our letter expressing concern about the decision to temporarily suspend Cornell graduate student Momodou Taal, without proper due process, on the grounds of his alleged disruptive participation in a pro-Palestine campus protest.