Response from Claremont Colleges Library to our 15 September letter
The Committee on Academic Freedom received a response from the Dean of the Claremont Colleges Library in response to our letter regarding Bilal Nasir of Pomona College
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
- Yemen
Letter to UC Berkeley regarding the university’s submission to the Department of Education of 160 names of persons associated with allegations of antisemitism
Our letter expressing concern about the University of California, Berkeley’s decision to give the federal government the names of 160 individuals associated with allegations of antisemitism on campus without informing them of the nature of those allegations and in violation of university policies and procedures
Letter to Canadian officials about visas and study permits for Palestinian scholars
Our letter urging an immediate intervention to expedite the visa and study permit applications of Palestinian scholars who have secured academic placements at Canadian universities.
Letter to the Claremont Colleges library condemning the censorship of the title and abstract of Professor Bilal Nasir’s scheduled lecture in the Claremont Discourse series
Our letter expressing concern about the demand by the Claremont Colleges Library that Professor Bilal Nasir of Pomona College change the title and abstract of a lecture he had been invited to present in the library’s “Claremont Discourse” series.
Letter regarding the reinstatement of Presidential Authority to Appoint University Rectors in Defiance of Constitutional Court Ruling
Our letter expressing deep concern over the reinstatement of presidential authority to appoint university rectors—a move that defies a Constitutional Court ruling and threatens academic freedom and university autonomy in Turkey.
Letter to the administration of Occidental College about disciplinary proceedings against students accused of participating in protest activity
Our letter expressing concern at the decision of Occidental College to subject three students to investigation and disciplinary action for seeking to exercise their constitutionally protected right to protest
Letter to the City University of New York protesting the non-reappointment of four adjunct faculty members and the suspension of a student
Letter to the City University of New York protesting the non-reappointment of four adjunct faculty members and the suspension of a student.
Letter to Harvard University concerning the cancellation of a special issue of Harvard Educational Review on education and Palestine
Our letter expressing grave concern at the decision of the Harvard Educational Publishing Group (HEPG), which publishes the Harvard Educational Review (HER), to cancel a planned special issue on the topic of education and Palestine.
Letter to the University of California expressing concern about its prohibition of boycotts by student governments and other university entities
Our letter expressing concern regarding the new policy about boycotts of companies as a serious threat to academic freedom and to the free speech rights of University of California students, faculty and staff.
Letter to Georgetown University protesting its statements and actions with regard to Professor Jonathan Brown
Our letter expressing concern about Georgetown University’s punitive actions and statements against Professor Jonathan A. C. Brown, the Prince Alwaleed bin Talal Chair of Islamic Civilization in Georgetown’s School of Foreign Service
Letter expressing alarm regarding the imminent risk of execution of Ahmadreza Djalali, Iranian-Swedish scholar on death row in Iran
Our letter expressing alarm regarding the imminent risk of execution of Ahmadreza Djalali, Iranian-Swedish scholar on death row in Iran and joining global academic & human rights voices demanding justice and his safe return to Sweden.
Letter to protest the intensification of Israel’s assaults on the education sector in the occupied West Bank
Our letter vigorously condemning the ongoing and intensifying aggressions against the education sector in the occupied West Bank. We call upon various international bodies as well as the US government to intervene to allow Palestinians to continue their education unimpeded and their universities to function properly in keeping with their mission.
Letter to San José State University regarding the termination of Professor Sang Hea Kil
Our letter expressing concern at the decision of the San José State University (SJSU) administration to terminate the employment of Professor Sang Hea Kil, a tenured member of the Department of Justice Studies, due to alleged violations of university time, manner and place rules.
Letter to George Washington University protesting the administration’s actions against graduating senior Cecilia Culver because of remarks she made about Palestine during her commencement address
Our letter expressing concern about the decision of the administration of the George Washington University to ban graduating senior Cecilia Culver from campus and threaten to investigate her for possible student conduct code violations.
Letter to New York University concerning its decision to withhold the degree of graduating senior Logan Rozos and initiate disciplinary proceedings against him
Our letter expressing concern about the decision of NYU to withhold the diploma of graduating senior Logan Rozos and subject him to disciplinary action because of remarks he made about Israel’s war on Gaza during the recent graduation ceremony of the Gallatin School of Individualized Study
Letter to Protest the Unjust Detention of Students Ali Younesi and Amirhossein Moradi for the Past Five Years
Our letter calling for the immediate and unconditional release of Iranian students Ali Younesi and Amirhossein Moradi, who were denied fair trials and have been unjustly imprisoned for five years on baseless charges and subjected to mistreatment. In addition, the letter urges President Pezeshkian to uphold his campaign promises by protecting students' rights and academic freedom. It also highlights the broader crackdown on students in Iran, especially following the 2022 “Woman, Life, Freedom” protests, during which thousands faced arrests, suspensions, and disciplinary actions.
Letter to the University of Notre Dame expressing concern over the cancellation of a keynote lecture by Professor Eman Abdelhadi
Our letter condemning the last-minute cancellation of a keynote lecture that was to be given by Professor Eman Abdelhadi, purportedly on grounds of security.
Letter to the University of Colorado-Boulder expressing concern about the university’s failure to respond adequately to a physical assault against students
Our letter expressing concern about the University of Colorado-Boulder’s apparent failure to meaningfully respond to a physical assault committed on campus against students advocating for Palestinian rights
Letter regarding treatment of students and scholars protesting the pretrial imprisonment of Istanbul Mayor İmamoğlu
Our letter regarding the use of violence by the police, as well as disciplinary and criminal proceedings against students, academics, and related institutions participating in protests against the pretrial imprisonment of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu following the annulment of his bachelor’s degree.
Letter concerning the ongoing mistreatment of Egyptian scholar and translator Kholoud Said
Our third letter to Egyptian officials regarding the unjust circumstances of Egyptian researcher and translator, Kholoud Said. We call on the authorities to dismiss all charges against her and reinstate her in her job at the Bibliotheca Alexandrina.
Letter to Yale University regarding the termination of Dr. Helyeh Doutaghi
Our letter expressing concern about the termination of Dr. Helyeh Doutaghi, deputy director of Yale University’s Law and Political Economy Project and associate research scholar at Yale Law School, in the wake of allegations made on an obscure website whose founders and contributors are anonymous
Letter to Harvard University protesting the dismissals of the director and associate director of the Center for Middle Eastern Studies
Our letter expressing concern about Harvard University’s decision to remove Professor Cemal Kafadar and Associate Professor Rosie Bsheer as, respectively, director and associate director of the university’s Center for Middle Eastern Studies
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