Response from UT Knoxville to our November 3 letter
The Committee on Academic Freedom received a response from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville Chancellor in response to our letter regarding Professor Tamar Shirinian
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
- All Committee on Academic Freedom
Joint Letter from BRISMES, DAVO, MESA and SeSaMO about Palestine and Europe symposium
Our letter jointly issued by BRISMES, DAVO, SeSaMO and MESA regarding the cancellation of the symposium “Palestine and Europe” organized by the Chair of Contemporary History of the Arab World at the Collège de France and the CAREP (Arab Center for Research and Political Studies)
Letter to Iranian authorities regarding arrests and harassment of independent scholars
Our letter protesting the very recent arrests and summons of five independent scholars accused by the regime of threatening national security, and calling upon the government to desist from its punitive practices and the ongoing violations of citizens’ rights.
Letter to the Chancellor of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, denouncing the suspension pending termination of Professor Tamar Shirinian
Our letter expressing concern about the capricious and hasty suspension of Assistant Professor Tamar Shirinian of the Department of Anthropology at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and your decision to terminate her for remarks she made on social media regarding Charlie Kirk
Letter to Northwestern University expressing concern about its flawed compulsory anti-bias training and its threats against students who refuse to complete it
Our letter expressing concern about the decision to prevent students from enrolling in classes unless they complete the deeply flawed online anti-bias training that Northwestern University has mandated for all undergraduate and graduate students
Response from the Office of the Prime Minster to our September 17 letter
The Committee on Academic Freedom received a response from the Executive Correspondence Officer for the Prime Minister of Canada in response to our letter regarding visas and study permits for Palestinian scholars
Response from the University of Kentucky to our September 29 letter
The Committee on Academic Freedom received a response from the Vice President for university relations at the University of Kentucky in response to our letter regarding Professor Ramsi Woodcock
Letter to the University of Kentucky regarding the suspension of Professor Ramsi Woodcock for his statements about Palestine
Our letter expressing concern about the University of Kentucky’s summary suspension of Ramsi Woodcock, Wyatt, Tarrant & Combs Professor of Law, pending an investigation of statements he has made regarding Palestine
Letter regarding information about the whereabouts and circumstances of Dr. Ahmadreza Djalali
Our urgent letter to the Iranian authorities demanding information about the whereabouts and circumstances of Dr. Ahmadreza Djalali who was moved to an undisclosed location soon after Evin Prison came under Israeli attack on 23 June 2025 and has not had contact with his family since then.
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
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.