{"id":2236607,"date":"2024-05-03T15:13:02","date_gmt":"2024-05-03T19:13:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/liberal-faculty-rages-at-university-of-texas-president-for-dispersing-protests\/"},"modified":"2024-05-03T15:15:10","modified_gmt":"2024-05-03T19:15:10","slug":"liberal-faculty-rages-at-university-of-texas-president-for-dispersing-protests","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/liberal-faculty-rages-at-university-of-texas-president-for-dispersing-protests\/","title":{"rendered":"Liberal faculty criticizes UT President for breaking up protests"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">18<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fliberal-faculty-rages-at-university-of-texas-president-for-dispersing-protests%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2236607&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The University of Texas faculty, including radical liberal professors like Pauline Turner Strong, expresses\u2064 no confidence in \u200dPresident Hartzell. They criticize his response to anti-Israel protests, \u2063<a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/south-korean-marine-disappears-after-attempting-to-fight-for-ukraine\/\" title=\"South Korean Marine Disappears After Attempting to Fight for Ukraine\">citing safety concerns<\/a> \u2064and \u200bstaff layoffs. The letter, coordinated by the union, AAUP Austin, highlights discontent with campus actions and stands at 657 signatures. Additional signatories are criticized for anti-Israel\u2064 sentiments.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Among the over 600 faculty members at the University of Texas at Austin who signed onto a letter stating that they have \u201cno confidence\u201d in the university president because he took swift action against anti-Israel protesters are radical liberal professors who blamed Israel for Hamas\u2019 October 7 terrorist attack.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Led by Pauline Turner Strong, a women\u2019s and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/christian-college-hosts-event-blaming-evil-white-evangelicals-for-electing-the-least-christian-president-in-american-history\/\" title=\"Christian College Hosts Event Blaming Evil \u2018White Evangelicals\u2019 For Electing The \u2018Least-Christian President In American History\u2019\">gender studies professor<\/a> who is <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/liberalarts.utexas.edu\/anthropology\/faculty\/pstrong\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">currently studying<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">  the \u201crole of indigenous nations and movements in climate justice activism,\u201d the professors say that President Jay Hartzell \u201chas shown himself to be unresponsive to urgent faculty, staff, and student concerns\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u201cHe has violated our trust,\u201d the letter states. \u201cThe University is no longer a safe and welcoming place for the diverse community of students and scholars who until now have called this campus home.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The faculty take issue not only with Hartzell\u2019s handling of the protests \u2014 he brought in police to forcibly disperse students that formed an encampment \u2014 but also his decision to fire dozens of diversity, equity, and inclusion staffers at the university. Hartzell \u201ccapitulated to political pressure\u201d by <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dailywire.com\/news\/at-least-60-staffers-laid-off-at-university-of-texas-as-dei-ban-takes-effect\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">dissolving the Division of Campus and Community Engagement<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">  (DCCE) last month, the letter states, resulting in the firing of \u201cat least forty staff \u2014 predominantly women and people of color.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The letter and signature campaign is coordinated by the union, American Association of University Professors at UT Austin, which <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/aaup_utAustin\/status\/1785814656776372289\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">co-organized<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">  a \u201cStop the Purge\u201d rally to protest the firings.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u201cPresident Hartzell needlessly put students, staff and faculty in danger,\u201d the letter states. \u201cDozens of students were arrested for assembling peacefully on their own campus.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The letter currently stands at 657 signatures, making up about 20% of the roughly <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.utexas.edu\/about\/facts-and-figures\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">3,200 faculty<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">  members at the university.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Only seven signatures are publicly displayed on the website with the posted letter, all of whom are AAUP chapter officers. These include professors Pauline Turner Strong, Brian L. Evans, Karma R. Ch\u00e1vez, Andrea C. Gore, Lauren Jae Gutterman, Steven Seegel, and Julia Mickenberg.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The Daily Wire obtained a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/archive.ph\/2vyqv\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">copy of the letter<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">  with all of the signatories listed, and identified several with a history of anti-Israel activism.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">One of the most controversial signatories is Nahid Siamdoust, an assistant professor in the Middle Eastern Studies department who put the blame on Israel in the immediate wake of Hamas committing its massacre of Israeli civilians on October 7.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u201cThis is the moment when the world powers need to step in and say enough is enough,\u201d Siamdoust posted. \u201cEnd the occupation. There won\u2019t be peace otherwise. Let\u2019s stop this bloodshed. Let\u2019s solve this problem. Instead they empower Israel to retaliate indiscriminately. My [heart breaks] for all the innocent.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">This is the moment when the world powers need to step in and say enough is enough. End the occupation. There won\u2019t be peace otherwise. Let\u2019s stop this bloodshed. Let\u2019s solve this problem. Instead they empower Israel to retaliate indiscriminately. My \ud83d\udc94 for all the innocent.<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Nahid Siamdoust (@nahid8) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/nahid8\/status\/1711140040862998726?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">October 8, 2023<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">In a tweet <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/nahid8\/status\/1711798522385760728\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">two days later,<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">  she said she was \u201cashamed\u201d by seeing exiled Iranians celebrating \u201cIsrael\u2019s illegal siege and indiscriminate killing of Palestinians with the military &#038; financial might of the world.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">African diaspora and gender studies professor Pavithra Vasudevan, a member of the Faculty and Staff for Justice in Palestine, frequently sports a keffiyeh and has attended anti-Israel rallies on campus. In one video, she is heard <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.fox7austin.com\/video\/1446741\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">telling students<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">  that she \u201clost confidence\u201d in the university for \u201cinviting the police state to take over this campus.\u201d<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"><br \/> <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u201cThe police do not protect us, we protect us,\u201d she added. \u201cThis is our space, this is our campus.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Associate Dean for Faculty Mentoring and Development, Peniel E. Joseph, also signed onto the letter and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/2024\/05\/02\/opinions\/university-of-texas-at-austin-dei-israel-gaza-protests-joseph\/index.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">published an op-ed<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">  on Thursday accusing the school of assaulting democracy by firing the DEI-focused faculty members. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">\u201cWhat we are experiencing here in Texas is an assault on the nation\u2019s democracy,\u201d Joseph wrote. \u201c<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">As in Gov. Ron DeSantis\u2019s Florida<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, Gov. Greg Abbott\u2019s efforts here amplify conservative legislators\u2019 vision of \u2018reclaiming\u2019 the university from a so-called \u2018woke mob\u2019 apparently populated by folks who look like me.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The faculty letter demands that criminal charges be dropped \u201cagainst students and others,\u201d that students not <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/yes-bidens-hhs-pick-advocates-puberty-blockers-medical-transition-of-minors\/\" title=\"Yes, Biden\u2019s HHS Pick Advocates Puberty Blockers, Medical Transition Of Minors\">face disciplinary action<\/a>, and that the school \u201crespect the first Amendment free speech rights of students and faculty.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The idea for the letter began as police were still arresting people on campus last Wednesday, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.statesman.com\/story\/news\/education\/2024\/04\/29\/ut-austin-protest-pro-palestine-texas-dei-ban-faculty-sign-letter-of-no-confidence-jay-hartzell\/73498060007\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">according to the Austin American-Statesman<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">While the number of faculty who signed on to the letter is certainly large, there is also substantial support for Hartzell in the university community. A <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.campusfairness.org\/action\/?utaustin\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">letter of support<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">  for Hartzell organized by Alums for Campus Fairness thanks him for his \u201cdecisive action in putting an end to the recent antisemitic encampment on campus.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Organizers say the letter in support of Hartzell already has 9,137 signatories from its community of alumni, parents of students, and donors to the university.  <\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Over 600 University of Texas faculty signed a letter expressing &#8220;no confidence&#8221; in the president for handling anti-Israel protests. Radical professors, including Pauline Turner Strong, blame Israel for Hamas&#8217; attack on October 7<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3030,"featured_media":2236608,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/dw-wp-production.imgix.net\/2024\/05\/GettyImages-2150233235.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2236607","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/dw-wp-production.imgix.net\/2024\/05\/GettyImages-2150233235.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2236607","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3030"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2236607"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2236607\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2236608"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2236607"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2236607"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2236607"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}