Statement from President Raab and Provost Rabinowitz on the ASA Boycott

As president and provost of Hunter College, one of the most diverse and inclusive institutions of higher learning in the United States, we join with the American Association of American Universities and the City University of New York in unequivocally opposing the academic boycott of Israeli universities endorsed by the American Studies Association (ASA). Although Hunter is not a member of the ASA, we believe it is essential to speak out against academic boycotts of any kind, as they violate the fundamental values of academic freedom and open inquiry and dialogue that are essential to the life of the academy. Limiting opportunities for partnerships and the exchange of ideas by isolating and stigmatizing groups of scholars because of judgments about their nations' foreign or domestic policies is a tragically misguided way to address political issues. With faculty and students from all over the globe, Hunter College will proudly continue to broaden understanding and opportunity by encouraging rich research collaborations, scholarly exchanges and programmatic initiatives with great institutions in Israel and around the world, without constraint.