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US University Snubs UAE Over Israel
CAIRO — A major US university has shelved plans to open a satellite campus in the United Arab Emirates in protest of the Gulf state's boycott of Israel, drawing rebukes for mixing education with politics.
"We have put this project on the back burner," Peter Nichols, the provost of the University of Connecticut, told the Gulf News on Monday, May 7.
"We are not actively working on it now."
The university, founded in 1881, froze plans to establish a satellite campus in Dubai that would issue the same degrees awarded by the campus in the US.
It said the move was taken in protest of the UAE's boycott of Israel.
"If the (concerns) are not addressed, I will absolutely work to block such a partnership," said Connecticut legislator Andrew Fleischmann.
He vowed to press for obstructing the plans until the UAE "changed the way it deals with Israel."
Israeli nationals are not allowed into the UAE in line with the country's policy of non-normalization of ties with Israel until the Arab-Israeli conflict is resolved.
Fleischmann said many Israeli students and faculty members would not be able to benefit from the program if the UAE continued to deny them entry.
There are only eight Israeli students in the University of Connecticut, making up 0.03% of the 28,000 students on its six campuses.
There is no Israeli national among the faculty members.
In April, Arab leaders revived a plan offering Israel normal ties if it pulls out from land seized in the 1967 war, allows the creation of a Palestinian state and allows the return of Palestinian refugees.
Israel snubbed the plan as it did when it was first tabled in 2002.
Racism
The university decision has immediately provoked diatribe for mixing academic issues with politics.
"It's obvious that the ignorance (about Arabs) that prevails among the American public has crept into academics," said political science professor Dr Abdul Khaleq Abdullah.
His colleague Dr Ebtisam Al-Kitby also blasted the university's decision as double standards.
"If they're so concerned about human rights why don't we see them protesting Israel's human rights violations against the Palestinians," she asked.
More
http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?c=Article_C&cid=1178193368378&pagename=Zone-English-News/NWELayout
"We are not actively working on it now."
The university, founded in 1881, froze plans to establish a satellite campus in Dubai that would issue the same degrees awarded by the campus in the US.
It said the move was taken in protest of the UAE's boycott of Israel.
"If the (concerns) are not addressed, I will absolutely work to block such a partnership," said Connecticut legislator Andrew Fleischmann.
He vowed to press for obstructing the plans until the UAE "changed the way it deals with Israel."
Israeli nationals are not allowed into the UAE in line with the country's policy of non-normalization of ties with Israel until the Arab-Israeli conflict is resolved.
Fleischmann said many Israeli students and faculty members would not be able to benefit from the program if the UAE continued to deny them entry.
There are only eight Israeli students in the University of Connecticut, making up 0.03% of the 28,000 students on its six campuses.
There is no Israeli national among the faculty members.
In April, Arab leaders revived a plan offering Israel normal ties if it pulls out from land seized in the 1967 war, allows the creation of a Palestinian state and allows the return of Palestinian refugees.
Israel snubbed the plan as it did when it was first tabled in 2002.
Racism
The university decision has immediately provoked diatribe for mixing academic issues with politics.
"It's obvious that the ignorance (about Arabs) that prevails among the American public has crept into academics," said political science professor Dr Abdul Khaleq Abdullah.
His colleague Dr Ebtisam Al-Kitby also blasted the university's decision as double standards.
"If they're so concerned about human rights why don't we see them protesting Israel's human rights violations against the Palestinians," she asked.
More
http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?c=Article_C&cid=1178193368378&pagename=Zone-English-News/NWELayout
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There may be Israeli nationals on the staff of UCONN. There most certainly are Jewish faculty members. The laws of Connecticut forbid various kinds of discrimination in hiring. UCONN is of course located in Connecticut.
It doesn't matter that there could be no Israelis or Jews hired by the Dubai campus should UCONN open one. This matter has simply come to notice* so UCONN can't make the arrangement because they would then be in violation of Connecticut's anti-discrimination laws.
This isn't a "protest" of the UAE boycott of Israel. It's simply that UCONN itself can't participate in the boycott.
Even were there no state laws, it probably would be too costly for UCONN. Given the demographics of the state of Connecticut, probably a large percentage of UCONN alumni (who make up the donor base) are Jewish.
* Unlikely the problem wasn't unnoticed. Likely what we are seeing now is the result of breakdown in negotiations as to what employment rules would be applied to this "extension" campus.
I don't see anyone protesting the fact that males from most Muslim countries being fingerprinted at US airports. I wonder if there would have been any protests about discrimination if say... the UAE barred Iranians from entering?
Statement from Provost Peter J. Nicholls, University of Connecticut
In response to a May 7 story in the Gulf News, the University of Connecticut needs to ensure its intentions to establish a campus in Dubai are clear and not misunderstood.
The University of Connecticut remains excited about establishing a campus in Dubai. The project is currently on hold because UConn has been advised by the Office of the Attorney General of the State of Connecticut that UConn lacks the statutory authority to establish overseas campuses.
Legislation authorizing the University to establish overseas campuses is being drafted to provide the University with the needed authority. The draft will also provide that any campus operated by the University will comply with Connecticut’s anti-discrimination laws so that any qualified UConn student or faculty or staff member will have equal access to participate in any campus program.
The proposed legislation likely will be considered by the General Assembly during the 2008 session, because there is little time remaining in the current session.
Officials in Dubai are aware of the status of the project and UConn’s efforts to resolve the issues.
University officials have met or conferred with various groups, including several Jewish organizations, to update them on the status and benefits of establishing a branch campus in Dubai. University officials explained the need to obtain legislative authority and UConn’s commitment to operate all its branches in conformance with Connecticut’s anti-discrimination laws.
After hearing of the University’s intentions, the representatives of the Jewish organizations, which included the American Jewish Committee, the Jewish Foundation of Connecticut and the Anti-Defamation League, encouraged the University to proceed with its efforts to establish a branch campus in Dubai, noting that there are many benefits to establishing campuses of U.S. institutions of higher learning in that region and around the world.
None of the organizations has asked for any additional conditions beyond those the University already identified.
UConn must adhere to state laws that prohibit discrimination based on race, color, ethnicity, religious creed, age, sex, marital status, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, genetic information, or physical or mental disabilities.
The University is optimistic that the issues noted above will be worked out so that a UConn-Dubai campus can become a reality.