'Concerns about your leadership': Why UVM faculty demands to be involved stop antisemitism
Multiple University of Vermont faculty groups are charging the administration to do more to ward against discrimination and harassment after complaints of antisemitism provoked a U.S. Department of Education Office of Civil Rights (OCR) investigation.
Faculty groups say the administration needs to be more transparent and the faculty needs more input into policies after a federal agency found the school improperly handled complaints. The OCR probe concluded in April with policy recommendations and an inclusivity statement from the University.
But UVM faculty members are saying this isn't enough and some are pointing out factual errors in President Suresh Garimella's statements over specific actions the university took and are calling for him to apologize publicly for a letter he sent to the UVM community that may have perpetuated a hostile environment.
Here's what the Faculty Senate wants
The Faculty Senate, which is a body of elected faculty members overseeing the academic mission of the university, passed a resolution on May 18. It says that even though the OCR is providing oversight, problems suggest deeper institutional changes are needed and the senate desires to take a more active role in safeguarding students against bias, harassment and discrimination.
UVM Hillel, a Jewish organization on campus, said it connected with 1,723 students over the past year and estimates between 20% to 25% of UVM's student population identify as Jewish.
The items proposed in its resolution would establish more involvement between the Faculty Senate and the Student Affairs Committee with the administration in adopting and improving policies as well as reviewing compliance with OCR resolution action items. The body also called for the administration to post the OCR's Letter to the President and Resolution Agreement on the UVM's website so it is accessible to the entire school community.
On May 23, the resolution was in the process of being amended by the Faculty Senate but the original version was online and the new one will be posted at: www.uvm.edu/faculty_senate/faculty-senate-meeting-may-2023.
"We all agree that antisemitism is a problem in the United States and in Vermont, and we (faculty, administration, staff, students) all have a role in addressing it when incidents happen on campus or in the surrounding community," Thomas Borchert, president of the Faculty Senate, wrote in a statement. "The faculty share governance of the University with the administration, and the resolution outlines ways in which the faculty can and should take part in helping the administration fulfill the responsibilities outlined in the resolution agreement with the Office for Civil Rights."
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Borchert said the resolution has been sent to the president and provost who have 30 days to either approve, reject or acknowledge an action taken by the Faculty Senate. He said the processes called for are ongoing actions and he expects faculty work on this would wait until after summer break.
Other faculty groups take a harder line on UVM president's words and actions
An open letter to President Garimella signed by 182 UVM faculty members on April 28 took aim at the president himself saying his words had been misleading and caused further harm to those who came forward about discrimination and they are imploring him to take certain actions to restore trust.
The letter said, in part, "we have serious concerns about your leadership and trustworthiness."
They ask Garimella to apologize to students who suffered from the administration's handling of the OCR investigation, provide a full and accurate account of what happened, and to develop a more transparent governance model including adopting conflict resolution strategies to engage the UVM community during inevitable moments of conflict.
Some faculty have taken it upon themselves to comb through Garimella's statements line by line to point out hostile or accusatory language and inaccuracies, particularly in his Sept. 15, 2022, letter following the announcement of OCR's involvement. Garimella's response was criticized by 20 Jewish organizations across the world and the OCR said his statements in that letter may have perpetuated a hostile environment.
A group of faculty members calling themselves UVM Haklalah, because they wish to remain anonymous and fear retribution, said administrators everywhere often find it easier to do PR damage control than to address problems honestly, sensitively and collectively. This is what they suggest happened at UVM.
"However, ignoring or avoiding to deal with a problem is never a solution, and finding resolution, healing, and closure should not require a federal investigation, concerted student and union organizing, and a Faculty Senate resolution," reads the group's statement.
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Felicia Kornbluh, who is a professor of history as well as gender/sex and Jewish studies at UVM, but not part of the Faculty Senate, presented the Faculty Senate's resolution and the open letter to UVM's Board of Trustees during a meeting on May 20. She was unsure if those concerns had risen to the level of the Trustees previously.
"My understanding is some faculty felt like there was some more work to do and more conversations to have," she said about going to the board. "Some people I've talked to felt like there was a danger since the investigation was resolved that might be taken as assuming it was all over."
UVM's response to faculty criticism
The Free Press sought a response from Garimella about the faculty groups' recommendations and statements. The university provided a general statement on behalf of the school that said, in its entirety:
"UVM unequivocally condemns, and will not tolerate, antisemitism in any form. As announced in April, UVM agreed to a voluntary resolution of the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights investigation into reports of antisemitism on UVM’s campus. That agreement reflects an important step in UVM’s engagement with students, faculty, staff, alumni, and the surrounding community. It also reflects numerous conversations we have had with the campus Jewish community and important local and national voices on the consequential and complex issue of antisemitism. We sincerely appreciate the insights of those who joined us in conversation over the past several months, and we have grown closer as a community because of those conversations. Our aim now is to ensure that all on our campus hear our commitment to addressing antisemitism, feel empowered to report it whenever it occurs, and are supported in those times in which we must confront it in our community. The faculty senate’s voice on this topic affirms its shared commitment to empowering and supporting students and we are eager to partner with them to meet these imperatives."
-University of Vermont statement May 23, 2023
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UVM Hillel's response to faculty push for more work on anti-harassment
UVM Hillel said it is grateful for the advocacy and support of Jewish students from the faculty community.
"Antisemitism withers when people speak out against it and we applaud the faculty senate's reaffirmation of strong support for Jewish students, their friends, and allies at UVM with this resolution," Matt Vogel, executive director, said in a statement. "Hillel is looking forward along with UVM to better support all students so that no one needs to experience bias and harassment because of their shared ancestry as Jewish people.
Previous coverage:
UVM reaches resolution with Office of Civil Rights over responses to antisemitism
U.S. Dept. of Education investigates claims of antisemitism at UVM
UVM disputes claims of inaction on alleged antisemitism
Contact reporter April Barton at abarton@freepressmedia.com or 802-660-1854. Follow her on Twitter @aprildbarton.
This article originally appeared on Burlington Free Press: University of Vermont faculty want change after anti-Semitic harassment
