AAUP Issues Report on Hamline University Islamic Art Controversy

 The Association of American University Professors Committee A on Academic Freedom and Tenure has released its report (full text) on the actions of Hamline University in refusing to renew the contract of a part-time art history professor who created a controversy when she presented two historical images of the Prophet Muhammad in an online class session. (See prior posting.) The AAUP Report concluded in part:

Professor Erika López Prater’s decision to display historical images of the Prophet Muhammad in a World Art class was not only justifiable and appropriate on both scholarly and pedagogical grounds; it was also protected by academic freedom. The Hamline administration was wrong to characterize this decision as “undeniably inconsiderate, disrespectful and Islamophobic.” Similarly, the university’s contention that care for students must “supersede” academic freedom reflected an inaccurate and harmful understanding of the nature of academic freedom in the classroom. The university has since disavowed both claims.

The Star Beacon discusses the report and the University's response to it.

UC Irvine Rejects Endowed Chairs in Religious Studies Because of Donor Restrictions

The University of California Irvine is rejecting some $6 million in contributions to create four endowed chairs relating to the religions and history of India. Inside Higher Ed reports that an Ad Hoc Committee on Endowed Chairs in the School of Humanities has recommended against the chairs because the agreements establishing them "include language that is not consistent with University policies related to religious and academic freedom."  (Full text of committee's report).  The report recommends rejection, regardless of agreement modifications, of two chairs proposed by the Dharma Civilization Foundation (DCF)-- one a chair in Indic and Vedic Civilization Studies and a second in Modern India Studies-- because "DCF is unusually explicit and prescriptive on appropriate disciplinary formations, what constitutes good or acceptable scholarship, and, indeed, what constitutes good or acceptable scholars."  According to Inside Higher Ed, The Dharma Civilization Foundation is:

a California entity that seeks to fund the academic study and teaching of Indian religions as a corrective to what it describes as widespread misrepresentations of Hinduism by scholars who do not practice the religion.

The Committee also recommended that two other proposed chairs endowed by families-- one chair in Jain Studies and one in Sikh Studies-- be returned to the dean's office for further review.  The Dean of the School of Humanities accepted all the recommendations.

Emory Committee Reportedly Clears Rabbi-Law Prof of Violating University Policies

The Jewish Channel on Thursday reprinted a press release from Emory University reporting on a special Institutional Review and Investigation Committee's conclusions regarding charges that Emory law Professor Michael Broyde created several online pseudonyms as alternate identities. (The press release-- undated in the reprint-- does not appear to have been posted, at least yet, by Emory University on its website.)  The Jewish Channel's prior investigative reports have been at the center of the charges.  Broyde, who is also a rabbi, admitted to having used pseudonyms to to submit letters to Jewish journals, post blog comments (including ones commenting on his own work), and to join a rival rabbinical group (International Rabbinic Fellowship) to gain access to its listserv.  (See prior posting.)  According to Emory's press release:

the Committee found that Professor Broyde used a pseudonym exclusively for activities in his rabbinic capacities, not in his scholarly capacities connected with Emory University. Accordingly, the Committee concluded that the conduct did not violate Emory policies that govern allegations of research misconduct, and the University accepted the Committee’s conclusions.

Nevertheless, candor is an extremely important value for the legal profession, the Law School, and the University, and Professor Broyde has pledged that in the future he will not engage in any conduct that conflicts with this value.

The Committee did not find evidence to support charges of an additional pseudonym used by Broyde. (See prior posting.) The Jewish Channel yesterday criticized the thoroughness of the Committee's investigation.