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August 27, 2007

UPDATE!!!

DePaul pulls plug on controversial professor: Course canceled a week before class


11:24 PM CDT, August 27, 2007
By Ron Grossman
Tribune staff reporter

The required reading was at the bookstore, the students had the course syllabus, and space in Political Science 235, "Equality in Social Justice," was standing-room only when DePaul University pulled the plug Friday on what was to have been Norman Finkelstein's final year at the school.


A controversial scholar--accused by critics of fomenting anti-Semitism and lauded by supporters as a forthright critic of Israel--Finkelstein attracted wide attention across the academic world when he was denied tenure in the spring.

By Monday, the books for his course had been pulled from the DePaul bookstore's shelves, while his case was restarting a firestorm of protest. The American Association of University Professors was preparing a letter to the university, protesting Finkelstein's treatment as a serious violation of academic ethics.

Finkelstein vowed not to take the rebuff lying down--or, perhaps more correctly, to do something just like that. In addition to canceling his course, the university informed him that his office was no longer his.

"I intend to go to my office on the first day of classes and, if my way is barred, to engage in civil disobedience," Finkelstein, 53, said in a telephone interview. "If arrested, I'll go on a hunger strike. If released, I'll do it all over again. I'll fast in jail for as long as it takes."

Fall classes start Sept. 5 at DePaul, where Finkelstein has been a faculty member for six years. During that time, his star has risen and fallen at the Catholic school, founded by the Vincentian order.

His books brought him far-reaching renown. They also were condemned for their provocative language, as in the "The Holocaust Industry," where he called efforts to get compensation from Germany for World War II slave laborers a "shakedown." Finkelstein, himself Jewish, has described leaders of American-Jewish organizations as "Holocaust-mongers."

He has engaged in a long-running feud with Harvard University law professor Alan Dershowitz, a strong supporter of Israel. He has charged Dershowitz with appropriating other scholars' findings; Dershowitz was similarly skeptical of the legitimacy of Finkelstein's work when asked by DePaul to comment on his application for tenure, the academic equivalent of a lifetime job guarantee.

Nonetheless, Finkelstein's work has been praised by ivory-tower luminaries such as the distinguished linguist Noam Chomsky and the late Raul Hilberg, dean of Holocaust historians. Finkelstein's supporters are planning a lecture-rally for him in October in Chicago.

Two years ago, Finkelstein was held up as an example of DePaul's commitment to freedom of inquiry by its president, Dennis Holtschneider.

Students have held Finkelstein in high regard, reporting that his tone in the classroom is measured, quite unlike the red-hot rhetoric of his books.

This year, though, Dean Chuck Suchar found Finkelstein's scholarship inconsistent with "DePaul's Vincentian values," among them respect for others' views. Holtschneider seconded that motion in refusing Finkelstein's tenure.

Student support continues

DePaul officials declined to comment on the case. Denise Mattson, associate vice president for public affairs, said: "Finkelstein has been assigned to an administrative leave with full pay and benefits for the 2007-08 academic year. Administrative leave relieves professors from their teaching responsibilities. He was informed of the reasons that precipitated this leave last spring."

He was denied tenure in June, but officials could offer no explanation for why his courses were left in the schedule.

On Friday, Andrew Riplinger, a DePaul student registered for Finkelstein's course, received an e-mail from him.

"Professor Finkelstein wrote that if the course was canceled by the university, it would be taught at another location," said Riplinger. "Then the university sent an e-mail announcing the course had been canceled."

Riplinger and other student supporters, fearing such an action, have been meeting regularly over the summer and communicating their uneasiness to the administration. Their committee was scheduled to meet Monday evening in the DePaul student center, Riplinger said.

Final year at school threatened

According to the norms of academia, a professor denied tenure has the right to a final year of teaching at the university that turns him down. The watchdog of those rights is the American Association of University Professors, the umbrella organization of college teachers, which can censure a school found in violation of its ground rules. Such a finding also can be the preliminary to a lawsuit against the university by the faculty member.

According to Jonathan Knight, director of the AAUP's program in academic freedom and tenure, a university owes a faculty member denied tenure more than just a year's salary. He or she has the right to a classroom (and presumably an office). A university can't simply buy him or her out by invoking administrative leave, Knight said.

He added that a faculty member can't be put on administrative leave without a hearing except in an extreme emergency.

"We're not aware of an emergency requiring DePaul to take such action at the 11th hour and 59th minute," Knight said.

Finkelstein said that, rather than filing a lawsuit, he intends to fight the university's action with a hunger strike, and the attendant publicity.

"In the court of public opinion, I can win," Finkelstein said. "I say: 'Let the people judge.'"

rgrossman@tribune.com


Copyright (c) 2007, Chicago Tribune

 

June 24, 2007

DePaul Students Turn Graduation Into Protest

Students Support 2 Professors Denied Tenure

June 19, 2007

by Katherine Schrup, NBC5 Next
POSTED: 9:48 am CDT June 19, 2007

CHICAGO -- DePaul University's recent decision to deny tenure to two professors prompted some students to take a stand in their defense at Sunday's graduation.

During the ceremony, some students held up signs in favor of the professors, Norman Finkelstein and Mehrene Larudee. Some students also refused to shake DePaul's president the Rev. Dennis Holtschneider's hand and turned their backs to him while he gave the closing remarks.

Finkelstein, who has taught in the political science department at DePaul since 2001, became a controversial figure for his criticism of Israel and for accusing some Jews of exploiting the Holocaust for monetary gain. He has published many books, including "The Holocaust Industry" and Beyond Chutzpah".
Finkelstein also engaged in a public feud with Harvard law professor Alan Dershowitz, best known as one of the defense lawyers in the O.J. Simpson murder trial. Dershowitz wrote faculty members at DePaul urging them to vote against Finkelstein's tenure.

Finkelstein released a statement to the protesting students, saying: "This University must acknowledge and reverse the terrible mistake it has made. For an institution of higher learning to act so blatantly against academic freedom is a sad commentary on the state of our nation."

Holtschneider released a statement, saying: "Over the past several months, there has been considerable outside interest and public debate concerning this decision. This attention was unwelcome and inappropriate and had no impact on either the process or the outcome of this case."

Holtschneider also said in the statement that he could "find no compelling reasons" to overturn the decision.

Larudee, an international studies professor, was denied tenure even though she passed the first two stages of the process unanimously.

"It makes DePaul look very stupid nationwide," Larudee said. "There are a lot of people who understand that you can't do this. The university has made a very bad mistake in terms of its reputation nationwide, and it really should remedy that."

Kathryn Weber, a junior at DePaul, is one of the leaders of a group of students protesting the decisions.

"We're willing to do whatever it takes, by whatever means necessary, to make sure these two professors get tenure. It is not negotiable," Weber said.

The students also held a three-day sit-in at the president's office last week.

Finkelstein told the New York Times that he plans to move to New York City and that "as a result of this 'blacklisting, I will be barred from ever entering a college classroom again.'"

Larudee said she will return to DePaul next semester, but she will have to leave after a year as a result of not receiving tenure.

 

Students Threatened with Expulsion for Sit-In at DePaul University

TOLD TO "STAY AS LONG AS YOU WANT," THEN DRIVEN OUT BY SECURITY FACULTY AND ALUMNI THREATENED WITH ARREST AND CHICAGO PD.

The fight for academic freedom continued at DePaul University in Chicago on Wednesday, June 13, 2007 as the fight to overturn the denial of tenure for Professors Norman Finkelstein and Mehrene Larudee intensified. DePaul students responded immediately to DePaul University President Fr. Holtschneider's decision to deny their professors tenure, occupying a meeting room across from the Presidents office at 8:30 a.m., Monday, June 11. The President met with the students that afternoon and informed them that he was unwilling to change his mind or his decision, but that they could stay as long as they wanted. He also informed the students that he did not recognize the faculty's right to appeal and declared that the faculty had no "structural authority" to change the president's decisions on tenure.

There was a meeting of the University's Faculty Council on Wednesday, June 13, at the Loop Campus where a 27-3 vote called for an appeal to be made on behalf of both professors citing "violations of academic freedom" and procedural problems in the tenure process.

After three days and two nights of sitting-in, the students were driven from the room at 5:00 p.m. Wednesday. They were instructed by DePaul University's Dean of Students, Greg MacVarish, to vacate the room. The students refused and asked for a written statement indicating 1) What the students were required to do, 2) Why the students had to do this, and 3) What the consequences would be if the students did not obey. After officials refused to provide a statement the Dean of Students, who was accompanied by Public Safety officers, instructed the students and faculty to leave the building. When the students asked what the consequences would be for remaining they were told "to consult the student handbook for rights and responsibilities," which includes a provision for expulsion. Faculty and alumni present were threatened with arrest by the Chicago Police Department.

Current status and upcoming plans:

Students are now occupying the Lincoln Park Campus Student Center in support of academic freedom and tenure for both Professors Finkelstein and Larudee. There is a hearing for the Faculty Governance Council Thursday from 3-5pm in which more appeal hearings will be heard and other decisive actions will be taken as to what can be done next from the faculty perspective. Students plan on showing their support during this hearing.

Further background information:

The tenure process takes place in four stages: the candidate's Department, then College, then to the University Board on Tenure and Promotion, and finally to the President of the University. At the College level, the Dean may issue a report with his own recommendation on the candidate alongside the department and College Personnel Committee reports. At the University level, the Provost is responsible for passing the previous recommendations along to the President.

Dr. Larudee received unanimous support from both the International Studies Department and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences; Dr. Finkelstein received a 9-3 vote department vote and a unanimous vote in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Dean Suchar of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences recommended Dr. Larudee, who will serve as the Chair of International Studies next year, and issued a report against recommending Dr. Finkelstein for tenure. The University Board on Tenure and Promotion (UBTP) voted to deny both professors tenure, which the University President, Fr. Dennis Holtschneider upheld. When tenure is denied, in essence the candidates are fired, effective one year from the tenure decision.

The President is given the authority to change a tenure decision in rare circumstances, which the students feel clearly applies in a case in which there was heavy support for the candidates from the faculty that knows them best. Further, the Faculty Handbook of DePaul University states that dismissal, which occurs as a result of tenure denial, may be appealed in case of abuse of academic freedom or when there has been a violation of procedure.

The students maintain that both of these requirements for appeal have been met. The decision to deny Professor Mehrene Larudee tenure seems based wholly on her support of Prof. Finkelstein. She was not given a copy of the UBTP vote or an opportunity to respond before the President's review, which is a violation of the tenure procedure. Professor Finkelstein has been maligned for scholarship which has been evaluated and praised by two outside reviewers, nine (out of twelve) of his tenured fellow Political Science Department colleagues, leading experts in the field in which he works, and the peer reviewers of the university presses through which his books have been published. He was also not given a copy of the UBTP vote. In addition, a document was submitted at the departmental level , which the Dean, the Provost, and the President all refused to include in their deliberations or distribute to the College or University levels.



Media Contact: Victor Lang FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(312) 576-1888

Media Advisory
For Press Event: 12 June 2007
Place: 22nd Floor, 55 East Jackson, Executive Offices of DePaul University

DePaul Students Protest for Academic Freedom

Continuing an uphill battle with the DePaul University administration, student and community groups will gather at 55 E. Jackson (Jackson and Wabash) tomorrow 13 June 2007 at 11 a.m. for a rally, in a plan to escalate pressure on the nation’s largest Catholic university. The protest is in support of academic freedom, as well as tenure for Professors Norman Finkelstein and Mehrene Larudee. Students have been sitting in the executive offices of DePaul President Fr. Dennis Holtschneider since Monday morning at 9:00 a.m.

Upset over DePaul’s denial of tenure to Professors Finkelstein and Larudee, and after a meeting between 30 student leaders and Fr. Holtschneider, students have taken action to defend academic freedom, under attack by the university administration. While the students presented Fr. Holtschneider with a petition of over 700 signatures calling for the reversal of the decision and questioned the legitimacy of the university’s process, the DePaul President flatly rejected their demands and insisted that he would not reevaluate his position. Up until this point, the university has accommodated the sit-in, though informed the students that they must abandon by 5:00 p.m. tomorrow. The students are determined to hold their ground.
The faculty and students will be meeting tomorrow to discuss the appeals process and future steps. The organizations that have called for this protest include DePaul student organizations Students for Justice in Palestine, DePaul Students Against the War, Society for International Affairs, Model United Nations, Campaign to End the Death Penalty, as well as outside groups Palestine Solidarity Committee, Council on American Islamic Relations, and International Socialist Organization.
# # #
More information can be found at http://www.finkelgate.com

 

Media Contact: Victor Lang (312) 576-1888
Media Advisory
For Press Event: 11, 12 June 2007
Place: 22nd Floor, 55 East Jackson, Executive Offices of DePaul University

DePaul Students Sit-In for Academic Freedom

Upset over DePaul University's denial of tenure to Professors Norman Finkelstein, and Mehrene Larudee, and after a meeting between 30 student leaders and DePaul President Fr. Dennis Holtschneider at his office, students have taken action to defend academic freedom which is under attack at the nation's largest Catholic institution. After an unsuccessful meeting where their demands were ignored by the administration, DePaul students are continuing their sit-in overnight and through this week at the President's office and plan to escalate action among the student body.

Student leaders called for Fr. Holtschneider to grant the professors tenure. They presented him with a petition of over 700 signatures calling for a reversal of the decision, and engaged in a heated discussion on the legitimacy of the university's decision. The decision made at the secretive University-level overturned the tenure decisions made at the Departmental and College-levels, which approved Finkelstein's position by votes of 9-3 and 5-0, respectively. Students were surprised by Larudee's rejection as she was unanimously approved by both the Departmental and University level tenure committees. The student leaders cite Finkelstein and Larudee's positive peer reviewed scholarship and flaws in the tenure process as reasons why they should receive tenure. Denial of tenure to the professors means their employment at DePaul will be terminated.

Finkelstein, son of holocaust survivors and outspoken critic of oppressive Israeli policy in Palestine, has come under attack from detractors like Harvard law professor Alan Dershowitz, who seeks to silence critics of Israel and has successfully interfered in internal DePaul tenure processes. Despite being in the midst of their hectic finals-week and upcoming graduation, student leaders are currently sacrificing their time by occupying the Executive Offices of DePaul University indefinitely until their demands for the tenure of Professors Finkelstein and Larudee are met.