DePaul Academic Freedom Committee

Draft resolution submitted to the US Social Forum, July 1 2007.

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We, the students of DePaul University attending the US Social Forum
2007, declare that DePaul University is in violation of its own mission
to guarantee academic freedom, and is demonstrating disregard for the
fundamental values of freedom of speech and social justice.

DePaul University denied tenure to Dr. Norman Finkelstein (Political
Science Department) and Dr. Mehrene Larudee (International Studies
Program) after both were approved with overwhelming support at the
faculty and college levels. Students, rallying in support of their
professors, were quickly silenced by the administration. While
conducting a three-day sit-in, students were threatened with arrest
and/or expulsion, and forced to leave by University employees. The
University's response to the student protests constitutes a flagrant
violation of freedom of speech on campus. The actions of DePaul's
administration promote an atmosphere of censorship and create an
unhealthy environment for its faculty, staff, and students.

Furthermore, Dr. Finkelstein's analysis of the Israeli-Palestinian
conflict serves to foster necessary discussion, debate, and dialogue,
all of which are critical to any realization of social justice. DePaul
University's actions, exemplified by the conduct of both President Fr.
Dennis Holtschneider and Dean of Liberal Arts & Sciences Charles
Suchar, demonstrate its lack of commitment to academic freedom, freedom
of speech, and social justice.

The University's conduct demonstrates a profound lack of respect for
essential members of the DePaul community - students. Students
concerned with the administration's conduct banded together to form the
DePaul Academic Freedom Committee (AFC). AFC addressed their concerns
to Fr. Dennis Holtschneider in writing, but received no reply.

On August 24th, less than two weeks before the beginning of the
2007-2008 academic year, Dr. Finkelstein was involuntarily placed on
administrative leave. Dr. Finkelstein and his students were notified
that his classes were canceled, despite having a contractually granted
terminal year to teach, as is customary when a professor is denied
tenure.

On September 5th, the first day of classes, Dr. Finkelstein and DePaul
University reached a settlement and Dr. Finkelstein agreed to resign.
The public statement reads: "Except for this statement there will be no
public comment regarding the resolution of our controversy or the terms
of our agreement". But DePaul has yet to address the concerns of its
students or faculty. DePaul may have reached a settlement with Dr.
Finkelstein, but there are many additional parties to this controversy
whose concerns the University must address if it wishes to repair the
damage done to its relationships with the greater DePaul community and
its reputation as an academic institution.

DePaul's statement continues: "With this issue behind us, we can once
again turn our full attention and energy to discharging our most
important duty: the education of DePaul students, who have placed in us
their trust and faith." In light of the University's unwillingness to
maintain open and consistent dialogue with students, this statement is
problematic. The University has squandered what trust and faith
students may have placed in it. We request that the University actively
work to repair these damaged relationships and set the following
guidelines below as steps the University must take if it intends to be
serious in this endeavor:

We demand an official, public apology to the students, the faculty, the
alumni, and those involved and affected by the administration's
decisions.

We demand that the administration respond to the students' concerns,
which were raised in numerous unanswered letters addressed to President
Fr. Dennis Holtschneider and Dean Charles Suchar.

We demand that the decision to deny tenure to Dr. Mehrene Larudee be
reversed and that the appeals process be free and open to public
scrutiny.

We ask for the support of other organizations dedicated to academic
freedom, freedom of speech, and social justice to join in the fight to
protect these values. Please help by consulting
www.academicfreedomchicago.org and www.normanfinkelstein.com for more
information. If you feel strongly that DePaul has acted in violation of
these values please contact the University's President at
president@depaul.edu.