Sonoma State University President Placed On Leave
Sonoma State University (SSU) President Ming-Tung “Mike” Lee has been placed on leave after sending a controversial email on Tuesday, announcing an unexpected agreement with anti-Israel protesters. In his email, Lee announced that SSU would be implementing an “academic boycott” of Israel, which would mean the university would not pursue or engage in any study abroad programs with Israeli state institutions, according to reports from The Press Democrat and KCRA.
This was part of four so-called “points of agreement” that Lee agreed to with the protesters in an effort to get them to remove their camp, which they had set up on the school’s Person Lawn to protest Israel. Along with the academic boycott, Lee promised to disclose university vendor contracts and also seek “divestment strategies.” He also committed to creating an advisory council with members from Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), an anti-Israel group.
However, on Wednesday, just one day after Lee sent his initial email, California State University Chancellor Mildred Garcia released a statement denouncing the agreement and stating that it had been sent “without the appropriate approvals.” As a result, Garcia said that Lee had been placed on administrative leave.
According to Garcia’s statement, she and the Board of the university are now actively reviewing the matter and will provide additional details in the near future. She also expressed concern about the impact the statement had on the Sonoma State community, saying it would be “challenging and painful” for many students and community members to read. Emphasizing the mission of the CSU to create an “inclusive and welcoming place for everyone,” Garcia made clear that the university should not be seen as marginalizing any one community over another.
In a later email on Wednesday, Lee announced his leave and admitted that the agreement he made with the protesters was a mistake. He said that his goal in meeting with the students at the encampment was to explore opportunities to create a safe and inclusive campus for all, but now realizes that many of the statements he made “did just the opposite.” Lee also apologized for the harm his actions caused and said that he takes full responsibility for it.
In response to the news, Stephen Bittner, chair of SSU’s history department and director of the Center for the Study of the Holocaust and Genocide, was “completely blindsided.” He told the Press Democrat that the academic boycott of Israel is “atrocious and morally reprehensible” in his view, adding that it goes against the values of scholarly freedom and free exchange that are meant to be at the center of any university.
Following the initial statement from Chancellor Garcia, much backlash was seen online and from various organizations. Hillel International, an organization that supports Jewish students on college campuses, released a statement saying that they are monitoring the situation and that “anytime an academic boycott is proposed or enacted, it is a violation of academic freedom and the core tenets of higher education.” They called for the immediate reversal of the agreement made by Lee.
Similarly, SSU’s Associated Students President Clayton Auld, a senior political science major, said that the organization “respectfully disagrees” with the decision to include SJP in any advisory council, citing their alleged links to terrorist group Hamas. They also expressed concern about the impact the academic boycott would have on students’ ability to study abroad and gain diverse perspectives.
As of now, it remains to be seen what further action will be taken by CSU and SSU regarding Lee’s leave and the controversial agreement made with the anti-Israel protesters. In the meantime, the university is facing criticism from various groups and individuals who condemn the academic boycott and its potential impact on students.