We took “Gaza, Indigeneity, Resistance” — Professor Cheyfitz’ suspension is a completely unmerited violation of academic freedom.
Over the course of the spring semester, Professor Cheyfitz taught us about Indigenous sovereignty and led us in discussions on comparative histories of settler colonialism. We analyzed Palestinian poetry and understood U.N. definitions of genocide. The approximately 13-person seminar was held in a small meeting room on the top floor of Caldwell Hall, home to the American Indian and Indigenous Studies Program.
For a few classes, we were joined by Computer Science PhD student Oren Renard. While every other member of the class demonstrated a shared commitment to being part of an academic community of questions and dialogue, it was immediately clear that Oren had come to disrupt. In one instance, while we were engaged in a discussion about the Geneva Convention on Genocide, he began an abrupt and irrelevant tirade unequivocally justifying Israel’s bombing of Gaza. With his interjections, it was obvious that Renard did not join the class to engage in discussions about the reading material or have good-faith conversations about indigeneity and genocide. Renard's participation in the course led only to tension and stood in the way of other students' ability to participate in class conversations freely and without judgement.
Many of us were particularly disturbed by these incidents and approached Professor Cheyfitz with fears that we were being recorded with the intention of doxxing us later. Renard‘s actions even led a Palestinian student to drop the class — because they felt that Prof. Cheyfitz was actually being too tolerant in his interactions with Renard, allowing his disruptions to take up excessive class time.
By the next class, Prof. Cheyfitz informed us that he had spoken to the graduate student and that he had agreed not to return.
From then, as the daylight grew longer, we studied works from Israeli scholars and historical figures: Ilan Pappe, Theodore Herzl, Shlomo Sand, Gideon Levy. We read Nick Estes’ in-depth examination of centuries of Indigenous resistance in North America. We absorbed wisdom from Palestinian academics and writers: Rashid Khalidi, Mosab Abu Toha, Adania Shibli. Most of our conversations were student-led, as Professor Cheyfitz occasionally jumped in with relevant context or steered us towards interesting passages.
Now, Cornell has suspended Professor Cheyfitz, stripping this university of a unique voice and a thought-provoking perspective. More than anything, our community has lost a teacher who cares deeply about cultivating a productive learning environment for his students.
Professor Cheyfitz’ suspension comes two years into the most recent escalation of the genocide and illegal occupation of the Palestinian people — the history and context of which Cheyfitz himself consistently encouraged us to understand in its entirety to inform our personal perspectives. It also arrives in a moment of harsh and reverberating repression of the pro-Palestine movement, with Cornell students, organizations and now professors being punished for their political views.
This is only possible because Cornell administrators, particularly Provost Bala, have tossed aside any remaining commitment to systems of shared governance and due process.
A six-person panel of Professor Cheyfitz’ peers reviewed letters from students in our class along with other evidence and unanimously rejected any claims of discrimination. When all the procedures were followed, Professor Cheyfitz was cleared, so Provost Bala extrajudicially imposed a temporary suspension against him — the same kind of “interim action” that Christina Liang has used to punish students. While this so-called “recommendation” will be reviewed by another faculty panel, the ultimate decision-making power rests with President Michael Kotlikoff.
President Kotlikoff, the man who condemned “Gaza, Indigeneity, Resistance” before it even began. Almost a year ago, Kotlikoff pre-judged Professor Cheyfitz’ teaching to be “radical, factually inaccurate, and biased.” At that moment, he pre-determined the class’ fate.
We believe that had President Kotlikoff ever attended our class, he would have witnessed conversation, complexity and connection. That, had he ever joined us, he would have seen a manifestation of his own belief that “every voice must be heard and every life valued.”
“At my first history class, / the only students attending / are the future, the present, and the past. / But when I step in, the future gets ready to leave, / while the past is handcuffing the present, / slicing its hamstrings, / and dyeing its clothes gray.” Mosab Abu Toha, History Class.
Signed,
Adriana Vink, Industrial & Labor Relations, Class of 2027
Ellynor Conrad, Human Development, Class of 2027
Amaya Garnenez, Interdisciplinary Studies, Class of 2025
Shantel R. Lavender, Interdisciplinary Studies, Class of 2027
Sumitra Pandit, Industrial & Labor Relations, Class of 2026
Dani Ramos, Computer Science, Class of 2025
James Rand, Environment & Sustainability, Class of 2026
Cannon Cline, Earth & Atmospheric Science, Class of 2025
Adrián Cardona Young, Environmental Engineering, Class of 2026
Adriana Vink is a junior in the School of Industrial and Labor Relations. She can be reached at av535@cornell.edu.
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