UBC Professors Taking School to Court Over ‘Political’ Actions by Administration

A group of professors at the University of British Columbia say the school is wrongfully engaging in “political activity” by using indigenous land acknowledgments, promoting equity and inclusion initiatives and by taking positions on the Israel-Palestine conflict.

A petition filed in B.C. Supreme Court alleges UBC is stifling academic freedom by making statements in support or condemnation of Israel or Palestine and requiring job applicants to agree with the principles of diversity, equity and inclusion.

The petitioners, which include philosophy professor Andrew Irvine, English professor Michael Treschow and others, say in the action that the university should be prohibited from declaring that it is on “unceded indigenous” land.

The court petition says the school is violating the University Act’s provision requiring it to be “non-political in principle” by taking positions that put “pressure” on faculty, students and others to conform to the university’s public statements.

The document says the policies have potential to threaten “academic freedom” should faculty or students disagree that the university is on unceded indigenous land, that hiring decisions shouldn’t be based on “merit” or that the actions of Israel or Hamas “are politically or morally justified.”

The petitioners want the court to order the university to stop declaring it’s on unceded indigenous land, from making statements on the morality or lawfulness of the Israel-Palestine conflict and from requiting job applicants to declare support for “diversity, equity and inclusion doctrines.”

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