Tampabay: Faculty leaders refuse to back Al-Arian firing

One University of South Florida professor delivered a pointed lecture on the bad things that happen when universities fail to protect academic freedom. Others rose to say that academic freedom should offer no protection to Sami Al-Arian, the professor whose controversial statements had brought them here in the first place.

But after more than two hours of debate Wednesday, a sizable majority of USF faculty leaders voted against a motion that would have endorsed president Judy Genshaft's recent move to fire Al-Arian, a tenured professor at USF for 16 years.

Instead, the Faculty Senate approved a resolution calling for the creation of a committee of professors to help deal with faculty discipline.

Genshaft said afterward that she has no idea what she might do with such a committee. She shrugged off the other vote, which some of the professors characterized as a vote of no confidence in her decision.

"I didn't hear any slant against me as a president," she said.

Supporters of Al-Arian said the vote sent a clear message to Genshaft and the university trustees who urged her to terminate Al-Arian, whom federal authorities have several times linked to terrorists.

"I feel proud of USF faculty for doing what is right," said Al-Arian's wife, Nahla, who sat in the packed meeting room, straining to contain her irritation at many of the comments. "It's a good day for academic freedom."

So went the latest chapter in the angry battle over Al-Arian, a Palestinian-born computer engineer who has become the most divisive figure in USF's 46-year history.

He has been banned from USF's campus since late September, when he appeared on the Fox News Channel's The O'Reilly Factor. The show's report on his ties to terrorists -- allegations he has vehemently denied -- elicited hundreds of angry phone calls to USF and at least a dozen death threats.

A private lawyer hired by the university said those threats, and subsequent disruption to university operations, were adequate grounds for dismissing Al-Arian.

Attorney Tom Gonzalez said the controversy was alienating alumni and hurting fundraising. Genshaft said federal officials were questioning USF's ability to conduct antibioterrorism research, which brings in millions of dollars in contracts and grants.

State lawmakers were complaining. So were students and parents.

But Genshaft told faculty leaders Wednesday that Al-Arian's dismissal had nothing to do with academic freedom. She said it was about his violations of the collective bargaining agreement that governs faculty employment.

The agreement allows disciplinary action to be taken if a professor's activities affect the legitimate interests of the university, Genshaft said.

That constitutes "misconduct," she said.

"With academic freedom comes academic duty: a set of obligations that professors owe to others," Genshaft said.

She had support among some of the 60 senators, all of whom are elected by their colleagues. About 2,500 professors, instructors and lecturers work at USF's four campuses.

Some noted Al-Arian's ties to the World and Islam Studies Enterprises, an Islamic think tank that was based at USF until 1995, when it was raided by the FBI. A former head of the organization, Ramadan Shallah, later became the leader of Palestinian Islamic Jihad, a terrorist group.

Some pointed to his vocal support for Palestinians who are fighting what they consider to be Israeli occupation.

"Victory to Islam. Death to Israel," Al-Arian said in a speech he gave more than a decade ago.

"This isn't about academic freedom. It's about racism and hate by some people who have an agenda," said Steven Brem, a professor in USF's medical school.

"As far as I know, hate is not protected by academic freedom," said Joseph Kools, who teaches Army ROTC. "If we condone this, what happens next? Who do we get to hate next?"

But many of the senators were at least as concerned about the way in which Al-Arian's firing was handled.

An emergency meeting of the board of trustees was called with less than 24 hours' notice. It happened during winter break, when most of the faculty members were on vacation.

Many senators see that as proof that the new governing board, which is made up largely of businesspeople, has little respect for faculty comment or academic freedom.

Some see even darker motives.

Nancy Jane Tyson, a former president of the Faculty Senate, told members she thinks the university has deliberately exaggerated the security concerns generated by Al-Arian's public statements.

As evidence, she offered a police report on a death threat against Al-Arian called into USF's computer science department one day after his appearance on The O'Reilly Factor.

She said the university never disclosed that the caller phoned again about a half-hour later to apologize for the threat.

University police Sgt. Michael Klingbeil confirmed the report, but said there were other, continuing security concerns related to Al-Arian.

Al-Arian has until Monday to respond to the letter Genshaft sent him announcing her intention to fire him. His attorney said he will put up a fight.

Meanwhile, USF's faculty union is scheduled to meet today to discuss whether to file a chapter grievance protesting the university's action.

USF's case against Sami Al-Arian

The university has received so many threats involving Al-Arian that it cannot guarantee his safety or that of students, faculty and staff.

He violated his employment contract by failing to make clear that remarks made in off-campus speeches reflected personal views and not those of the university.

He violated an agreement with USF administrators by returning to campus after being put on paid leave.

Fundraising, student recruitment and faculty grants have been hurt by the controversy surrounding his continued employment.

The ongoing security concerns make it impossible for him to fulfill his teaching obligations.

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