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Teachers union urges USF to restore Al-Arian
By ANITA KUMAR, Times Staff Writer A national teachers union is urging the University of South Florida to return suspended professor Sami Al-Arian to his teaching duties. The American Federation of Teachers, which represents 1.2-million teachers, wrote a letter to USF president Judy Genshaft, supporting Al-Arian and stressing the importance of academic freedom. Al-Arian, who is being investigated for a possible link to terrorism, has been on paid leave since late September for statements he made following the Sept. 11 attacks. Genshaft initially announced that she intended to fire Al-Arian, then delayed the decision. "It is unfair and contrary to the principles of good academic practice to threaten dismissal of tenured professors based on the merit, or lack of merit, of their political views, or their political activities outside the classroom," union president Sandra Feldman wrote. Another national group, the American Association of University Professors, wrote a similar letter to Genshaft last month, threatening the school with censure if it fired Al-Arian. USF spokesman Michael Reich said the school appreciated the letter and would consider it, along with other information, when making a decision about Al-Arian. Genshaft expects to make a final decision by the time classes begin next month. Al-Arian, a tenured computer science professor, became the focus of death threats after his alleged ties to terrorists were aired on national television a few weeks after the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. Al-Arian was under federal investigation in the mid 1990s, when agents suspected an Islamic think tank he operated at USF was a front for Middle Eastern terrorists. In February, federal authorities said Al-Arian remained under investigation, but they would not elaborate. He has not been charged with a crime. Genshaft has not used the alleged ties to terrorism as a reason for terminating Al-Arian. Instead, she has said he violated contractual agreements and that his presence on campus would jeopardize the safety of students and faculty. She announced her intention to fire Al-Arian after the USF board of trustees voted 12-1 in December that his employment be terminated. But the president then delayed making her final decision, leading some to speculate that she was having second thoughts. Previous coverage:The Al-Arian argument, March 3, 2002 Peers weigh Al-Arian matter, March 16, 2002 Thousands support firing Al-Arian, May 7, 2002 Professors' group may censure USF over Al-Arian, June 9, 2002
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