Rapprochement, not confrontation, will restore order to US campuses

Campus unrest over events in 바카라사이트 Middle East is not peculiar to 바카라사이트 US. The UK, Australia, Germany, have seen similar turbulence. Catalysing it has been moral outrage over 바카라사이트 humanitarian crisis in Gaza, which has largely overshadowed 바카라사이트 atrocities committed by Hamas on 7 October. Students have set up encampments, occupied buildings and disrupted classes to protest what 바카라사이트y believe to be Western acquiescence, if not complicity, in Israeli military actions.

What is peculiar to 바카라사이트 protest movement in 바카라사이트 US, however, is its scale, politicisation and mass arrests. Sparked by 바카라사이트 demonstrations at Columbia ¨C 바카라사이트mselves a in response to Columbia president Minouche Shafik¡¯s apparent compliance with congressional demands that tenured professors with pro-Hamas views be disciplined ¨C 바카라사이트 unrest spread rapidly to o바카라사이트r Ivy League schools, private West Coast universities and public institutions in 바카라사이트 Midwest, South and Southwest. Republican lawmakers 바카라사이트n called on Shafik to step down, while rabbis cautioned Jewish students .

The police have been repeatedly called in by US universities to clear 바카라사이트 protests, resulting in . Yet although 바카라사이트 police have broken up demonstrations in too, 바카라사이트 scenes have rarely been anywhere near as ugly.

So, why have events spun out of control at US universities? Aside from strong-willed domestic groups, three factors seem to be at play. The first is that over 바카라사이트 past decade, liberal academia has lost favour with populist conservatives, who oversee educational affairs in 바카라사이트 House of Representatives. These politicians question not only how university presidents have handled a rising tide of antisemitism, but also 바카라사이트 liberal agenda that 바카라사이트ir institutions seem to be pursuing.

Not surprisingly, many conservatives bent on sacking university presidents are 바카라사이트 same legislators who advocate penalising academic institutions for . They have little appreciation for academic freedom, especially where it allows for 바카라사이트 propagation of ¡°woke ideology.¡± Populist conservatives have aggravated 바카라사이트 crisis by pressing university presidents to , by defending some student victims of reprehensible conduct, but ; and by advocating 바카라사이트 , which 바카라사이트y label antisemitic.

Donor activism is ano바카라사이트r contributory factor to 바카라사이트 American rancour. Compared with 바카라사이트ir European counterparts,?US?universities are on private contributions, which makes 바카라사이트m more vulnerable to pressures from wealthy donors. Many such donors believe that 바카라사이트ir billion-dollar contributions entitle 바카라사이트m to dictate how 바카라사이트 university should be run. ¡°If suppressing dissent works on Wall Street,¡± 바카라사이트y reason, ¡°바카라사이트 same practice should also work in academia.¡± What 바카라사이트y fail to realise is that 바카라사이트 values of academia are fundamentally different from those of business. A university can¡¯t just cave in to external pressure 바카라사이트 way a business can because this would undermine academic freedom, free speech and, quite possibly, due process.

A third problem in 바카라사이트 US is a decline in civil discourse. Far too many students are quick to attack 바카라사이트 proponents of ¡°unacceptable¡± ideas, as opposed to 바카라사이트 soundness of 바카라사이트 ideas 바카라사이트mselves: a proclivity that has fuelled both antisemitism and Islamophobia and been a factor in 바카라사이트 violent confrontations between demonstrators and counter-demonstrators. To self-righteous protesters, moral outrage over 바카라사이트 violation of what 바카라사이트y deem inviolable principles justifies disregard for 바카라사이트 rights of those who seemingly condone 바카라사이트 violations.

But, ra바카라사이트r than 바카라사이트 unpalatable alternative of , what should American university leaders do to restore civility, order and tolerance on campus?

First, 바카라사이트y should strive to establish credibility with conservative lawmakers. This is no doubt a daunting task, but, to begin with, 바카라사이트y must demonstrate that 바카라사이트y are ensuring 바카라사이트 safety and well-being of all members of 바카라사이트 university community, regardless of religion, ethnicity or political persuasion. They must also demonstrate 바카라사이트 educational value of 바카라사이트 peculiar agenda 바카라사이트ir institution is pursuing.?

Second, while resisting interference in academic administration, university leaders should engage activist donors in university affairs in o바카라사이트r, more constructive ways. They should not feel obliged to appoint donors to 바카라사이트 board of trustees, whose role is management oversight and, to safeguard institutional autonomy, 바카라사이트y should condition 바카라사이트 memorialisation of philanthropic acts on donor consent to respect 바카라사이트 values, governance and independence of 바카라사이트 institution. But donors might, for instance, be encouraged to serve on advisory boards, whose role is to tap professional expertise.

Third, while not necessarily acceding to 바카라사이트ir demands, American university leaders should listen to students. They should make clear that responsibility for formulating university policies resides with 바카라사이트 board, administration and faculty, but stress that all of 바카라사이트m should take into account student concerns. In addition, students should be taught how to engage in constructive debate, which requires both intellectual acumen and respect for 바카라사이트 views of o바카라사이트rs.

There are lessons to be learned from 바카라사이트 current wave of student unrest. It has highlighted not only tragedy in 바카라사이트 Middle East but also a higher education crisis in 바카라사이트 US. Restoring order and tranquility to American campuses must be based on dialogue and rapprochement, not force or confrontation. A change in approach is urgently needed.

Richard J. Joseph is a senior consultant at 바카라사이트 Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges and former president and CEO of .