We are faculty, students, and staff at Temple University writing in support of Marc Lamont Hill's
academic freedom to express his views on the Israeli occupation of Palestine. We thought his
arguments were passionate, considered, and thoughtful, and that they respected the humanity of
Palestinians and Israelis. Regardless of whether we agree or disagree with him, we support his
freedom to espouse his views.
Temple University's contract with professors states that: "When [a professor] speaks or writes as
a citizen, he/she should be free from institutional censorship or discipline; but...he/she should at
all times be accurate, should exercise appropriate restraint, should show respect for the opinions
of others, and should make every effort to indicate that he/she is not speaking for the institution."
Professor Hill's speech at the United Nations meets this standard. We must note the irony that
for all the outrage his speech elicited from some members of the Temple community, neither he
nor the committee chair who introduced him ever mentioned Hill's affiliation with Temple
University. Hill was clearly not presenting his views as representing those of Temple University
nor would anyone construe them as such.
Patrick O'Connor, chair of Temple University's board of trustees, disagrees. He is quoted in the
Philadelphia Inquirer, calling Hill's views "disgusting" and "hate speech", claiming that "no one
at Temple is happy with [Hill's] comments". He tasked Temple administrators with looking into
ways to discipline and perhaps even fire Marc Lamont Hill.
We respect O'Connor's right to express his own views on the Israeli occupation. But if anyone is
guilty of violating Temple's clause on academic freedom, it is O'Connor. His comments were
not restrained, he did not show respect for Hill's opinions, and he flagrantly misrepresented his
views as those of everyone at Temple. Most egregiously, O'Connor undermined academic
freedom by implying that firing Hill was desirable and/or in process. Academic freedom is a
bedrock principle of academia. O'Connor has betrayed that principle and we have no confidence
in his leadership of the board.
Josh Klugman
Quaiser Abdullah
Max Andrucki
Carol Brandt
Michelle Byng
James Byrnes
Donna Coffman
Gretchen Condran
Maia Cucchiara
James Earl Davis
Sara Goldrick-Rab
Kimberly Goyette
Shanta Hattikudur
Annemarie Hindman
Will Jordan

Avi Kaplan
Andrew Karpinski
Robert L. Kaufman
Dustin Kidd
Lauren Kogen
Doug Lombardi
Ben Marcus
Nora Newcombe
Catherine Panzarella
Benjamin Safran
Adrienne Shaw
Rebecca Siegel
Mary Stricker
Ronald Taylor
Kelsei Thomas
Rani Vasudeva
Marsha Weinraub
Kimberly Williams
Matt Wray
Lu Zhang

(email contact: josh.klugman@gmail.com)
Faculty Signatures: 32
(updated 20181206 1512)