Cornell University’s undergraduate Student Assembly on March 12 approved two resolutions sharply critical of the university’s relationship with Israel.
One measure, adopted 19–2 with three abstentions, condemned Cornell’s practice of inviting individuals “implicated in war crimes or serious human rights violations” to campus, citing former Israeli foreign minister Tzipi Livni as an example. The resolution called on the university to adopt “clear, transparent and enforceable standards” for vetting potential speakers’ human rights records.
A second resolution, passed 17–5, urged Cornell to end its institutional partnership with the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, one of Israel’s leading research universities. It said members of the Cornell community have raised “serious ethical concerns” about the Technion’s role in developing military and surveillance technologies, and called for an independent ethical review of international partnerships.
Cornell operates Cornell Tech on Roosevelt Island in New York City in collaboration with the Technion, which jointly awards graduate degrees.
“As a Student Assembly representative, I am upset that many members of this body chose to ignore Jewish students’ concerns about rising antisemitism when resolutions like these are introduced, prioritizing symbolic statements over listening to the students they represent,” Hayden Spector, a senior majoring in chemical engineering, told JNS.
Davian Gekman, a junior in industrial and labor relations, told JNS that the vote was “disappointing but not surprising.” He said that SJP and other anti-Israel groups “have remained silent about Iranians fighting for their freedom” while “proceeding with their vote targeting the Jewish community on campus on the same day as a terror attack on a Michigan synagogue,” referring to the attack on Reform congregation Temple Israel in Detroit.
Both resolutions will be forwarded to Cornell President Michael Kotlikoff, who may accept, reject or modify them.
