Illinois Profs Demand Reinstatement of Steven Salaita Over Anti-Israel Tweets
Executive officers at the University of Illinois called for the reinstatement of a professor whose job offer was rescinded over his anti-Israel tweets.
The 41 department heads, chairs and directors in an open letter published Sunday said Acting Chancellor Barbara Wilson and President Timothy Killeen should call for the reinstatement of Steven Salaita at the next board meeting, on Sept. 10, the Daily Illini student newspaper reported.
Phyllis Wise resigned as chancellor about two weeks ago after being implicated in a scandal over hidden emails involving the rescinding of the job offer.
Last summer, the university announced that Salaita would be joining the faculty. Wise revoked the appointment, however, after being made aware of Twitter posts by Salaita attacking Israel and its U.S. supporters in harsh language during Israel’s operation in Gaza last summer. The tweets appeared on Salaita’s personal account.
Donors to the university reportedly had complained about the tweets and called on the university to rescind the a
I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.
Now more than ever, American Jews need independent news they can trust, with reporting driven by truth, not ideology. We serve you, not any ideological agenda.
At a time when other newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall and invested additional resources to report on the ground from Israel and around the U.S. on the impact of the war, rising antisemitism and the protests on college campuses.
Readers like you make it all possible. Support our work by becoming a Forward Member and connect with our journalism and your community.
Make a gift of any size and become a Forward member today. You’ll support our mission to tell the American Jewish story fully and fairly.
— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO
Join our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.
