UCT seeks views on Senate proposal to boycott Israeli academic institutions

Dear members of the UCT community

On 15 March 2019 the UCT Senate adopted a resolution that “UCT will not enter into any formal relationships with Israeli academic institutions operating in the Occupied Palestinian Territories as well as other Israeli academic institutions enabling gross human rights violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territories”.

At its meeting on 30 March 2019, UCT’s Council considered, but did not adopt, the Senate resolution. In the Council’s view, a number of issues required clarification and action. These included an assessment of the sustainability impact of the Senate resolution, paired with a more consultative process. Council resolved to refer the matter back to the Senate.

Senate met again on Friday, 10 May 2019, and agreed to a wider consultative process, which the university executive undertook to facilitate with UCT stakeholders, and which will include a sustainability impact assessment as requested by the Council.

That being the case, the UCT executive is now calling on members of the UCT community to submit their views on the Senate resolution taken at its meeting of 15 March 2019.

The outcome of this consultation, together with a sustainability impact assessment, is intended to be tabled at the next Senate meeting on 13 September 2019.

All UCT stakeholders are invited to submit their comments online: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/UCTcommunityviews_201906

Submissions should not exceed 500 words.

The deadline for submissions is 17:00 on Friday, 21 June 2019. Late submissions will not be considered.

Sincerely

Professor Mamokgethi Phakeng
Vice-Chancellor

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• From the UCT Executive
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