[Marxism] Fwd: Prof. Joel Kovel Fired from Bard College for Work as Anti-Zionist]

[Gary MacLennan <gary.maclennan1@xxxxxxxxx>]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: President <presiden@xxxxxxxx>
Date: Thu, Feb 26, 2009 at 12:59 PM
Subject: Re: [Marxism] Prof. Joel Kovel Fired from Bard College for Work as
Anti-Zionist]
To: gary.maclennan1@xxxxxxxxx


Thank you for writing. Professor Kovel was not fired, and most certainly not
for any political views he may or may not hold. After fifteen years of
serving as the full-time occupant of a non-tenured endowed chair, he
voluntarily assumed part-time status in 2004. At that time he received a
five-year contract, with the understanding that after those five years the
college reserved the right to renew his position on a year-to-year basis. He
knew it was possible that his position might not be renewed after the
2008–2009 academic year. In consultation with faculty, Bard elected not to
renew Professor Kovel’s contract because, like all colleges, it faces severe
fiscal constraints and is doing everything it can to preserve the employment
of its full-time faculty. Professor Kovel enjoyed a fine and productive
career at Bard for more than twenty years. We are sorry for and astonished
at his allegations, which have no basis in fact.

Cordially,
Leon Botstein
President, Bard College


Dear President Leon Botstein,

>
>
> I was shocked to learn of your decision to terminate the contract of
> Professor Kovel. I readily believe that it was because he had developed
> a critique of Zionism, one which a growing number of the decent people
> on this planet share.
>
> You have discarded one of the most important intellectuals of our time
> for the sake of a brutal colonial ideology,
>
> Shame on you sir.
>
> Sincerely
>
> Dr Gary MacLennan
> Institute for Social Ecology
> Brisbane
>
>
>
>
>
> <president@xxxxxxxx <mailto:president@xxxxxxxx>.
> Executive Vice-President Dimitri Papadimitriou
> <papadimitriou@xxxxxxxx <mailto:papadimitriou@xxxxxxxx>>
>
>
>
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