When Hatred Goes Viral, So Should Gratitude

While the American Studies Association (ASA) was deciding to help put Israel into an academic ghetto, something was happening behind our backs – something by no means insidious, but, rather, redemptive.

The academic world did not stay silent. Quite the contrary. To date, twenty-five American universities have refused to join the ASA boycott. In many cases, they have also issued strongly worded protests against the Association’s actions. (Editor's Note: this article went live just before January 1. As of January 2, more than 100 universities have now joined those listed here. For a complete list of universities, see the link in the comments box below).

Here are the names of the presidents or chancellors of each university, along with their contact information. It is not enough to scream “gevalt” when we have been wounded. We also have to scream “thank you” to those who are our friends, to those who stood up for truth, to those who have refused to have their educational institutions seduced by the  all too common siren song of anti-Israelism. We need to thank those institutions, especially if we are alumni of them, and/or our children or grandchildren attend them.

This is the mitzvah of hakarat ha-tov – calling out, recognizing the good. Thank these university officials for their universities’ courage in standing up to the ASA. Thank them for their commitment to truth and to intellectual honesty. Thank them for the generosity of spirit that they demonstrated towards the State of Israel.

Boston University. Dr. Robert A. Brown, President. John and Kathryn Silber Administrative Center, 1 Silber Way (8th Floor), Boston, MA. 02215. president@bu.edu

Brandeis University. Fred Laurence, President. Office of the President, Irving Enclave 113, MS 100, 415 South Street, Waltham, MA 02453  

Brown University. Christina Paxson, President. Office of the President, Brown University, Box 1860, 1 Prospect Street, Providence, RI 02912

Cornell University. David J. Skorton, President. Office of the President, 300 Day Hall, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853. president@cornell.edu

Dickinson College. Nancy A. Roseman, President. Dickinson College, Post Office Box 1773, Carlisle, PA 17013. presofc@dickinson.edu

Duke University. Richard A. Brodhead, President. Office of the President, Duke University, 207 Allen Building, Box 90001, Durham, NC 27708-0001.  president@duke.edu

George Washington University. Steven Knapp, President. Rice Hall, 2121 I Street, NW, Suite 801, Washington, DC 20052

Harvard University. Dr. Drew Faust, President. Office of the President, Harvard University, Massachusetts Hall, Cambridge, MA 02138 president@harvard.edu

Indiana University. Michael A. McRobbie, President. Office of the President, Indiana University, Bryan Hall 200, 107 S. Indiana Ave., Bloomington, IN 47405

Michigan State University. Lou Anna K. Simon, President. Office of the President, Michigan State University, 426 Auditorium Road, Hannah Administration Building, Room 450, East Lansing, MI 48824-1046. presmail@msu.edu

New York University. John Sexton, President. Office of the President, New York University, 70 Washington Square South, New York, NY 10012 john.sexton@nyu.edu

Northwestern University. Morton Shapiro, President. 2-130 Rebecca Crown Center, 633 Clark Street, Evanston, Illinois 60208. nu-president@northwestern.edu

Princeton University. Christopher L. Eisgruber, President. Office of the President, 1 Nassau Hall, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544

Tulane University. Scott S. Cowen, President. Tulane University, 218 Gibson Hall, 6823 St. Charles Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70118-5684

University of California-Irvine. Michael V. Drake, MD, Chancellor. University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697 chancellor@uci.edu

University of California-San Diego. Praddep K. Khosia, chancellor-elect. Office of the Chancellor, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive # 0005, La Jolla, California 92093-0005. chancellor@ucsd.edu

University of Kansas. Bernadette Gray-Little, Chancellor. Chancellor's Office, University of Kansas, 230 Strong Hall, Lawrence, KS 66045-7518. chancellor@ku.edu  

University of Maryland. Wallace D. Loh, President. University of Maryland, 1101 Main Administration Building, College Park, MD 20742-6105 president@umd.edu

University of Pennsylvania. Amy Gutmann, President. Office of the President, University of Pennsylvania, 1 College Hall, Room 100, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6380. presweb@pobox.upenn.edu

University of Pittsburgh. Mark Nordenberg, Chancellor. University of Pittsburgh, 107 Cathedral of Learning, Pittsburgh, PA 15260

University of Texas-Austin. William Powers, Jr., President. Office of the President, 110 Inner Campus Drive, Stop G3400, Austin, TX. 78712-3400

Washington University in St. Louis. Mark Stephen Wrighton, Chancellor. Campus Box 1192, One Brookings Drive, St. Louis, MO 63130 wrighton@wustl.edu

Wesleyan University. Michael S. Roth, President. 229 High Street, Middletown, CT. 06459. presoffice@wesleyan.edu

Willamette University. Stephen E. Thorsett, President. 900 State Street, Salem, Oregon 97301 president@willamette.edu

Yale University. Peter Salovey, President. President's Office, Yale University, PO Box 208229, New Haven, CT 06520-8229  presidents.office@yale.edu

Rabbi Jeffrey K. Salkin, a guest writer for WexnerLEADS, presently serves as the spiritual leader of Temple Beth Am in Bayonne, New Jersey. Rabbi Salkin’s numerous books, including Putting God on the Guest List: How to Reclaim The Spiritual Meaning of Your Child's Bar or Bat Mitzvah (Jewish Lights Publishing), have dealt with such subjects as work, masculinity, Israel, outreach, and how the Torah speaks to teenagers. His blog is published weekly by the Jewish Journal of Los Angeles. Rabbi Salkin can be reached at jeffsalkin@gmail.com.