My friend Eve Weinbaum—a professor of sociology who was, until recently, the director of the Labor Center at the University of Masschusetts—sent out this call about the Labor Center. I’ve known Eve for a quarter-century. She’s one of the most dedicated and talented educator/organizers I know. While I recognize that people may feel uncertain about weighing in on a campus conflict when they don’t know the players, there are few people in academia or the labor movement I trust more or hold in higher regard. Virtually everyone who knows Eve and her work feels the same way. I ask that you read her note carefully, take its contents seriously, and then take immediate action, along the lines of what she requests. Thanks. Corey * * * * * […]
UMass issued the following announcement today: The University of Massachusetts Amherst today announced that it will accept Iranian students into science and engineering programs, developing individualized study plans to meet the requirements of federal sanctions law and address the impact on students. The decision to revise the university’s approach follows consultation with the State Department and outside counsel. “This approach reflects the university’s longstanding commitment to wide access to educational opportunities,” said Michael Malone, vice chancellor for research and engagement. “We have always believed that excluding students from admission conflicts with our institutional values and principles. It is now clear, after further consultation and deliberation, that we can adopt a less restrictive policy.” Federal law, the Iran Threat Reduction and […]
These are just some of the kinds of students that the University of Massachusetts at Amherst has decided will no longer be allowed to apply (h/t Ali Gharib): They were teenagers living in Tehran when the Twin Tower’s fell at the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001, but what they saw haunted them even 6,000 miles away. Now as doctoral students at the University of Massachusetts, Soroush Farzinmoghadam with the help of Nariman Mostafavi and others have designed a tribute to that day – an installation that will be on display in the Campus Center through Feb. 27. Farzinmoghadam created “UMass 9/11 Intervention” for his master’s thesis in architecture. He is also a doctoral student in regional planning. The installation’s dimensions […]
My sister Melissa just sent me a piece from today’s Boston Globe on the UMass Iranian student situation. The big blockbuster in the piece is this: The college’s new policy, which appears to be rare if not unique among US universities, appeared to catch the US State Department by surprise… The State Department had no idea that this policy was in the offing, and more important, seems to believe or suggest that the policy may be unnecessary. A US State Department official said that the department was aware of news reports about the UMass decision but that there had been no changes in federal policy regarding Iranian students and he could not say why UMass would change its policy. The department will […]