Despite emotional words from a University instructor and a professor, the University Senate on Wednesday again decided that it should not pass motions regarding U.S. foreign policy.
Ali Emami, instructor of finance in the College of Business, proposed a motion condemning U.S. military involvement in Iran, saying that military action there would be constitutionally illegal, viewed by “most of the world as unjustified,” kill or mutilate untold numbers of people and could escalate into a third world war.
It’s not the first time University governing bodies have debated the idea of taking stances on international issues. In late 2002, University biology professor emeritus Frank Stahl unsuccessfully attempted to pass a motion opposing U.S. military involvement in Iraq. Last year, the ASUO Student Senate also proposed a motion, which eventually failed, condemning U.S. military actions in Iran.
As in previous years, the proposal was shot down because of senators’ concerns over the group’s purview, which University Senate President Jeffrey Hurwit said should only be related to matters directly involving the University.
The mission of the University Senate is to “question and advise the administration in important matters, set student standards in terms of conduct and protect the academic mission of the University as a whole,” Hurwit said.
Stahl said the motion is in the purview of the Senate because the University is directly involved in U.S. militarism because it receives research funding from the Department of Defense.
“Since the University is already a gung-ho supporter of the American military, it is quite appropriate to consider whether or not that military is being used correctly, or if it is on the threshold of being abused by being sent on a mission very likely to lead to its destruction, if not the destruction of the entire world,” he said.
Emami agreed, and said the University should also be teaching its students that current U.S. foreign policy is “bad.”
“We the University of Oregon say we are transforming lives,” he said. “So please take the politics out of this. Think about this country. If you care about the United States of America, there are better ways to make our military. That’s what we are going to tell our students. That’s how we are going to help them change their lives.”
Nevertheless, a secondary motion calling for the Senate to have purview to pass motions on matters of international policy failed 7-17.
Also at the meeting, University Legal Counsel Melinda Grier reported that the University had not received subpoenas regarding the USA Patriot Act. Biology professor Nathan Tublitz temporarily retracted a motion that would allow University classified employees to become voting members of the Senate. Classified employees are currently ineligible because it is not part of their contract with the University. Tublitz said classified employees should gain this right during contract bargaining next year.
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