In response to calls for boycott and divestment, a UCSD spokesperson referred to this statement: 'The University of California “has consistently opposed calls for boycott against and divestment from Israel,” a statement from the university’s Office of the President said. “While the University affirms the right of our community members to express diverse viewpoints, a boycott of this sort impinges on the academic freedom of our students and faculty and the unfettered exchange of ideas on our campuses.”' This disingenuous statement misconstrues the specifics of the call for an academic boycott, which focuses on cutting institutional ties, not academic-academic contacts and collaborations. (Specifically: "The BDS National Committee, including Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel, is committed to freedom of expression as stipulated in the United Nations International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and, as such, rejects, on principle, boycotts of individuals based on their opinion or identity (such as citizenship, race, gender, or religion)."
Challenging UCSD's Complicity in Genocide