An Open Letter to the USC Community on Supporting Zionist Students at USC
August 30, 2020
We, the undersigned faculty of USC, have followed the case of Rose Ritch and her resignation from student government with great dismay. As described in the supportive statement by President Folt and fully detailed in the statement by the Alliance for Academic Freedom of August 24th, Rose Ritch was subjected to vicious online harassment, and her qualification to hold elected office was questioned on the basis of her professed Zionism.
We find it unacceptable that such blatant discrimination on the basis of a student's belief, identity, or national origin could take place on our campus.
We reject in the strongest possible terms any and all attempts to associate Zionism with such inflammatory accusations as racism, colonialism, and white supremacy, which are diametrically antithetical to Zionist ideas and aims. We are appalled that such characterizations of Zionism were the basis for calls for Rose Ritch’s resignation, and continue to be voiced by certain organizations on this campus.
As supporters of the Zionist idea — the right of the Jewish people to a homeland and self-determination—we stand by the rights of all people, including Israelis and Palestinians, to freedom, dignity and peaceful coexistence, and to advocate for their causes with fairness and respect on our campus and in the world.
Contentious issues concerning the Middle East conflict must be engaged by encouraging students to study the history of the conflict and to participate in discussions regarding its possible resolution. Only in that way can USC foster a campus culture that is truly inclusive and respectful of diversity.
As dedicated members of the USC faculty, we are concerned about the long-term impact of Rose Ritch's resignation on the morale and well-being of supporters, or presumed supporters, of the State of Israel. This includes Jewish students, faculty, and staff at USC, dedicated contributors to this campus’s excellence and visibility, whose fitness to continue their service may come under attack. We call on our university’s leadership to uphold the values of open and civilized debate, so that USC can continue its mission of fostering excellence in education and advancing knowledge in a civil and respectful manner.
Respectfully,
ROBERT ADLER, MD, MS.Ed., Chief Medical Officer, CHLA Health System, Senior Advisor to the Chair of Pediatrics
LISA AZIZ-ZADEH, Associate Professor of Psychology and Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy
YEHUDA BEN-ZION, Professor of Earth Sciences, Director of Southern California Earthquake Center
JACK M. BERGER, MS, MD, Ph.D, Professor Emeritus of Clinical Anesthesiology
LISA M. BITEL, Dean's Professor of Religion and Professor of History
DION DICKMAN, Associate Professor of Biological Sciences
URI ELKAYAM, MD, Professor of Medicine
SUSAN R. ESTRICH, Robert Kingsley Professor of Law and Political Science
DONALD FEINSTEIN, MD, MACP, Professor of Medicine Emeritus
HENRYK FLASHNER, Professor, Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering
MYRON F. GOODMAN, Professor Biological Sciences and Chemistry
MIKE GRUNTMAN, Professor of Astronautics
JEFFREY B. HIRSCH, Adjunct Professor, Annenberg School for Communications & Journalism
STUART J. HOFFMAN, D.M.D., MS, Adjunct Clinical Professor, Division of Orthodontics, Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry
ELLIS HOROWITZ, Professor of Computer Science & Electrical Engineering
GABRIEL KAHN, Professor of Professional Practice
ANNA I. KRYLOV, Professor of Chemistry, Member, International Academy of Quantum Molecular Science
PAT LEVITT, PhD, Chief Scientific Officer, Vice President and Director, The Saban Research Institute, Simms/Mann Chair in Developmental Neurogenetics, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. WM Keck Provost Professor of Neurogenetic, Keck School of Medicine
RICHARD LUBMAN, MD, Associate Professor of Medicine
DINA MAYZLIN, Professor of Marketing
GERARD MEDIONI, Professor Emeritus of Computer Science
JERRY MENDEL, Emeritus Professor of Electrical Engineering
DAPHNA OYSERMAN, Dean's Professor of Psychology
RICHARD S. PANUSH, MD, Master, American College of Physicians, Master, American College of Rheumatology, Professor of Medicine
STEFAN POLLACK, Adjunct Professor, Annenberg School of Communications
HANNA REISLER, Lloyd Armstrong Jr. Professor in Science and Engineering
MICHAEL RENOV, The Haskell Wexler Endowed Chair in Documentary, Professor of Cinema & Media Studies, Vice Dean, Academic Affairs, School of Cinematic Arts
STEVEN RICHEIMER, MD, Chief, Division of Pain Medicine, Professor of Anesthesiology & Psychiatry
REMO ROHS, Professor and Section Head, Quantitative and Computational Biology
ILAN ROTSTEIN, Professor and Chair, Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry
LUCILLE ROTSTEIN, Clinical Associate Professor, Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry
DAN SCHNUR, Adjunct Professor, Annenberg School of Communications
HAROLD SLAVKIN, Professor and Dean Emeritus, Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry
DOUGLAS C. SOLOW, DDS, MBA, G. Donald Montgomery Professor of Dentistry, Associate Dean of Clinical Affairs, Director, Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry Faculty Practice
WILLIAM STOHL, MD, PhD, Master, American College of Rheumatology, Professor of Medicine
ANDREW VITERBI, Presidential Chair Professor of Electrical Engineering, Member, National Academy of Engineering
CHERYL WAKSLAK, Associate Professor of Management and Organization & McAlister Associate Professor in Business Administration
ARIEH WARSHEL, Nobel Laureate, Dana and David Dornsife Chair in Chemistry, Member, National Academy of Sciences
MARK WEINSTEIN, Associate Professor of Finance and Business Economics Emeritus
RUTH WEISBERG, Professor, Roski School of Art and Design
GARY WEXLER, Adjunct Professor, Annenberg School of Communications
ALAN WILLNER, Steven and Kathryn Sample Chair in Engineering, Member, National Academy of Engineering
CURT WITTIG, Paul A. Miller Professor of Letters, Arts and Sciences
VLADIMIR ZELMAN, MD, PhD, Clinical Professor of Anesthesiology, Foreign Member, Russian Academy of Science