Issuu

QUAKER CAMPUS Oct. 10, 2024

The voice of Whittier College since 1914

Volume 23 — Issue 4

Palestine in Context Faces Backlash from Alumni Piper Guinn NEWS EDITOR This Monday marked the one-year anniversary of Hamas’ attack on Israel, which led to a violent conflict centered in Gaza and marked a dramatic escalation in the decades-long struggle between Israel and Palestine, one that is threatening to conflate into a regional war. The death toll in the region, primarily affecting Palestinian citizens, stands around 42,000, according to AP News, and continues to rise as civilians demand a ceasefire and international leaders scramble to mediate. To provide a safe space for students “to participate in critical discussions but also receive credit at the same time,” Whittier College offered the course titled INTD 190: A new course addresses the relationship between Israel and Palestine. Palestine in Context: Apartheid this ees and forwarded to the Quaker tation; segregation and control; year. This Fall semester, the course Campus, signed by “Save Whittier,” dispossession of land and property; is focused on Apartheid, and next argues that the class “focuses sole- and denial of economic and social semester will shift its focus toward ly on a single source,” making it rights,” which together “amounts Settler Colonialism, both in the his- “biased and inconsistent” with the to Apartheid” against Palestine. torical context of Israel’s relationship College’s tradition “to foster in Apartheid, originally used in the to Palestine. The course is taught by students an appreciation for the context of segregation in South Dr. Rebecca Overmeyer-Velázquez—a complexities of the modern world.” Africa, is the explicit oppression of professor of Sociology—and Dr. “Save Whittier” is the alumni one racial group by another, and Irfana Hashmi—a professor of Mid- group the came together to “share is a violation of international law. dle Eastern and Islamic Studies. information about the leadership The course is based around the Recently, though, some have crisis at the college” during former Amnesty report “because of [its] raised concerns about the course President Linda Oubre’s tenure. long history of advocacy for human and its implications for inclusion The Fall portion of the course rights around the world” and “the at Whittier College. Jennifer Lowe, is based primarily on Amnesty In- depth and breadth of the evidence,” who graduated from Whittier in ternational’s 2022 report: “Isra- according to a joint statement from 1994, takes issue with the INTD el’s Apartheid Against Palestinians: the professors. However, the pro190 course as a Jewish alumnus. Cruel System of Domination and fessors also include “supporting “The title is loaded with misin- Crime Against Humanity.” Am- documents, which represent a wide formation,” she says, shaking her nesty International is a non-gov- range of Israeli Jewish, Palestinhead. “[It] presents a certain slant ernmental organization (NGO) that ian, and international perspectives.” without there being fact.” Lowe—a focuses on international violations The professors mention Israeli mother of two college-aged stu- of human rights. The websites human rights organization B’tselem dents—fears that young people MediaBias/FactCheck and AllSides as a primary source to illustrate the “don’t understand the history of the both place the NGO to the left arguments made by Amnesty Interregion,” and that Whittier is allow- on the political bias spectrum but national. An International Court of ing a biased narrative to be presented. agree that its sources are credible. Justice ruling from this July is anAn email sent by alumni to PresThe 2022 Amnesty report ac- other important text for the course. ident Dillon and the Board of Trust- cuses Israel of “territorial fragmen- The ICJ found Israel guilty of mea-

Whittier Experiences Increase in Student Enrollment Nadia Miller GRAPHIC DESIGNER

the 2024-25 year. Last school SA became an issue.” In 2023, the year, the College had 225 new FAFSA did not become available students and 813 total enrolled. until December of the same year, This Fall semester at Whittier Students new and returning causing many delays for students, College, students new and old are hail from many diverse back- especially for those that needed roaming the campus, making new grounds. Whittier College is a the financial support sooner to friends and catching up with old Hispanic-serving institution, and determine where they will possiones. Societies are pledging, and 50 percent of current students bly go to school. This caused isthe Poet MoWheel is popping up are Hispanic or Latino. 16 per- sues regarding enrollment at many to engage the new student popu- cent of the student population is colleges around the world, but lation, which is up from last year. White, 5 percent are Black, and Whittier College pulled through. According to Vice President of an additional 5 percent are Asian. Woods cites the “enrollment Strategic Enrollment Management Of the new student population, team, athletics, faculty,” and “stuKen Woods, Whittier College has 57 are international. An additional dent Ambassadors” as “all conseen a 28% increase in enroll- 69 are from out-of-state, and the tribut[ing] a great deal—from ment since Fall of 2023, with 290 other 165 come from California. on-campus events to attending new students coming in this year. “I am very optimistic as we college fairs and high schools.” 16 percent of these are first-gen- continue to grow our student pop- Ambassadors “call[ed] prospective eration college students, and 28 ulation,” Woods states, “We were students and sen[t] hand-written percent are transfer students. running about 58 percent ahead in notes” to connect on a personal In total, there are 768 stu- admitted students as compared to level. As Woods puts it, “It was dents enrolled at the campus for last year,” until the “delay [of] FAF- truly an effort by a full village.”

Index:

plex history of the region,” and has had multiple conversations with the instructors regarding their course. Alumni have further expressed concern about Jewish representation on campus, claiming in their email that the College “discontinue[d] the fully funded program in Judaism and Jewish Studies, returned the endowment provided for Jewish Studies,” and disbanded the Jewish Student Union. Upset at this state of affairs, Lowe says, “As a Jewish student at Whittier, it felt like a very inclusive environment [where there were] very open-minded approaches to all religions.” Fourth-year Carly Mandell, who identifies as Jewish, says she has not experienced any animosity and has “always felt fine being on Courtesy Of Whitter College campus, except for when someone sures that “impose and maintain graffitied a swastika on Stauffer” separation between Palestinians and a few years ago. Mandell says she Israeli settlers” in the West Bank. has experienced harassment “more Some alumni have further ex- on social media than anything.” pressed concern that the course The aforementioned email does not “reveal the depth of closes with three requests. First, it Hamas’ penetration into inter- “call[s] upon Whittier College to renational humanitarian organi- scind the decision made by former zations” and instead “places the -President Linda Oubré to cancel blame for all the horrible injus- the program in Jewish Studies and tices done to the Palestinian ci- reinstate the program immediatevilians solely on Israel” in their ly.” According to President Dillon, email. Lowe agrees, “What I fear “Whittier has never offered a Jewish is happening at Whittier is indoc- Studies program, although courses trination rooted in antisemitism.” on Judaism as well as other world reBecause of the direct focus on ligions have long been offered by the Apartheid and the depth of histor- Department of Religious Studies.” ical study required, the professors Second, the email “call[s] on “don’t actually discuss the current Whittier College to “replace the genocide very much unless students one-sided, biased class INTD 190 bring it up,” according to their with a class that presents a wide statement. The primary goals for spectrum of Palestinian and Musstudents enrolled in “Palestine in lim perspectives.” The professors Context: Apartheid” are to “engage contend that the course is based with literature, research, and theo- on a variety of credible voices. ries, engage productively with peers Professor Hashmi finds it imfrom diverse intersectional back- portant to “reflect on one’s posigrounds,” and “assess the effective- tionality deeply” in her teaching ness of actions taken against this approach while “uphold[ing] a particular system of Apartheid.” commitment to fairness, thoroughJohnna Gaines, a first-year en- ness, and critical analysis.” Professor rolled in the class, sees the situation Overmeyer-Velázquez says that the differently: “The way that the class discipline of sociology includes “an is run gives a lot of opportunities ethical commitment in intellectual for discussion.” While the course is endeavors,” but is dependent upon “definitely focused on the lives of the “reliable data and sound argumenPalestinians,” Gaines agrees that the tation for the benefit of society.” readings and documentaries shown, Finally, the email “call[s] on “give an Israeli perspective as well.” President Dillon to issue a clear In their statement, the profes- statement denouncing Hamas and sors noted, “There could easily be showing her commitment to different negative reactions by stu- peace, tolerance, and equality by dents,” but so far, they say, “we have protecting Jewish students on not encountered this.” Gaines adds, campus from harassment,” citing “The professors would listen to the College’s obligation to prefeedback,” if a student had an issue. vent discrimination under Title IX. Similarly, Whittier College PresIn response to alumni, Presiident Kristine Dillon states, “If dent Dillon has already “thank[ed] [the administration] were to hear them for sharing their concerns, from students that a particular acknowledge[d] how sensitive this course was causing harm […] we subject can be, and affirm[ed] my would take steps to support those commitment to academic freedom students and review the course in and inclusive, constructive diaquestion.” The President further logue on campus.” The President expressed her confidence that Pro- elaborates, “the College does not fessors Overmeyer-Velázquez and endorse any specific geo-politiHashmi “provid[e] students with cal stance; rather, we strive to give a nuanced understanding of both students opportunities to critically the present conflict and the com- engage with different perspectives.”