UConn Law dean apologizes for his handling of a campus speech on Islamophobia by Palestinian-America

UConn Law dean apologizes for his handling of a campus speech on Islamophobia by Palestinian-American activist Linda Sarsour


The dean of the UConn Law School, Timothy Fisher, is apologizing for his handling of an April symposium on Islamophobia and anti-Semitism, when he questioned a scheduled speech by Palestinian-American feminist activist Linda Sarsour.

Timothy Fisher had sought to postpone Sarsour’s speech when it appeared that the program would not include someone to speak about anti-Semitism. Sarsour was eventually permitted to speak, but not before a campus uproar over free speech.

"This was an error in judgment and in execution on my part,'' Fisher said in an email Thursday evening to students and faculty. “I moved far too hastily in postponing the event, and I take full responsibility for my error. At the very least, I should have consulted with the faculty of the law school. Going forward I will make sure that decisions of importance to the faculty and to the students are made more collectively, and that mechanisms are in place to make sure that the free speech values that animate life on our campus are protected.”

A group of UConn Law students had sought a public apology from UConn President Susan Herbst. The students say Herbst’s office intervened after the event had been reviewed and approved by UConn police officers and the university’s communications staff.

Read more: https://www.courant.com/politics/hc-pol-uconn-law-herbst-20190502-rdbxouxc4rclfnzzaltzaof3v4-story.html