Written by Annabelle Ink | Contributing Writer for the Courier
Last week, Pitzer College decided to eliminate its affiliation with the University of Haifa from its roster of pre-approved study abroad programs. While some individuals viewed this action as a positive step forward in the six-year-long “suspend Pitzer Haifa” campaign, the college emphasized that it was not engaging in an academic boycott.
According to Allen M. Omoto, Pitzer’s vice president of academic affairs and dean of faculty, the removal of these programs from the pre-approved list was based on specific criteria such as lack of student enrollments over five years, exchange imbalances, or curricular overlaps.
The Faculty Executive Committee at Pitzer voted to exclude 11 study abroad programs and put an additional eight programs under review. Omoto clarified that these programs were not terminated but were no longer automatically approved for enrollment by Pitzer students. Instead, students could still participate in these programs through a petition process overseen by the Study Abroad and International Programs Committee.
The decision to make these changes stemmed from recommendations by various committees at Pitzer, including the curriculum committee and the academic planning committee. These recommendations were informed by the study abroad and international programs committee’s assessment that the programs did not align with Pitzer’s standards.
On April 2, Pitzer Faculty Executive Committee chair Nigel Boyle expressed support for discontinuing the partnership with the University of Haifa and called for a cease-fire in Gaza. This stance was taken to oppose any form of discrimination against Palestinian individuals and to reject the exclusion of Palestinian perspectives within Israeli universities.
In response to these developments, Claremont SJP and Claremont Jewish Voice for Peace jointly commended Pitzer’s decision as a “BDS victory,” marking a significant step in the academic boycott of Israel. They emphasized the importance of upholding this achievement while continuing to advocate for Palestinian rights.
The Pitzer College Council was set to vote on resolution 60-R-5, which proposed the permanent suspension of the study abroad program with the University of Haifa. If approved, this resolution would establish a lasting academic boycott.
Annabelle Ink is a sophomore English major at Pomona College with aspirations for a future career in journalism.