As you may remember, on April 19, 2016 UC President Janet Napolitano sent a letter that was signed by all nine UC Chancellors to the American Anthropological Association (AAA) urging members not to ratify a proposed boycott of Israeli academic institutions. On April 25, 2016, the Board of the Faculty Association sent a letter to our Chancellor expressing our concern over the letter, its infringement on the principle of academic freedom, and the lack of consultation with UC faculty involved in his signing it. Upon receipt of our letter, Chancellor Yang immediately contacted us by phone to request that a few of us meet with him to discuss the issue. We wish to report that we had a productive meeting and that Chancellor Yang expressed his understanding of and appreciation for the concerns that we expressed in our letter. He has assured us that, from now on, he will continue to consult with Senate leadership on all matters regarding the public representation of our university.
