We write to ask for your willingness to participate in a Support Scholars at Risk (SAR) “commitment” campaign. Your participation is crucial and will make a significant difference in the lives of the scholars we support
After hosting Dr. Elisabeth Ayuk-Etang from Cameroon as SAR Scholar 2022-23, the SAR Initiative has again welcomed another scholar fleeing a war zone. Dr Ali Abuzaid, a Professor of Statistics at Al-Azhar University in Gaza, was able to leave Rafah under Israeli siege, reach safety in Cairo, and arrive in Santa Barbara in early July with his family of five: his wife Walaa and four children, Mira (12), Yazan (10), Ghaith (7), and Zaina (3). The Abuzaids are now safely housed in the Storke Family Housing complex for the duration of their stay at UCSB.
Thanks to the generosity of many of our members, we were able to pay for immediate necessities and for Summer Camp for the Abuzaid children. However, the funds we collected in 2022 to support the SAR hosting initiative have now been used up, and. the needs of both present and future SAR scholars hosted at UCSB are pressing. We urgently need your support to continue this vital work.
Our Chancellor and EVC doubled their generous contribution to the SAR hosting initiative to $50,000 per year, and the Deans have renewed their support for the program. Therefore, the minimum needs of Dr. Abuzaid and future SAR scholars will be taken care of. In keeping with our commitment to this program in the name of transnational faculty solidarity, the SB Faculty Association Board calls upon all members who can afford it to contribute to cover personal items for the Abuzaid family and all future SAR scholars. These needs may vary from essential (e.g., school expenses, language tutoring, sports activities, etc.) to enhancing their quality of life and experience of America (e.g., bicycles, vacation, travel).
While we are proud of the $6,000 we collected in our 2022 fundraising campaign, we would like to pursue a different strategy this time. Rather than asking for contributions now, we want to build a “SAR Support Network.” This network is a group of SBFA members who commit to contributing up to $100 per year (or more/less) to support the ongoing needs of SAR scholars. You can indicate your willingness to join this network by filling out this Google form by October 15.
We hope many of you will commit to this program. It is not just a question of financial need. We believe faculty participation is vital to a faculty solidarity program like this one. Please see below some essential information about SAR and SRF, and feel free to contact Claudio Fogu at claudiofogu@ucsb.edu if you have questions.
Professor Abuzaid’s Zoom Presentation
Professor Abuzaid presented a Zoom talk focusing on the state of universities in Palestine in June 2024 before they arrived at UCSB. You can access the talk via this link (best to use Firefox or Chrome browsers): https://gauchocast.hosted.panopto.com/Panopto/Pages/Viewer.aspx?id=f7e13b03-76ca-4714-9fb7-b174011089f9
Scholar at Risk (SAR) and Scholar Rescue Fund (SRF)
Scholars at Risk offers a variety of opportunities for faculty, students, professionals, and other interested individuals to engage in SAR’s work. From joining SAR’s network as an individual member to collaborating with fellow scholars and students through advocacy campaigns and working groups, we can all take steps towards a more #free2think world.
The Institute of International Education’s Scholar Rescue Fund (IIE-SRF) is the only global program that arranges funds and supports fellowships for threatened and displaced scholars at partnering higher education institutions worldwide, including inside their home regions. At the heart of IIE-SRF is the idea that each scholar we support is a beacon of hope in our world.
Building upon IIE’s century-long legacy of assisting students and scholars under threat, IIE-SRF has since 2002 supported 1,122 scholars from 62 countries in partnership with 506 host institutions in 59 countries.
Sincerely
Claudio Fogu
President, UC Santa Barbara Faculty Association