Thursday, April 21, 2016

Mamdouh Shoukri's "Inclusion" Delusion

The jefe of that bastion of fractiousness, York University, attempts to explain (in a letter to the National Post) why a new body that was supposedly created to respond to unfettered campus Israel-hate is packed with Israel-haters. The letter, it must be said, is so banal and platitudinous that it could easily lull one to sleep (which may well be its purpose):
Re: Seeking Civility On Campus, Marc Newburgh and Sara Lefton, April 19.Inclusion at York University is a broad campus issue, and therefore the membership of the president’s advisory committee on inclusion needs to reflect the breadth of the York community. The committee’s role is to consider and provide advice on approaches to promoting inclusion in order to ensure a safe campus environment for all. 
To be clear, this committee was not formed as a result of any specific incident. Its members were not selected because of previously expressed views on specific issues, nor is the committee intended as a venue for advocacy on specific issues. Its objective is to bring together York scholars to advance our shared goals of strengthening York’s commitment to building an inclusive and diverse campus through dialogue that nurtures the respectful exchanges of ideas.
The committee is an advisory body, not a decision-making body, and its mandate is to ensure that all voices are heard. Most certainly, the committee would not consider the boycott, divestment and sanctions question, nor will it make recommendations to York’s Board of Governors.
Mamdouh Shoukri, president and vice-chancellor, York University, Toronto.
It's window dressing. Nothing more.

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