Dear members of the McGill community,
Many people in the McGill community, and I include myself among them, are deeply upset about the horrific attack by Hamas on Israel last weekend, and the situation that has been unfolding since then. Some of our colleagues are worried about the safety of loved ones in Israel and in Gaza.
Knowing the pain that these events are causing to our community, it is particularly distressing to see recent social media posts by an association known as "Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights”, which publicly associates itself with McGill University. The University denounces these abhorrent posts, which celebrate recent acts of terror and violence that have resulted in widespread loss of human life.
These statements are antithetical to the University’s values and stand to undermine the important work aimed at bringing our community together through the Initiative Against Islamophobia and Anti-Semitism (IAIAS), led by Deputy Provost Labeau and Associate Provost Campbell. They also serve to create a harmful environment for both the Jewish and Muslim communities on our campuses.
The SPHR is a club supported by the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) and is wholly independent of the University. Although the SPHR and its members may be free, both collectively and individually, to hold and express ideas and points of view, its use of the University’s name is subject to the terms of the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the SSMU and the University.
Given the incendiary content of the SPHR’s recent posts, I have directed the Deputy Provost to inform the SSMU that SPHR’s use of the University’s name is non-compliant with the terms of the MOA and, furthermore, to revoke permission for this club to use the McGill name and take whatever other measures might be necessary to rectify the situation.
Sincerely,
Christopher Manfredi
Provost and Vice-Principal (Academic)