Neville Hoad, an assistant professor of English at the University of Texas at Austin, started the petition. According to The Chronicle, more than 700 people, mostly faculty members from universities around the country, have signed the petition. "[The issue] strikes at the heart of academic freedom and university self-governance, and therefore it is crucial that the academic community at large respond," Hoad told The Chronicle.
Critics have recently denounced the academic discipline of Middle East studies as anti-American and anti-Israel, according to The Chronicle. Editorials in the New York Sun and the Daily News reported that Columbia students have complained in a documentary awaiting release. Students allegedly mention Massad in the film.
Weiner accused Massad of advocating an anti-Israel position in his lectures. "Massad is alleged to have likened Israel to Nazi Germany, said that Israel doesn't have the right to exist as a Jewish state, and asked an Israeli student, 'How many Palestinians have you killed?' and then refused to allow the student to ask questions," Weiner told The Chronicle.
Weiner added that he was unaware of whether Massad had denied making the comments. "So far the professor's defenders have just argued as a college professor you have the right to say any outrageous, hateful thing you want, and I disagree with that," he said.
Bollinger released a statement reaffirming Columbia's commitment to maintaining an atmosphere of academic integrity and freedom of expression. He also said that he has asked for an evaluation of the grievance processes for professors and students who feel they have experienced threat or intimidation in the classroom.
Columbia maintains that it takes anti-Semitic acts seriously. "The university does not condone anti-Semitic behavior and expression of any kind. We take very seriously any concerns raised by a congressman and respond to them," Columbia spokeswoman Susan M. Brown said in The Chronicle.