The president of the University of Windsor Students Alliance has “full faith” in the University of Windsor to uphold its agreements with its students that ended a pro-Palestinian encampment on campus.
The University of Windsor Students Alliance, along with Liberation Zone members, held a news conference Monday where they responded to a failed effort to have the agreements they signed with the university paused and reviewed.
Students Alliance President, Ghallia Hashem, says she’s not concerned about the future of the deals.
"I have full faith in the University of Windsor to uphold its agreements with its students. Based on the conversations that I’ve had with university administration, we are all operating in good faith and that we’re all trying to do the best for our student bodies and our communities," she says.
Board of Governors member, Daniel Ableser, wanted to submit a notice of motion to pause two agreements but he was informed by the Board of Governors that the motion would not be heard at the board’s next meeting set for Tuesday, Oct. 22.
The board issued a statement that said “the subject matter of the motion is outside the Board of Governors’ authority.”
Ableser wanted the board to revisit the deals as he believes they have negatively impacted the university’s reputation and fractured its relationship with parts of the community.
Hashem says a pause now would risk eroding the trust that was built during the negotiations.
"It sends a message that even when student representatives and the administration work collaboratively to reach agreements, those agreements are not guaranteed to be upheld. This could severely impact the willingness of student representatives to engage in future engagements, ultimately damaging the fabric of our institutional trust," she says.
"When we discuss Palestinian support and Palestinian students within this agreement, we must not try to conflate Palestinian voices being oppositional to Jewish safety and support. This is something we’re constantly noticing in the media. Just because Palestinians have therapy circles and Palestinians have academic accommodations does not mean it’s going to create a more oppressive environment for Jewish voices," she says.
The deals between the university, the Windsor Liberation Zone Team, and the University of Windsor Students’ Alliance were reached last July and ended a nine-week protest.
The agreements include commitments to partially disclose the university’s investments and offer increased support for students affected by the conflict in Gaza and the ongoing military campaign between Israel and Hamas.
The university has lost some financial support as a result of the deals, with several alumni, including members of the Jewish community, withholding donations.