Shaping a safer future today for tomorrow’s students
“A university is supposed to be a safe space for young students to learn, debate, and discuss things,” said Daniel Bloch, the director of the Cape South African Board of Jewish Deputies. He was sadly referring to Cape Town University (UCT), that in recent times has emerged as an increasingly hostile environment for Jewish students.
Once the bastion of academic freedom and free speech, Jewish students frequently face frightening abuse and threats from Israel haters.
In the light of the forgoing, Lay of the Land was approached to bring to the attention of its readers, many of them UCT alumni, that there is an important Council Election taking place at present that closes on the 23 April 2024.
See below for details.
David Kaplan
Editor Lay of the Land
UCT Alumni Action Alert 📢📢📢
UCT has announced the commencement of its Council Elections. This allows alumni to have a direct impact on the future of the university. The UCT Council is the highest decision-making body at UCT. The election runs until 23 April 2024.
Over the past number of years UCT has become notably hostile toward Israel, academic freedom, independent thinking and opposition voices. Events in which Hezbollah, Hamas and Houthi speakers have even been hosted have been held on the campus.
Four alumni candidates are running for the UCT Council to help restore stability and support the university’s commitment to academic excellence and freedom. They are:
David Ansara, Think Tank Director; Mark Oppenheimer, Advocate; Kelly Phelps, Legal Academic; Brian Kantor, Professor Emeritus
VOTE NOW FOR ALL FOUR CANDIDATES – Support the future of the University of Cape Town and all South Africans
To Vote:
You can only vote if you have received a ballot via email from UCT. If you haven’t received a ballot, request one by emailing convocationelection@uct.ac.za and follow the instructions. To learn more about the candidates https://tinyurl.com/fnftnvyd
PLEASE PASS ON TO OTHER ALUMNI!
Warm Regards
Adam Frank
Researcher in Geo-Political Risk
UCT Alumni Action Alert
While the mission of Lay of the Land (LotL) is to provide a wide and diverse perspective of affairs in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world, the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by its various writers are not necessarily ones of the owners and management of LOTL but of the writers themselves. LotL endeavours to the best of its ability to credit the use of all known photographs to the photographer and/or owner of such photographs (0&EO).
