Madeline Buckley

madeline.buckley@indystar.com

A Muslim IUPUI student who is the leader of a pro-Palestine student group was targeted over the weekend in posters taped up around campus and on anonymous blog posts that accused her of terrorism and denigrated her appearance, according to a letter signed by dozens of students and faculty members.

The student, only identified by her first name, Haneen, also received harassing phone calls, the letter said.

The incident is pitting the student group, which is the IUPUI branch of Students for Justice in Palestine, against the university administration, as they believe a response from IUPUI Chancellor Nasser Paydar did not go far enough. It also comes amid national conversations about free speech and academic freedom on college campuses, Islamaphobia and contentious debates about the Israel-Palestine conflict.

The fliers appeared on campus Sunday, the final day of the Midwest Students for Justice in Palestine, said Erin Polley, Indiana program coordinator for American Friends Service Committee, a group that promotes peace. It is a conference which was hosted at IUPUI Friday through Sunday, she said.

IUPUI students in SJP enlisted Polley to help coordinate a press conference planned for Friday in which students and faculty will demand a stronger response from the university administration.

More than 75 students and faculty members signed a letter addressed to Paydar, asking him to "to issue a strong public statement condemning these attacks." The letter also asked Paydar to update them on the status of the university's investigation.

Paydar sent an email to students and faculty Thursday that said the university is committed to free expression for students and faculty, but condemns bigotry and racism.

The statement read: "The university abhors all forms of racism, bigotry and discrimination, including discrimination based on religious beliefs or political views."

It also said: "IUPUI is committed to providing forums for the free expression and exchange of ideas, including those we may not condone. Even when we vehemently disagree, we must strive to do so with mutual respect and civility."

Polley said the students and faculty who signed the letter want Paydar to specifically disavow the incidents over the weekend.

Margie Smith-Simmons, spokeswoman for IUPUI, said the administration also has to respect free speech.

"The Israeli-Palestinian conflict generates a lot of emotion and activity," Smith-Simmons told IndyStar.

She said university staff and IUPUI police are investigating the incidents, and have met with Haneen. Investigators haven't found a connection between the anonymous posts online and any IUPUI student or staff member, she said. Smith-Simmons said she had not seen the fliers the students said were posted on campus.

"At IUPUI what we always like to say is we cultivate an environment where a broad spectrum of ideas can be expressed and debated," Smith-Simmons said. "The one thing we don't welcome is derogatory, incendiary comments."

Call Star reporter Madeline Buckley at (317) 444-6083. Follow her on Twitter: @Mabuckley88.