Voting on the 2014 ratification ballot concluded at midnight on 1 June. Members ratified the election of Ottmar Ette to honorary membership in the association and the election of Maryse Condé, Amitav Ghosh, and Suzan-Lori Parks to honorary fellowship in the association. Each candidate received support from over 95% of the members who voted in that section of the ballot. All four candidates will be invited to accept the honor.
Resolution 2014-1 (see text below) was not ratified by the membership and therefore does not represent a position taken by the MLA. Resolutions forwarded to the membership must be ratified by a majority vote in which the number of those voting for ratification equals at least ten percent of the association’s membership, which was 2,390 votes this year. There were 1,560 votes in favor of ratification and 1,063 votes against ratification. The vote therefore fell short of ratification by 830 votes.
Resolution 2014-1 (not ratified)
Whereas Israel has denied academics of Palestinian ethnicity entry into the West Bank;
Whereas these restrictions violate international conventions on an occupying power’s obligation to protect the right to education;
Whereas the United States Department of State acknowledges on its Web site that Israel restricts the movements of American citizens of Palestinian descent;
Whereas the denials have disrupted instruction, research, and planning at Palestinian universities;
Whereas the denials have restricted the academic freedom of scholars and teachers who are United States citizens;
Be it resolved that the MLA urge the United States Department of State to contest Israel’s denials of entry to the West Bank by United States academics who have been invited to teach, confer, or do research at Palestinian universities.