Introduction to the University of Oregon’s Judaic Studies Program
The University of Oregon recently announced a round of layoffs intended to address a $29 million deficit. Judaic studies professors had feared that their program would be affected, but it appears that they have been spared entirely. No tenured or tenure-track faculty or degree programs will be affected as part of the latest round of budget cuts, university administrators announced on Sept. 8. Around 20 unspecified “career faculty” positions will be eliminated, and vacant positions will be left unfilled, but the stated cuts would leave positions including the school’s tenure-track chair in Holocaust studies unchanged.
Background on the Cuts
Requests for comment to the university and to senior Judaic Studies faculty were not immediately returned. The school’s provost told KLCC, the local NPR station, that the school had “prioritized the university’s academic mission and student success,” while the head of the faculty union credited their advocacy for staving off the worst of the cuts. The news comes after weeks of dire warnings from the school’s faculty, during which they had rallied around what they said were concrete threats to Judaic studies and Holocaust studies and to tenured positions more generally.
National Support for the Program
Leaders of the national Association of Jewish Studies; the Genocide and Holocaust Studies Crisis Network; and dozens of Jewish studies scholars from around the globe had joined a full-court press to preserve Jewish studies. One letter to the school’s president and provost from the latter group stated bluntly, “Why don’t UO’s administrative leaders want UO students to learn about Jews?”
But Jordan Schnitzer, a Portland-area Jewish philanthropist whose family endowed the Judaic Studies department at Oregon and who recently gave the school another $25 million donation, told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency before the cuts were announced that he believed the faculty would be safe.
Pressure on Jewish Studies
The frenzy at Oregon comes amid particular pressure for Jewish studies, as some universities striking deals with the Trump administration to restore funding have committed to supporting the field. Some Jewish studies faculty remain wary at the perception that the field is getting special protection from an administration that claims to be fighting antisemitism. “The Trump administration’s ‘deals’ turn Jewish studies into the court Jew of old,” a trio of established scholars in the field wrote in a recent Chronicle of Higher Education op-ed. “Left unchecked, this spells disaster for the field. By stoking resentment and deflecting criticism from those with power, these deals cultivate conditions that, historically, produced vitriolic forms of antisemitism.”
Conclusion
In conclusion, the University of Oregon’s decision to spare the Judaic studies program is a positive development, but the underlying issues and pressures on the field remain. The program’s fate had been uncertain due to budget cuts, but thanks to the efforts of faculty, scholars, and philanthropists, it has been preserved. However, the field of Jewish studies continues to face challenges and controversies, particularly with regards to its relationship with the Trump administration.
FAQs
Q: What is the current status of the University of Oregon’s Judaic studies program?
A: The program has been spared from the latest round of budget cuts, with no tenured or tenure-track faculty or degree programs affected.
Q: What were the concerns of the faculty and scholars regarding the program?
A: They had rallied around what they said were concrete threats to Judaic studies and Holocaust studies and to tenured positions more generally, due to budget cuts and pressure from the Trump administration.
Q: Who supported the preservation of the Jewish studies program?
A: Leaders of the national Association of Jewish Studies, the Genocide and Holocaust Studies Crisis Network, and dozens of Jewish studies scholars from around the globe, as well as Jordan Schnitzer, a Portland-area Jewish philanthropist.
Q: What are the ongoing challenges facing the field of Jewish studies?
A: The field continues to face pressure and controversy, particularly with regards to its relationship with the Trump administration, which has been accused of using Jewish studies as a political tool.
