THE CEIMSA DOSSIER

UNIVERSITE STEHDHAL-GRENOBLE 3

(2004)

 

DOCUMENT #10

 

 

7July 2004

Grenoble, France

 

Dear Colleagues and Friends of CEIMSA,

 

The attempt to shut down our Research Center has met with considerable resistance. However, our university web site at http://www.u-grenoble3.fr/ceimsa is no longer available to hundreds of students and scholars who have been using it these past three years.

 

Below, please read some additional protests to this unilateral action on the part of the Stendhal University administration against our research activities this summer.

 

 Sincerely,

Francis Feeley

Professor of American Studies

Université Stendhal Grenoble3

 

_____________________

A.

from Michael Parenti

 

To: Odile.Lagacheri@u-grenoble3.fr

From: Francis Feeley <francis.feeley@u-grenoble3.fr>

Subject: Fwd: Re: LETTER TO THE VICE-PRESIDENT OF THE "CONSEIL D'ADMINISTRATION" AT STENDHAL UNIVERSITY

Cc: Patrick.Chezaud@u-grenoble3.fr, Michael.Lafon@u-grenoble3.fr, troisvallets@gestion.u-grenoble3.fr,      , George.Tyras@u-grenoble3.fr, Francoise.Papa@u-grenoble3.fr, Susan.Blattes@u-grenoble3.fr

 

                                                                        Mme. Odile Lagacheri

                                                                        Vice-Président du Conseil d'Administration

                                                                        Université Stendhal-Grenoble3

 

 

Dear Vice President Lagacherie,

 

I wish to add my voice to the many who are protesting the attempt to close down CEIMSA at Stendhal University. This research center has been a source of creative work, good teaching, and ground-breaking conferences.

 

I was privileged to participate in one those conferences two years ago.  At that time I encountered a number of students who were enthusiastic and interested in the CEIMSA program and who were gleaning much intellectual and scholarly  benefit from the advanced training they were getting.

 

Given the high quality of the CEIMSA program, and the high morale of the students and faculty, many of us can only conclude that the attempt to terminate the program is politically motivated.

 

As a holder of a Ph.D. from Yale University, the author of 18 books and over 250 articles, and as one who has taught or spoken at many universities throughout the United States, Canada, New Zealand, and Europe, I was much impressed by the program, spirit, and content of the

Research Center that you now seem so determined to close down. 

 

Please show some regard for the needs and interests of the intellectual community and reconsider your decision.

 

Michael Parenti, Ph.D.

 

____________________________

B.

from Jacques Toledano

Vice-Président des Amis du Monde Diplomatique

 

                                                                                                Mme. Odile Lagacherie

                                                                        Vice-Président du Conseil d'Administration

                                                                        Université Stendhal-Grenoble3

 

                                                                        Grenoble, le 6 juillet 2004

 

Madame :

Appréciant les travaux et les initiatives de Francis Feeley, je ne peux pas vous cacher le choc que provoque votre décision, très arbitraire par rapport aux importants apports de Francis Feeley sur la civilisation américaine contemporaine.

 

Ce n est pas la première fois que des personnalités, se disant progressistes dans le milieu universitaire (cela fait bien), prennent des mesures aussi scandaleuses !

 

Les conservateurs n avaient pas osé, les « anciens progressistes » l ont fait.

 

Une telle décision, de fermer le site CIESIMSA, est scandaleuse, à un moment aussi crucial où la démocratie nécessite courage et responsabilité.

 

Le champ de la réaction n est pas toujours là où l attend !

 

Votre mesure vise à étouffer l information  originale, venant très souvent des Etats-Unis, qu'aucun organe local ne communique.

 

 Il serait maintenant plus clair que vous nous informiez de votre politique et de votre objectif, par rapport à cette décision très négative même pour l Université Stendhal.

 

Jacques Tolédano

Vice-Président des Amis du Monde Diplomatique

 

_____________________

C.

from

Jennifer Birch

Canadian Student at The IEP, Grenoble

 

President Chezaud,

 I have recently heard of your decision to shut down the CEIMSA. I have a read a veritable plethora of letters sent to you concerning this matter. The letters, as you know, come from a number of different sources. From experts and profesionnals in the field of american studies to students, the letters all come from those who have benefitted greatly from the invaluable work produced by the centre. I could go on to repeat the innumerable reasons to keep the centre open. I will not do so for two reasons. Firstly, the reasons for continuing the centre are obvious. Secondly, I think that the accomplished professionals who have already written to you detailed the reasons much more eloquently than I ever could. The one thing that I would like to add is that, as previously mentioned, the reasons for keeping the centre open are unnending and very valid. However, I have yet to hear one such valid reason supporting your decision to shut the CEIMSA down.

 

Thank you for your time and consideration,

Jennifer Birch

 

__________________________________

D.

Petition signed by American Students from The University of Texas-Austin students who are taking a course in "US Foreign Policy since the Normandy Invasion" offered by The Université Stendhal this summer, and taught by Professor Francis Feeley.

 

This Petition was addressed to M. Patrick Chezaud, President of the Université Stendhal, and was delived on 6 July to the following administrators at the Université Stendhal :

 

M. Patrick Chezaud, Président,

M. Michel Lafon, Vice-Président Recherche,

M. George Tyras, Vice-Président aux Relations Internationales,

Mme. Odile Lagacherie, Vice-Président aux Affaires Générales ,

Mme. Françoise Papa, Vice-Président aux Affaires Pédagogiques,

Mme. Dominique Abry, Directrice du Centre Universitaire d'Etudes Françaises,

Mme. Susan Blattes, Directrice of the UFR d'Anglais, Université Stendhal,

M. Ramon Alverez, Responsable au Centre de ressources informatique réseaux,

M. Gerald Wagner, Web Master at Stendhal University, Centre de ressources et assistance informatique,

M. Marc Troisvalles, Secretary of the teachers' union local, SNEsup, on Stendhal Campus.

 


 

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PETITON TO M. PATRICK CHEZAUD, PRESIDENT OF THE UNIVERSITY STENDHAL

(July 6, 2004)

 

We the undersigned visiting students from The University of Texas-Austin respectfully request that Stendhal University restore access to the CEIMSA web site, which was provided as a research tool in order to complete our course in U.S. Foreign Policy this summer with Professor Feeley.

 

Signed by :

Leandro Garcia.................Senior at The University of Texas-Austin.

Farah Ghazi.....................Junior at The University of Texas-Austin.

Shelia Manek...................Senior at The University of Texas-Austin.

Jaclyn Randall..................Senior at The University of Texas-Austin.

Christopher Schaefer.........Senior at The University of Texas-Austin.

Darren Smedstad..............Senior at The University of Texas-Austin.

Jennifer Tobais..................Junior at The University of Texas-Austin.

Judy Tu............................Sophomore at The University of Texas-Austin.

Christina Wile...................Senior at The University of Texas-Austin.