ACF-UVA Supports Dean Grushka-Cockayne Against Discriminatory Calls to Resign

This ACF petition was created to send a letter of support to University of Virginia Dean Yael Grushka-Cockayne.

ACF-UVA Supports Dean Grushka-Cockayne Against Discriminatory Calls to Resign

Dear Dean Grushka-Cockayne:

On behalf of Alums for Campus Fairness (ACF) and the undersigned University of Virginia (UVA) alumni and community members, we write to express our strong support for you following calls for your resignation based on your Israeli identity and your mandatory service in the Israel Defense Forces.

ACF is a national nonprofit that organizes alumni and community members committed to countering antisemitism, anti-Israel bias, and discrimination on college campuses. Our network includes more than 80,000 members across the country, including alumni dedicated to supporting a safe and inclusive environment at UVA.

We unequivocally reject the premise that your Israeli identity or completion of mandatory military service has any bearing on your qualifications to lead the Darden School of Business. Efforts to hold you personally responsible for the actions of the Israeli government are discriminatory and reflect the antisemitic practice of assigning collective guilt to Jews and Israelis. Judging a university leader by her nationality is national-origin discrimination, plain and simple. Your extensive record as a scholar, educator, and academic leader speaks for itself, and we congratulate you on becoming the first woman permanently appointed to lead Darden.

Please know that you have the steadfast backing of UVA alumni and members of the broader community. We are proud to see you lead the Darden School of Business, and we stand ready to support you and your team in any way we can.

Sincerely,
[The Names and UVA Affiliations of Signers]