On Oct. 7, 2023, the terrorist organization Hamas committed the largest pogrom in Jewish history since the Holocaust. Public perception demanded institutions to respond to the event. Shane Smeed, president of Park University, released an internal statement titled, “Standing Together in Solidarity with the University Community” on Oct. 16.
Smeed’s response stated, “In the face of such tragedy, it is imperative that we come together as a global community to denounce violence and extremism in all its forms.” Smeed continued, “In recent days, we have also witnessed a tragic humanitarian crisis unfold in Gaza. The past week’s events echo the pain and tragedy experienced by far too many in the past century.” Smeed said that the university must “remain guided” by Park’s core values of global citizenship, inclusivity, and integrity. “We must stand together in solidarity with all those who have suffered and continue to suffer the consequences of conflict.”
On Feb. 24, 2022, the Russian military invaded Ukraine, shocking the globe. Smeed released a response on Feb. 25, less than 24 hours after the invasion, titled “President Shane Smeed Statement of Support for the Ukrainian People.”
In this statement, Smeed said, “We stand with the Ukrainian people.” He continued, “We understand that this recent conflict has impacted individuals from Ukraine and Russia and students from other countries…. The thousands of Park students and alumni serving in the U.S. Armed Forces remind us never to take freedom for granted.”
There were many differences between the two statements. First, the Ukraine response was later released publicly on the university website and inside of The Crow’s Nest newsletter. The statement on Hamas’ attack was never publicly released on the website or through The Crow’s Nest. Second, there were several public posts from Park officials sharing the statement and a new logo created to show support for Ukraine. There has been no public support for Israel from Park University; only a single public post mentioning the attack obliquely.
The biggest difference rested in the language used. Smeed clearly picked sides in his response to Ukraine. In addition, a logo was posted that read, “Park University Stands with Ukraine.” In the response to Israel, Smeed seemed to conflate the Hamas’s terrorist attack with the Israeli military response against Hamas in Gaza. Never did Smeed give the same support for Israel as he did Ukraine.
Several Park officials and faculty refused to speak on the issue. Interview requests were referred to President Smeed.
Smeed claimed that he “had the opportunity to meet continuously with students, faculty and staff” in the process of creating his statements. He rejected any conflation between the terror attack on Oct. 7 and the Israeli military response that could be perceived in his statement, saying “While addressing specifically Hamas’s recent terrorist attacks in Israel, I also acknowledge that a tragic humanitarian crisis was unfolding in Gaza.” He then suggested readers to visit Park’s Nisei exhibit in the underground in a seeming non-sequitur.
When asked about the differences in solidarity between the statements, Smeed said, “As a University that proudly educates more than 525 international students representing 76 countries, we stand in solidarity with our students in times of peace and crisis. In these two instances, the tragic situations involved different variables.” For instance, Smeed mentioned, the Invasion of Ukraine occurred on a regular Thursday, which allowed for an all-hands-on-deck approach to the response the next day. The Oct. 7 attack occurred on a Saturday during the first weekend of Fall Recess. Thus, a response could not be created as quickly.
Smeed also said that his messages “reflect what I deemed to be appropriate at the time.” He wished to “shield our students from personal attacks similar to what we have witnessed on other college campuses across the country.” He did not clarify how or why equivalent, explicit support for the Israeli people would incite violence or attacks. This could have been due to nationwide trends in antisemitic violence on campuses. According to a study by the Anti-Defamation League of 700 colleges in the U.S. and published around the time Smeed gave his interview, 46% of colleges had experienced or reported antisemitic incidents, and Jewish students overwhelmingly feel unsafe on campuses.
Finally, Smeed said, “Our hearts go out to Park Students and all those who are suffering, and we must never lose hope that lasting peace is possible.”