Whereas the Faculty Senate if Texas A&M University holds as a fundamental value the right of a student to an education appropriate to the needs of that student; and

Whereas the Faculty Senate strongly supports the right of every person, based on capacity, to higher education as stated in Article 26 of the International Declaration of Human Rights and Article 13 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights; and

Whereas the Iranian government through its systematic exclusion of young people of the Bahá'í faith from colleges and universities in Iran since 1980 and through its recent closure of the Bahá'í Institute of Higher Education has violated both the International Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights;

Therefore, be it resolved that the Faculty Senate of Texas A&M University strongly condemns the recent shutdown of the Bahá'í Institute of Higher Education by the Iranian government, the simultaneous arrest of faculty members and the confiscation and destruction of academic books and educational equipment in private homes;

Be it further resolved that the Faculty Senate calls upon the Iranian government to conform to the International Declaration and International Convenant by allowing the reopening of the Bahá'í Institute and by allowing all of its qualified citizens the freedom to pursue higher education.

[Passed unanimously by the Faculty Senate, January 20, 1999]

©Copyright 1999, Texas A&M