As a student at DePaul, you hear all about the Vincentian mission which is centered around "serving urgent human needs" and "ennobling the God-given dignity of each person." I feel that part of that mission includes fighting and bringing light to the struggle of those people who are being oppressed.

This was one of the main reasons I chose DePaul. I hope to fight repression throughout my legal career. I hope to bring greater social justice and equality to those people who are being oppressed by the rampant and institutional racism and discrimination and greed that are the fabric of our world. I was inspired by DePaul's mission and thought the school was a good fit.

Unfortunately, its easy to say one thing, yet do another. DePaul was scared. Scared to stand by its own mission. Scared to stand by a man who has tried to bring light to one of the worst human crises today: the brutal and racist occupation of Palestine.

I can't claim to be surprised, after dealing with the issue of Palestine and the DePaul administration last fall, that Professor Norman Finkelstein has been denied tenure. Despite whatever reason he may have been given by DePaul, we all know what really happened: the school bowed to Zionist pressures and didn't stand by its own mission. I admit I had hoped for the best, that the school would stand up for a professor many students admire and not bow under pressure. But the University has failed Finkelstein and it failed me.

--Ryann, ashamed alumna
DePaul University College of Law, Class of 2007