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Academic boycott in University of Windsor’s agreements singles out Israeli universities, says CIJA
A leading Jewish group is continuing its legal battle against the University of Windsor’s boycott of Israel, enacted as part of an agreement with protesters to end anti-Israel encampments on campus last year.
“The agreements are discriminatory and signify a dangerous capitulation to extremists,” Richard Marceau, senior vice-president of the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA), said in a statement after the group appealed a court ruling that left intact a provincial decision upholding the agreement.
The deal with anti-Israel protesters , who were part of a wave of anti-Israel protests at universities across Canada, included a mandate for the university to develop anti-racism initiatives, divest from investments in organizations involved in Israel’s offensive in Gaza, review academic partnerships with Israeli universities, as well as provide opportunities supporting Palestinian students and scholars.
It was signed by the university and by protesters, who called themselves the “Windsor Liberation Zone Team,” following weeks of negotiation.
On Oct. 29, the Divisional Court dismissed the CIJA’s request for judicial review of the Ontario Ministry of Public and Business Service Delivery’s decision upholding the deal.
“The academic boycott … singles out Israeli universities — and only Israeli universities — for exclusion,” CIJA says in a news release. “This constitutes overt discrimination based on nationality, place of origin, and geographic location.”
CIJA’s argument centred on a key provision stipulating the university “not … pursue any institutional academic agreements with Israeli universities … unless supported by the (University of Windsor) senate.” It contended this could be interpreted as refusing or failing “to employ a person,” contrary to the Ontario Discriminatory Business Practices Act.
The ministry director who reviewed the complaint disagreed.
The academic boycott embedded in the University of Windsor’s agreements singles out Israeli universities – and only Israeli universities – for exclusion. This constitutes overt discrimination based on nationality, place of origin, and geographic location. That's why this week…
— CIJA (@CIJAinfo) November 27, 2025
The agreement with protesters acknowledged that the university does not have any academic partnerships with Israeli institutions. However, it goes on to state that because of “the challenging environment for academic collaboration the University agrees not to pursue any institutional agreements with Israeli universities until the right of Palestinian self-determination has been realized, as determined by the United Nations, unless supported by the (University of Windsor) Senate. This does not prevent individual academics at the University of Windsor from working (or collaborating) with academics in Israel. ”
The court wrote in its decision that institutional academic agreements fall “within a core non-business purpose” of the university, and therefore it was “reasonable for the (ministry) director to conclude the university was not a business, nor engaging in business in relation to the provision.”
Further, it wrote “any uncertainty about the impact on professors is expressly addressed (within) the provision itself.”
CIJA has filed a motion to appeal, saying that in the midst of a surge in antisemitism across Ontario’s campuses and public institutions, the court “failed to properly apply the law in a manner that would prevent discrimination.”
Said Marceau: “We continue to urge the University of Windsor to rescind the harmful agreements and take further steps to restore the Jewish campus community’s confidence in the institution.”
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