Westminster College President Michael S. Bassis — who also added his name to the cause — agreed with others, saying, "We want to underscore the importance of academic freedom. It is an essential principle for colleges and universities across the globe."

Young said he hopes the public outcry will cause the British academics who voted for such a thing to re-think it. But locally, he only wants to reaffirm what at least his university stands for.

"The concept of Israel is relatively popular in Utah, and the fact we are standing up for it when others are attacking it I hope will send a message that next time when we stand up for the right of somebody to take a position, that might be less popular in Utah, that we would have the bonafides to say it's not the popularity of the views, but it is the principal that to which we adhere," he said, adding it would give the state credibility to stand up again.

The list remains open to other institutions who desire to join, and information can be found on the AJC Web site, www.ajc.org.

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E-mail: wleonard@desnews.com