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---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Jamie Hendry <jhendry@bucknell.edu>
Date: Sat, Feb 4, 2017 at 3:30 PM
Subject: SIM Division Executive Committee response regarding Jan 27 Executive Order
To: ajhoff@umich.edu


TO: The SIM Membership

FROM: The SIM Executive Committee (Division Chair Jamie Hendry, Immediate Past Division Chair Harry Van Buren, Division Chair-Elect Doug Schuler, Program Chair David Wasieleski, PDW Chair Jill Brown)

SUBJ: President Trump's January 27 Executive Order "Protecting the Nation from Foreign Terrorist Entry into the United States

DATE: February 4, 2017

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Like many academic organizations, the Social Issues in Management Division has received questions about whether it will publicly respond to recent political events in the United States, including President Trump's January 27 Executive Order suspending entry of refugees and citizens from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen. Representing a division of the Academy of Management, a group of scholars with diverse political views, the SIM Division leadership is somewhat constrained in what it can say publicly on political matters.

We have received correspondence from several SIM members concerned about the Federal Executive Orders. We agree that any policy that suppresses intellectual and cultural perspectives, as well as the discriminatory treatment of any human being, is objectionable. We concur with the AOM Code of Ethics, excerpts from which are included below:

.       AOM members are aware of and respect cultural, individual, and role differences, including those based on age, gender identity, race, ethnicity, culture, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, disability, language, and socioeconomic status, and they consider these factors when working with all people. AOM members try to eliminate the effect on their work of biases based on these factors, and they do not knowingly participate in or condone activities of others based upon such prejudices.

.       Sensitivity to other people, to diverse cultures, to the needs of the poor and disadvantaged, to ethical issues, and to newly emerging ethical dilemmas is required. . Academy members have a duty to consider their responsibilities to the world community. In their role as educators, members of the Academy can play a vital role in encouraging a broader horizon for decision making by viewing issues from a multiplicity of perspectives, including the perspectives of those who are the least advantaged.

Rather than take a position on the Executive Order directly, the SIM Executive Committee wishes to affirm the following, which are consistent with the core values of free inquiry, respect for others, and responsible behavior that we share as scholars:

.       We affirm that all people should be able to participate in scholarly debates and the free exchange of ideas, regardless of religion or national origin (or the many other categories addressed in the AOM Code of Ethics and in national law). It is precisely through dialogue that knowledge and mutual understanding comes about. We affirm that public policy should not only support scholarly freedom but also human freedom generally.

.       We affirm and support the Academy of Management's statement, sent out by AOM President Anita McGahan, declaring that scholars who are impacted by current travel restrictions will be able to present their work through virtual means. If future travel restrictions on scholars entering the United States from other countries are imposed, the same policy should absolutely apply.

.       We affirm the role that scholars in our and other fields can play in public debate, and further affirm that scholars who want to speak out, whether in social media, op-ed pieces, speeches, scholarship, or other forums, should have the political and institutional freedom to do so.

The SIM Division Executive Committee also believes that the work of scholars in our field has something important to say about the present political and social moment. As the domain statement of the SIM Division states:

The Social Issues in Management (SIM) Division studies the social issues, institutions, interactions, and impacts of management. The common logic of SIM scholarship is our shared interest in understanding responsible behavior by organizations and the people and groups working in and around them. Such investigation leads us to ask fundamental questions about the ethical systems, roles, functioning, and legitimacy of business institutions. Members also bridge scholarship to applied social practices, developing understanding and methods to promote social change and sustainable development.

The Executive Committee of the SIM Division supports research, conversations, meetings, and conferences that address the intersection of public policies related to refugees and entry in the United States and other countries where that freedom is being abrogated. The leadership of the SIM Division will always countenance thoughtful discussion of social justice matters; we are grateful for our members' energy and commitment to such topics; and we eagerly encourage the membership to share ideas about how to foster such dialogues. We intend to offer an Open Forum at the annual meeting in Atlanta for a thoughtful discussion of the implications of Executive Orders like this one and the role of academics in responding to such political moves. In the spirit of promoting the sharing of open dialogue and diverse viewpoints, we hope our members will participate in this session.