Communication from AAG

Since announcing the special meeting on the member petition on Palestine, we have received valuable input from many AAG members. Your engagement demonstrates the importance of ensuring all voices are heard in this significant decision-making process. We also recognize that AAG members hold diverse perspectives on this issue. Some question whether the actions called for in the petition fall within our organizational mission, while others emphasize our responsibility to address matters affecting our academic community. The Council takes both perspectives seriously and will carefully weigh all considerations.   

As outlined in our initial communication, this meeting is occurring in response to a member petition asking AAG “to endorse the campaign for an academic boycott of Israeli academic institutions, and for financial disclosure and divestment of any AAG funds invested in corporations or state institutions profiting from the ongoing oppression of the Palestinian people.” Article 4, Section 2 of the AAG Bylaws states that if more than 10% of members sign a petition with a valid call, then AAG will host a special member meeting.    

As your elected representatives, the Council is committed to conducting thorough due diligence on all member petitions, while ensuring transparency and accountability throughout our deliberative process. The most recent AAG President’s Column examines various aspects of the complex and demanding—but worthwhile—considerations in which the AAG is now involved. As noted in the President’s column, the AAG Council’s decision-making process will be informed by a background report that the membership will have the opportunity to comment on from Oct 3.

During this member meeting, the AAG President, Executive Director, and staff will:  

• Explain the AAG’s inclusive approach to considering this issue  
• Outline the overall process and overview of the draft background report    
• Share details about how to view and comment on the report    
• Share information on how to sign up for a listening session   
• Answer questions from participants    

The Oct 3 special meeting will kick-off the 60-day comment period, during which AAG staff will update the draft to reflect any changes or alternate views. At the end of the comment period, the report will be finalized and sent to the Council to inform their decision-making.  

Following the October 3 informational meeting, Council will also host two listening sessions during the 60-day comment period to engage directly with membership concerns. One of these sessions will allow all members to listen to other members who register to speak. The other session will only be open to Council members and members registered to speak in order to preserve the confidentiality of speakers. Both will help the Council better understand the range of perspectives held by members and ensure that member voices are heard. More details and the sign-up platform will be available and reviewed during the special meeting, scheduled for October 3, from 12:00 to 1:30 p.m. ET. The link to the meeting will be available on the AAG Webinar Page by September 30, 2025.   

The AAG has a long-standing commitment to academic freedom and scholarly exchange. Any decision will be evaluated against our core mission of advancing geographic knowledge and supporting the geographic community while maintaining our status as a 501(c)(3) organization. The AAG is also committed to the principles of justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion outlined in the JEDI strategic plan, adopted in 2021. The AAG strongly opposes both Islamophobia and antisemitism. We are, first and foremost, dedicated to advancing geography by supporting venues to discuss academic ideas and journals to host peer-reviewed papers.    

Please join us on October 3 to learn more. Your participation in this process will help ensure that the AAG Council, the governing body for AAG, has all the necessary information and perspectives to make future decisions related to this issue.

Sincerely,

William G. Moseley, PhD AAG President

Gary M. Langham, PhD AAG Executive Director

Dear AAG Members:

This message serves as official notice of a special member meeting scheduled for October 3rd, from 12:00 to 1:30 p.m. ET. Specifically, this meeting is occurring in response to a recent member petition asking AAG “to endorse the campaign for an academic boycott of Israeli academic institutions, and for financial disclosure and divestment of any AAG funds invested in corporations or state institutions profiting from the ongoing oppression of the Palestinian people.” Our Bylaws state that if more than 10% of members sign a petition with a valid call, then AAG will host a special member meeting.

As the governing body for the AAG, Council has the legal and ethical obligation to make decisions like the ones called for in the petition. For all decisions, Council conducts due diligence beforehand by considering a range of factors such as legality, feasibility, cost, etc. Typically, this process happens at Council meetings and membership is not included. However, in this case, Council will engage in a transparent and inclusive process, first sharing a draft report and then inviting feedback from the membership over 60 days. In this way, the best interests of the organization and members can be duly considered and incorporated in the final report before any future deliberations or decisions by Council.

During this member meeting, AAG staff will:

• Outline the overall process and overview of the draft report
• Share details about how to view and comment on the report
• Answer questions from participants

The special meeting will remain open for the 60-day comment period, during which AAG staff will update the draft to reflect any changes or alternate views. At the end of the comment period, the report will be finalized and sent to Council for further consideration.

AAG is committed to principles of justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion outlined in the JEDI strategic plan and adopted by the organization in 2020. AAG is also opposed to both Islamophobia and Anti-Semitism. We are, first and foremost, dedicated to creating venues for discussion of academic ideas and journals to host peer-reviewed papers.

Please join us on October 3rd to learn more about this transparent and inclusive process. More details about how to attend the meeting will be shared a few days prior to the event. Your participation in this process will help ensure that the AAG Council, the governing body for AAG, has all the necessary information and perspectives to make future decisions related to this issue.