YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio - The Islamic Society of Greater Youngstown has joined forces with the Youngstown Area Jewish Federation to issue a joint statement condemning Youngstown State University's recent budget cuts.

These cuts would terminate two professors both Islamic and Jewish academic programs.

"The separation from the university of these two scholars will result in the de facto eliminaton by the YSU administration of two critical academic programs, Religious Studies and Judaic and Holocaust studies," the statement said.

Both organizations state that keeping religious studies programs at YSU is important because religion has "literally shaped the world in which we live and will continue to do so."

The statement notes that Dr. Munstansir Mir is the only remaining full time professor left at the university who is proficient in teaching multiple religions, as the rest of the faculty in his department teach philosophy.

The organizations say that due to the increase in Islamophobia, as well as antisemitism and the spread of misinformation about the Holocaust, it is critically important that Islamic and Jewish studies remain at the university.

The statement says that Dr. Jacob Labendz is the only remaining qualified professor in the history department to teach Judaic and Holocaust studies.

"And because of the administration's apparent decision to shrink the footprint of history education at the university, any future efforts to promote Judaic/Holocaust opportunities without an appropriate scholar as a full-time member of the faculty will dilute the impact of this education to the point that it is rendered meaningless. The history of the Holocaust matters and cannot be forgotten," the statement said.

Both organizations state that while YSU claims to promote diversity, equity and inclusion, the removal of these programs "belies the characterization of a campus environment that is truly committed to these concepts."