The Faculty Senate President Gregory Paveza condemned the intention to fire as underhanded because the professors did not have their voices heard.[52] The faculty adviser to the Board of Trustees resigned in protest of the firing.[53] The Faculty Senate held an emergency meeting in January 2002 in which they approved by wide majorities a resolution that condemned the firing as an assault to academic freedom.[5][54] United Faculty of Florida, the faculty union representing USF professors, voted to throw its full support behind Al-Arian and condemned the university for exaggerating security concerns.[55]