The University of Windsor Student’s Association has delayed the ratification of a controversial Israel boycott, a move some say is capitulating to the administration.

Earlier this month, the student body voted in favor of a proposal to join the growing Boycott, Divestment and Sanction movement. The referendum — which calls on the UWSA to sever ties with Israeli businesses, products and academic institutions — passed by a vote of 798 to 585.

Debate on the issue was marred by an act of vandalism police referred to as a hate crime.

After receiving several complaints alleging the referendum violated the UWSA constitution, UWindsor president Alan Wildeman sent the student government a letter asking them to delay adopting the motion until an investigation could be completed.

Rob Crawford, president of the UWSA, believes it’s possible the university could withhold funding from the UWSA, but said such a move would be “extreme.”

On Thursday, UWSA members voted to defer adoption of the referendum until after the investigation — the results of which are not binding — is complete. Crawford and Wildeman stressed the deferral and investigation, respectively, have nothing to do with the controversial nature of the referendum.

Crawford said there may be some truth to complaints the ballot question was unclear, which would put it in violation of the UWSA constitution.

Mohammed Almoayad, president of the university’s Palestinian Solidarity Group, was disappointed with the UWSA’s decision.

“We feel as if they caved in dangerously to the pressure from the administration,” he said.

Almoayad rejected Wildeman’s claim the university is only concerned with the process, accusing the president of wanting to “scrap the entire referendum.” He called Wildeman’s letter “unprecedented” and noted that the administration “couldn’t care less” when the last UWSA election was marred with irregularities.

“The administration is concerned about marketing,” he said. “This is getting international news coverage and it’s hurting the image of the university a lot.”