Purdue University history professor Tithi Bhattacharya formally declined the Modern Language Association’s Scaglione Prize in protest of the MLA’s handling of Gaza‑related resolutions and its refusal to allow a Delegate Assembly vote on a boycott, sanction and divest (BSD) measure. Bhattacharya said her refusal was intended to pressure professional academic bodies to adopt firmer stances on institutional silence and policy decisions related to state violence and colonization. The episode underscores continuing tensions on campuses and in scholarly societies over Gaza, free speech, academic norms and professional association governance. Colleagues and disciplinary bodies are watching how major associations respond to coordinated faculty dissents and award refusals.