Apr 09, 2014 01:45 PM EDT By Jaleesa Baulkman, UniversityHerald Reporter

Brandeis University in Massachusetts announced Tuesday that it will not award an honorary doctorate it had planned to issue to Ayaan Hirsi Ali, an advocate for Muslim women, the Associated Press reported.

University officials said the decision had been made after a discussion between Ali and President Frederick Lawrence. The resolves come after students and faculty protested the decision to grant Ali an honorary degree.

"She is a compelling public figure and advocate for women's rights, and we respect and appreciate her work to protect and defend the rights of women and girls throughout the world," university officials said in a statement. "That said, we cannot overlook certain of her past statements that are inconsistent with Brandeis University's core values."

Ali, a member of the Dutch Parliament from 2003 to 2006, has been hailed as some for defending women's rights in Muslim societies, but has been criticized by many for insinuating that Islam is an inherently violent religion, Inside Higher Ed reported.

She has been quoted as making comments critical of Islam, the AP reported. That includes a 2007 interview with Reason Magazine in which she said of Islam: "Once it's defeated, it can mutate into something peaceful. It's very difficult to even talk about peace now. They're not interested in peace. I think that we are at war with Islam. And there's no middle ground in wars."

Muslim students at the private university have objected to the planned honor, and more than 85 of about 350 faculty members at the school signed a letter asking for Ali to be booted off the list of honorary degree recipients.

An online petition created Monday by students at Brandeis University of 5,800 had gathered more than 6,000 signatures.

"This is a real slap in the face to Muslim students," Sarah Fahmy, fourth-year student and a member of the Muslim Student Association who created the petition, told the AP of the honor before the university withdrew it.

Ali has not responded publicly to the decision by Brandeis University. 

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