Resolution: UA R7: Right to Free Expression
Date | 05/31/2023 |
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Action | Acknowledged by the President |
Notes | Thank you for conveying to me University Assembly Resolution #7 (“Right to Free Expression”). I appreciate the assembly’s focus on the issue of free expression, which of course is not only one of Cornell’s core values but also the focus of our themed year beginning next semester. I commend the UA for its interest in working with the administration and others across campus to help foster a greater appreciation for free expression in all its complexities. I am explicitly neither accepting nor rejecting UA#7. While there are parts of the resolution that are very much aligned with the university’s official policy on free expression, there are other parts that are problematic. It is true that Cornell values free expression, that the community has historically thrived while entertaining all viewpoints, and that the right to protest and demonstrate has been an important catalyst for change. It is also true that being a community of belonging is another of our core values and that attacking someone on the basis of race, religion, gender, or the other personal characteristics referenced in the resolution runs counter to that core value. There is no question that our campus community must face the challenge of honoring these two core values, even though they can sometimes be in tension. Former Cornell Law School Dean Eduardo Peñalver provides an excellent overview of how universities can work to meet this challenge. However, there are other parts of the resolution that I cannot support. For example:
The purpose of our announcing a themed year of free expression is to ensure that all constituencies on campus have an opportunity to “openly [discuss] the most difficult and pressing issues relating to free expression and the right to protest. . . as well as creating spaces for intergroup communication” (lines 81-82). That is a sentiment I strongly support. Sincerely, Martha E. Pollack |
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