Editor's Note: This letter was submitted prior to President Kotlikoff's withdrawal of Kehlani's invitation to headline Slope Day.
On March 31, President Kotlikoff wrote a New York Times op-ed in support of free speech: “When student groups invite controversial speakers to campus, we don’t intervene and we don’t weigh in, as long we are confident the events can be held safely." This op-ed set a new tone for a school currently ranked No. 215 and “below average” on the FIRE 2025 college free speech rankings.
Then on April 18, in reference to Slope Day artist Kehlani, the Cornell Daily Sun reported a statement from Kotlikoff: “We altered that contract to make it clear that if there are any political events at the performance there is full forfeit of the whole compensation.” This statement appears to demonstrate the university using the financial power of a contract to restrict free speech. This argument is similar to that being made by the Trump administration in withholding funding to universities, namely that schools choosing to receive federal funds are contractually obligated to abide by mandates including Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
I’m sure I am not the only Cornell community member puzzled by the apparent contradiction between the March 31 and April 18 statements. Given the commitment to free speech, it would be helpful for the administration to provide more education to help explain why the university is taking the position that the speech of an invited artist should be restricted. And I am confident that Kehlani, like all artists who have accepted gigs under censorship restrictions, will find creative ways to communicate the messages that define them. These are the messages of cultural significance and artistic impact that no doubt motivated the Slope Day Programming Board invitation in the first place. To paraphrase President Kotlikoff, “Will many in our academic community disagree with what Cornell invited guests have to say? Sure. And that is, in large part, the point.”
Ruth Collins, Associate Professor, Department of Molecular Medicine
The Cornell Daily Sun is interested in publishing a broad and diverse set of content from the Cornell and greater Ithaca community. We want to hear what you have to say about this topic or any of our pieces. Here are some guidelines on how to submit. And here’s our email: opinion@cornellsun.com.
