We are writing in response to your Sept. 24 letter regarding Cornell’s “Fighting Antisemitism and Protecting Civil Rights” statement. We believe that we have made clear in multiple statements that Cornell values and defends academic freedom and freedom of speech for everyone while also seeking to protect the Cornell community from disruption and discrimination that violate University policy and the law.
These are deeply consequential times for Cornell and higher education, but we cannot lose our core principles in our fight to resist these threats. One of those principles has always been to defend academic freedom and free expression, but that freedom is not unlimited. Taking over community spaces and declaring them as exclusive to one ideology is the opposite of academic freedom or freedom of expression. Students in the spring 2024 encampment were disciplined for violating the Student Code of Conduct. Such violations of the code should not be treated differently based on the intention or viewpoint of the violators. These disciplinary measures are mentioned in the context of describing our efforts to enforce University policies designed to protect the basic civil rights of all community members, consistent with the title of the statement and with many communications relating to the enforcement of the student code.
We have also been clear that the Kehlani appearance was canceled because Slope Day is meant to be an event that unites the Cornell community, not one that divides.
We welcome a discussion on ways we can reinforce or clarify our expectations around civil discourse and the protection of free speech and civil rights for all in our community, rather than seeking to re-litigate or mis-characterize our efforts to respond to antisemitism. We look forward to working together constructively within the established shared governance structures to move the Cornell community forward in these difficult times.
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Michael Kotlikoff is the president of Cornell University. His office can be reached at president@cornell.edu.
Kavita Bala is the provost of Cornell University. Her office can be reached at provost@cornell.edu.
