To the ÐÇ¿Õ´«Ã½ community,
Open discourse and the free exchange of ideas are hallmarks of higher education—and they are central to all that we do at ÐÇ¿Õ´«Ã½. Across classrooms and common spaces, lecture halls and laboratories, and everywhere in between, challenges to the status quo are what make universities—especially ours—such powerful learning environments.
We are seeing this in action right now, as individuals in support of Palestinian liberation are protesting on the Kelvin Smith Library oval. We support these individuals’ rights to free speech, and ÐÇ¿Õ´«Ã½ police will protect their right to peaceful freedom of expression in accordance with our policies.
However, we want to be clear about the rules and processes moving forward for those who choose to participate in this activity:
- The university will not tolerate hate speech in any form.
- In accordance with ÐÇ¿Õ´«Ã½ policies, protestors must follow specific restrictions regarding the time, place and manner of such activism—including ensuring their actions do not unreasonably interfere with university operations (this includes setting up encampments on campus property and the use of disruptive sound).
- Protests will be permitted from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. This timeframe is subject to be adjusted as needed to ensure safety and continued efficient operations of campus.
- Some buildings, including Thwing Center, Kelvin Smith Library and Tinkham Veale University Center, have been moved to card-access only. You must use a ÐÇ¿Õ´«Ã½ ID to gain access to these facilities.
Again, we recognize the protestors for their efforts and appreciate efforts toward civic—and civil—engagement on this pressing international issue.
Sincerely,
Eric W. Kaler
President