Divisive Concepts Law

All faculty—tenured, pretenure, and non–tenure track—have the right to teach, research, create, and perform about their knowledge and understanding in their discipline. This academic freedom persists even when faculty members hold a minority view within their discipline and when others in and beyond the institution find their views contrary or objectionable.

A true university education is one in which students hear, study, and discuss ideas that challenge their thinking and encourage them to consider points of view different from their own. Students should expect to hear ideas that make them uncomfortable, should be able to explain and master concepts they disagree with, and should feel free to take opposing views as part of civil academic discourse. We remind all members of the campus community that the Campus Free Speech Protection Act—signed into state law in 2017—applies to everyone. The act endorses the fundamental responsibility of the university by defining what we are not to do: “It is not the proper role of an institution to attempt to shield individuals from free speech, including ideas and opinions they find offensive, unwise, immoral, indecent, disagreeable, conservative, liberal, traditional, radical, or wrong-headed.” These principles are recognized in the Board of Trustees Policy Affirming Principles of Free Speech for Students and Faculty (BT0010). At the beginning of each academic year, we remind the campus community of the importance of fulfilling the letter and spirit of this act.

To learn more visit the Statement of Aspirations page.

We ask every member of our community—faculty, staff, and students—to show respect for one another when they discuss ideas and opinions that are different from their own.