Following is a statement by Association of American Universities President Mary Sue Coleman on the president’s executive order, “Improving Free Inquiry, Transparency, and Accountability at Colleges and Universities.”
AAU and its member institutions share the administration’s commitment to protecting free speech on campus and agree that our campuses are and should remain places where ideas can be expressed free of disruption, intimidation, and violence.
However, this executive order is a solution in search of a problem. The free and open exchange of ideas and information is already a fundamental cornerstone of the educational mission of America’s leading research universities, and our institutions are fully committed to the protection and preservation of this proud heritage of debate and discussion. Open and robust debate are the bedrock of the scientific and societal advancement, and at the very core of our values.
For more information, please see the April 2018 Statement from AAU Presidents and Chancellors, “AAU Presidents and Chancellors Reaffirm Commitment to Free Speech on Campus,” and a blog post from AAU President Mary Sue Coleman, “Free Speech is to be Encouraged, Not Stifled.”
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