Global Courant 2023-05-11 14:00:48
Cornell University has announced a new free speech committee staffed with several scholars with a background or interest in diversity, justice, and inclusion (DEI).
Cornell University President Martha Pollack announced that the theme of the 2023-24 academic year will be focused on free speech, and she unveiled a free speech steering committee.
The deans of each college at Cornell are partners in planning the theme year and associated programming and resources. A steering committee consists of the deans of the College of Human Ecology, the School of Public Policy, the College of Computing and Information Science, professors, and other senior Cornell officials.
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Cornell University has announced a new free speech committee staffed with several scholars with a background or interest in the diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) mantra. (Photo by Natalie Cass/Getty Images)
“Early planning anticipates free speech reading groups, debates with invited speakers modeling respectful dialogue, and exhibitions on art, film and fashion,” a press release from the university states.
Randy Wayne, an associate professor at Cornell’s School of Integrative Plant Science, wrote of how he was excited about the committee, but quickly became disappointed when he saw who was compromising the committee.
“Yet my excitement was short-lived after reading the names of the scholars elected to the free speech steering committee, none of whom have championed free speech at Cornell,” Wanye wrote in an op-ed published by The College fix.
For example, the biostatement of member GS Hans, associate clinical professor of law and associate director of the First Amendment Clinic at Cornell Law School, states that he “researches and works on issues related to clinical legal education, with a particular focus on social justice and diversity, equity and inclusion.”
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An op-ed written by Randy Wayne, an associate professor at Cornell’s School of Integrative Plant Science, highlights that several members of the committee are driven to push DEI at the university. (Yiming Chen/Getty Images)
Another example is the dean of the faculty, member Eve De Rosa, who, according to the opinion piece’s author, says she is interested in bringing “more diversity to the faculty.”
Member Colleen Barry, dean of the Cornell Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy, also made comments supporting DEI. Barry said: “Whether it’s environmental policy, challenges in technology or confronting historic racism embedded in policy, we teach students the tools for justice.”
Member Kavita Bala, dean of the Cornell Ann S. Bowers College of Computing and Information Science, is also probably more interested in DEI than free speech.
Bala said she “hopes we can continue to build so we can create an equitable, inclusive and diverse student body.”
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Wayne wrote in the column he wrote to each member of the free speech steering committee individually: “I am a faculty member of the School of Integrative Plant Science and am very interested in free speech. Would you please send me links to your published writings on this subject so that I can keep up to date with Cornell’s new Free Expression theme?”
Barnes Hall at Cornell University (Educational Pictures/Universal Pictures Group)
However, he said none of them responded.
“To bring free speech experts to Cornell, I suggested to the Free Speech Steering Committee that they invite Jordan Peterson, Michael Shellenberger, Dorian Abbot, and alumnus Gad Saad to speak on free speech, and they agreed. all agree come if asked,” Wayne wrote.
He went on to say, “I hope Cornell’s upcoming ‘free speech’ theme is done in good faith and not hijacked by a DEI theme, but I’m not convinced it will do the right thing.”
Fox News Digital previously reported that Cornell University rejected a student assembly resolution to usher sensitive class discussions with “trigger warnings.”
The group urged university officials to require faculty to warn students before discussing certain “graphically traumatic” content that could trigger the onset of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms.
“We cannot accept this resolution as the actions it recommends would violate our core commitment to academic freedom and freedom of inquiry, and conflict with the goals of a Cornell education,” said University President Martha E. Pollack and Provost Michael I. Kotlikoff wrote Monday in a joint response to the resolution.
Fox News’ Taylor Penley contributed to this report.
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Joshua Q. Nelson is a reporter for Fox News Digital.
Joshua focuses on politics, education policy ranging from the local to federal level, and parental rebellion in education.
He joined Fox News Digital in 2019 and previously graduated from Syracuse University with a degree in political science and is an alum of the Heritage Foundation’s National Journalism Center and Young Leaders Program.
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