Free Speech

Dear Anteaters, Over the course of the past several weeks, our campus has again been forced to confront the question of how we honor and respect the value of free speech when it is tested amid speakers whose messages are perceived to be offensive, racist, inappropriate and inconsistent with the values our campus embraces. It is true that we hold intellectual inquiry and the free and rigorous exchange of ideas as bedrock principles of institutions of higher education. As a public university, we must respect the rights of all members of our community who wish to express opinion, voice support,…

Climate Monitor: Campus Posting Date October 15, 2017 (approximately) Event Unauthorized posters with disturbing content Action Response from Dr. Haynes, Vice Provost for Academic Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (included below) Earlier this month, posters with disturbing content, sponsored by an organization unaffiliated with UCI, were seen at multiple locations on campus.  The postings contained inflammatory language aimed at certain members of our faculty and student groups; they also violated UCI’s policy on posting. As such, campus personnel immediately removed the materials and reached out to the faculty and students who were singled out in this effort. The inflammatory nature of these…

Climate Monitor: Respecting the Lines of Civility Date May 18, 2016 Event Students Supporting Israel Film Screening Action Response from Chancellor Howard Gillman (included below) Dear Anteaters: Last night, an incident occurred on campus that we believe crossed the line of civility, prompting me to re-emphasize our position on free speech, safety and mutual respect. The incident centered on a film-viewing event sponsored by Students Supporting Israel. A group of protesters reportedly disrupted the event, blocking exit paths. Participants feared for their safety, calling on our police force for assistance. While this university will protect freedom of speech, that right is not…