For Columbia affiliates only--we hope to see you at our event this coming Friday in Low Rotunda.

To those faculty, students, staff, or alumni who may disagree with decisions or actions taken by the University Senate: vote or run for office. To our Trustees, in whose care the Charter entrusts our institution: seek more democracy, not less.

It is founded, in universities, on freedoms that allow the pursuit of truths and abiding principles that some may find uncomfortable or inconvenient, as well as the right to contest these in an informed manner.

Throughout the half century since its founding, Columbians have celebrated the University Senate for its autonomy, even while noting periodic disagreement among its ranks. Democracy is not founded on neutrality.

Since its inception in 1969, the Columbia University Senate has robustly represented faculty, students, staff, and alumni in shared governance. Its spirit and purpose are democratic. Autonomy remains its cornerstone.

In light of a recent petition challenging the University Senate’s current leadership that masks ideology as procedure, we recall the origins and purpose of this crucial body and reaffirm the importance of maintaining its autonomy.

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Only by persistently and vocally defending the academic freedom of all its faculty will Columbia remain a great university.

The University should develop a process by which claims of such retribution may be fairly adjudicated.

The Columbia AAUP urges all parties to reject these attempts to trample on the rights of faculty. This includes the rights of contingent faculty whose appointments may not be renewed for reasons that, though undisclosed, may include retribution for expressing their views.

Claims of intimidation and harassment must be addressed carefully and transparently, with due process for all. Such claims must be stringently distinguished from the exercise of academic freedom through the expression of ideas that some may find disturbing or disagreeable.

To be sure, those who advocate that our colleagues be punished for exercising their rights of free expression are themselves exercising similar rights. Having the right to express such opinions does not, however, in any way justify them.

Grievances have also been filed in response to faculty efforts to de-escalate provocations during campus protests.

or filing grievances that could result in their dismissal. These calls for punitive action have most often been based on statements – sometimes controversial – made by these faculty members in the public sphere. Others have been based on classroom speech.

These statements echo the most fundamental tenets of the AAUP. Even so, the Columbia chapter has received numerous and troubling reports of politicians, journalists, professors, administrators, and students calling for particular Columbia faculty to be dismissed

. . . the University cannot and will not rule any subject or form of expression out of order on the ground that it is objectionable, offensive, immoral, or untrue.”

“Academic freedom implies that all officers of instruction are entitled to freedom in the classroom in discussing their subjects. . . and that they may not be penalized by the University for expressions of opinion or associations in their private or civic capacity.

Both the American Association of University Professors’ governing documents and the Columbia University Statutes vigorously defend the rights of faculty to discuss their subjects freely in the classroom and to engage publicly in robust political debate. The Statutes assert:

🗞️📰 "They are manufacturing lies and weaponizing painful riffs in our community as part of an assault on higher education. Their goal is to control our campuses, and tell us what we can research, what we can teach, and what we can learn.” @ProfTWolf https://t.co/nud3vVrtHH

Follow along with us in D.C. today as we stand up for first amendment rights in higher ed. 9:45 am-- Watch the House Committee on Education's hearing: https://t.co/rGi5H5c7Rr 12:15pm-- Watch our higher ed union press conference: https://t.co/vOt6tDZkGt @UAWUCLA @NorthwesternGW