CSU-AAUP Statement in Defense of the Right to Free Speech and Peaceful Protest on University and College Campuses

Whereas CSU-AAUP represents nearly 3,000 faculty members across the four Connecticut State Universities who serve 20,000 students across the state.

Whereas CSU-AAUP believes that our working conditions are our students’ learning conditions.

Whereas CSU-AAUP is aware of and increasingly alarmed by the arrest of approximately

2,000 protestors at colleges and universities across the country, including in Connecticut.

Whereas students, faculty, and staff of CSU-AAUP are entitled to the rights of freedom of speech and peaceable assembly.

Now therefore be it Resolved that CSU-AAUP will issue the following statement in defense of the right to free speech and peaceful protest on university and college campuses.

CSU-AAUP Statement in Defense of the Right to Free Speech and Peaceful Protest on University and College Campuses

CSU-AAUP reiterates AAUP National’s defense of the right to free speech and peaceful protest on university and college campuses.

We condemn any heavy-handed, militaristic responses to student activism. We object in the strongest possible terms to harsh discipline and violent repression of student protestors.

We concur with AAUP National that “harassment and hate have no place on college campuses or anywhere,” and assert that problems related to such harassment and hate be addressed with due process following existing policies and procedures.

As we watch local, regional, and national academic institutions take punitive disciplinary actions with academic impact on their students, we call on the administration of CSCU to respect the rights of our students, faculty, and staff to peaceably assemble and exercise their right to freedom of speech, and to avoid taking actions against peaceful protestors that would harm their academic or professional success.