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Todd Diacon | President | Kent State University
Todd Diacon, president of Kent State University, shares three things to expect when dealing with free speech and academic freedom on campus.
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What are my three pieces of advice on freedom of expression and academic freedom?
Well, for academic freedom—and I say this all the time at our faculty senate—just follow the 1940 AAUP statement on academic freedom. If you follow that, even in states with more aggressive legislation, you will have a much better case to make that you are operating within the boundaries of academic freedom if you follow that statement from AAUP. So I guess that’s the first piece of advice I would give, particularly if you’re a faculty member: follow the AAUP 1940 statement on academic freedom.
My second piece of advice for trustees would be: you’re likely going to be put in a situation which may be unprecedented in your own career, that you will receive hundreds, if not thousands, of very aggressively worded emails denouncing you and demanding action that you may or may not agree with. So that would be my second piece of advice.
And my third piece of advice would be: go to commencement and remind yourself of why we’re all doing this.
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