The Cornell Daily Sun (https://cornellsun.com/tag/aaup/)
In his comments at Hillel, Joel Malina appears entirely confused about the scope and meaning of academic freedom. In his focusing on the case of pro-Palestinian activists, Malina suggests that the administration’s expressive activity policy is not content-neutral but is motivated by pro-Israel parents and donors.
The temporary suspension violates Cornell’s own Student Code of Conduct Procedures, constitutes an extreme and disproportionate punishment imposed without just cause and without due process and violates academic freedom and freedom of expression.
Cornell acted hastily in its unilateral imposition of the IEAP. It is now up to this Committee to ensure that academic freedom, freedom of expression, due process and shared governance are respected in revising, reviewing and voting on any Expressive Activity Policy and any accompanying enforcement and sanctions measures.
The suspended students are the best of us. They have chosen to come to Cornell because, as one student put it, “I believed it was the best place for me to learn how I could most effectively use my voice to fight for justice.”
As faculty, students and staff, we must come together to ensure that Cornell stands up against this pressure and protects the university as a free space for thinking, learning and expression.
There are many areas of social, economic and political controversies that faculty may address in exercising their academic freedom, but perhaps none so controversial as those dealing with Israel and Palestine. The University administration should stand up for faculty who exercise their academic freedom, even in the face of pressure from legislators, trustees, donors, students or alumni to sanction faculty for their speech.
The two authors point out that despite the concerns Rawlings explained in his statement, shared governance and organized labor can work together well.