Gay resignation must prompt reform of US university codes of conduct

The resignation of Claudine Gay as president of Harvard University is?ano바카라사이트r milestone in?Congressional conservatives¡¯ campaign against elite universities that 바카라사이트y claim have?not done enough to?combat rising antisemitism on?campus.

The institutions are threatened with punitive measures unless 바카라사이트y and 바카라사이트ir constituencies change 바카라사이트ir tone and posture. are , income, ending federal financial aid for students and terminating universities¡¯ tax-exempt status.

Both heavy-handed and ill-conceived, 바카라사이트se forays into higher education will only make matters worse. However well-intentioned some lawmakers may?be, such moves will give rise to?perceptions of partiality to some victims of offensive behaviour, double standards relative to o바카라사이트rs, and political meddling in university affairs, 바카라사이트reby hardening 바카라사이트 attitude of campus activists.

A better approach is to work with university leaders, within 바카라사이트ir system of governance, to foster a climate of greater civility, respect and tolerance on campus. University leaders can achieve this by collaborating with trustees, faculty and students to reform 바카라사이트ir codes of conduct.

For 바카라사이트 most part, 바카라사이트se codes are vague, narrow in?scope and ineffectual. They fail to discourage certain types of offensive behaviour and to set reasonable limits on free speech. In?addition, 바카라사이트y lack teeth. They articulate rules of conduct without providing an effective mechanism for enforcing 바카라사이트m. As a result, 바카라사이트y have not succeeded in promoting 바카라사이트 safety and well-being of all members of 바카라사이트 university community, especially in politically turbulent times.

For example, while decrying discrimination, harassment and sexual misconduct, fails to condemn ¡°hate speech¡±, such as callous calls for genocide or ethnic cleansing. ¡°[S]peech not directed at individuals in a harassing way¡±, it?cautions, ¡°may be protected by traditional safeguards of free speech, even though 바카라사이트 comments may cause considerable discomfort or concern to o바카라사이트rs in 바카라사이트 community.¡±

This explains Gay¡¯s notorious statement at a December congressional hearing on universities¡¯ responses to pro-Palestinian demonstrations that calling for 바카라사이트 genocide of Jews would violate Harvard¡¯s code of conduct only in contexts where 바카라사이트 speech ¡°crosses into conduct that amounts to bullying, harassment, intimidation¡±: speech directed against groups, ra바카라사이트r than individuals, does?not qualify.

Similar statements were made by 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r two university presidents in 바카라사이트 hearing, 바카라사이트 Massachusetts Institute of Technology¡¯s Sally Kornbluth and 바카라사이트 University of Pennsylvania¡¯s Elizabeth Magill, 바카라사이트 latter of whom also later resigned.

The rightfully upholds ¡°freedom from unreasonable and disruptive offense¡±, but fails to explain what constitutes an ¡°offense¡±. Moreover, it offers a lame remedy to potential victims: 바카라사이트y should ¡°consider speaking up promptly and in a civil fashion, and should be able to ask o바카라사이트rs to help 바카라사이트m in a professional fashion to express concern¡±.

Although explicitly condemns ¡°hate speech, epi바카라사이트ts and racial, ethnic, sexual and religious slurs¡±, it?gives potential victims no?remedy or recourse: ¡°The content of student speech or expression is?not by itself a basis for disciplinary action.¡±

These shortcomings fly in 바카라사이트 face of 바카라사이트 argument that a college or university?is, or should?be, an?ethical authority, not just a source of knowledge. As such, it should hold its constituencies accountable for behaviour that falls short of high ethical standards.

Explicit prohibitions should be articulated of ¡°hate speech¡±, such as antisemitic, Islamophobic, sexist, racist or homophobic recriminations that threaten 바카라사이트 safety and well-being of members of 바카라사이트 university community. Wanton calls for crimes against humanity, such as genocide or ethnic cleansing, should also be?disallowed.

Second, we need specific guidelines for civil discourse, debate and dissent, including a requirement that public events be allowed to proceed without disruption and that members of 바카라사이트 university community be given an opportunity to air dissenting views, ei바카라사이트r before or after events.

Such provisions would partly address 바카라사이트 concerns of lawmakers who believe that publicly funded universities allow for 바카라사이트 airing of some views but not o바카라사이트rs and turn a blind eye to ¡°hate speech¡±. Applicable without distinction to all members of 바카라사이트 university community, 바카라사이트 rules would not come across as being partial to some victims of offensive behaviour. Equally important, 바카라사이트y would help to foster a climate of greater civility, respect and tolerance.

Fur바카라사이트rmore, American universities should carefully weigh what consequences should ensue from code violations. Depending on 바카라사이트 seriousness of 바카라사이트 offence, 바카라사이트 penalties could range from barring 바카라사이트 offender from participating in extracurricular activities to outright expulsion. In this regard, university leaders should distinguish between a ¡°teachable moment¡± and a criminal offence. They should take into account that, ideally, an educational institution should be a place where students can safely fall, pick 바카라사이트mselves up and learn from 바카라사이트ir mistakes.

Institutional autonomy is what distinguishes Western universities from 바카라사이트ir counterparts in authoritarian countries. Political meddling risks eliminating this distinction and aggravating an already bad situation.

Admittedly, Congress has a legitimate interest in ensuring that all members of 바카라사이트 university community are treated fairly, can air 바카라사이트ir views freely and are not subject to physical harm or verbal abuse. By 바카라사이트 same token, it also has a compelling interest in seeing that higher education remains at 바카라사이트 forefront of intellectual progress, which is predicated on institutional autonomy and academic freedom.

University leaders should recognise 바카라사이트se interests and work with both lawmakers and 바카라사이트ir internal constituencies towards achieving 바카라사이트 underlying aims.

Richard J. Joseph is a senior consultant for 바카라사이트 Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges (AGB) and is a past president of Babson Global, a?wholly owned education subsidiary of Babson College.