The College is developing several initiatives related to freedom of expression, senior leaders wrote in an email statement to the Dartmouth community on Thursday afternoon.
The letter follows a tumultuous spring term, during which 89 individuals were arrested at a May 1 pro-Palestinian protest on the Green. The event sparked both criticism and support from faculty, students and alumni — including concerns about freedom of expression on campus.
Now, as the College enters a new academic year, the letter’s signatories — College President Sian Leah Beilock, Provost David Kotz and Dean of the Faculty Elizabeth Smith, along with the deans of Dartmouth’s four graduate schools — hope to “highlight” their “shared commitment” to “freedom of expression and the respectful exchange of ideas.”
“Our campus thrives when every member of our community feels empowered to share their perspectives, challenge one another productively and take part in meaningful dialogue,” the leaders wrote. “Everyone in our community should feel welcome. That engagement is critical to building excellence and central to our mission.”
While some initiatives were launched in previous terms, others will be rolled out this upcoming year, according to the statement. In the spring, the College created faculty-led working groups to examine Dartmouth’s freedom of expression policies and position on institutional neutrality. The groups have been “making progress” and “will share updates in the coming weeks,” the leaders wrote. In addition, the College has consolidated “all relevant Dartmouth freedom of expression policies and information” onto one page on its website.
Moreover, Dartmouth’s open expression facilitator program — launched in August 2023 — will be expanded to the entire campus. The program — which positions faculty and staff as “neutral observers at designated events” and offers guidance to student organizations on the Freedom of Expression and Dissent Policy, according to the program’s webpage — previously focused only on undergraduates.
The College is also developing a Freedom of Expression Advisory Program, aimed at providing guidance before and during campus events. The program will introduce mediators and advisers to “respond as needed to events on campus,” foster participant engagement and help individuals make “informed decisions regarding their participation in these types of activities.” The College will share information regarding recruitment and training for the program “soon,” according to the email.
A second advisory group, spearheaded by senior vice president for community and campus life Jennifer Rosales, aims to tackle subjects such as “hate speech, social movements and negotiations.” Faculty across the institution may nominate themselves or a colleague to join the group.
The letter emphasized the College’s commitment to “building trust, community and accountability,” even as it acknowledged the presence of opposing views on campus.
“This does not mean we will always agree,” the authors wrote. “In fact, disagreement is a natural part of robust discussion and is necessary for learning and for sharpening our ideas. But our community suffers when one group’s point of view crowds out others or has the potential to escalate into hostility or harassment. No one’s education should be disrupted.”
