A year ago the academic bill of rights lost by one vote in our student assembly here at Cornell. However, this semester the bill finally passed — 10 - 8. I’ve attached a copy of the bill below.

Resolution Regarding the Intellectual Diversity Initiative

Whereas, intellectual diversity acts as the lifeblood of the academe, serving to ensure that students are educated¹ rather than indoctrinated²;

Whereas, this is an idea held especially dear at Cornell, given its stated commitment to fostering an atmosphere of “Open Doors, Open Hearts,” and, particularly important in this case, “Open Minds”;

Be it therefore resolved that the Student Assembly recognize the importance of such diversity by supporting, both in word and in spirit, the attached initiative, thus signaling its desire for all precincts of this university to do the same.

Respectfully submitted,

Megan Sweeney ’07 Mark Coombs ’08

Chair, College Republicans Executive Vice President, SA

Ahmed Salem ’08 Roger Gousse ’08

International Representative, SA Minority Representative, SA

Sarah Santana ’08 Shivaun Deena ’07

CALS Representative, SA Minority Representative, SA

Justin Weitz ’07 Rammy Salem ’10

President, CIPAC Freshman Representative, SA

Mark Zolnowski ’07 Vince Hartman ’08

President, OUTreach At-Large Representative, SA

Chelley Leveillee ’08

President, Amnesty Intl., ’05-’06

Intellectual Diversity Initiative

Believing in the need to affirm the importance of the principles of pluralism of thought and intellectual diversity within the university community, and seeking to further promote an intellectual environment of free inquiry and free speech without intimidation of any given set of beliefs, we, the Student Assembly, representing the undergraduates of Cornell University, do hereby declare our desire for the following principles to be observed:

1. We affirm that students should be graded solely on the basis of their reasoned answers and appropriate knowledge of the subjects and disciplines they study; professors must never allow a student’s political affiliation, religious beliefs, ethnic origin, national origin, or opinions expressed contrary to the norm to affect his/her academic performance.

2. Teachers are entitled to freedom in teaching their subject as they see fit, but not to the point of political, ideological, religious or anti-religious indoctrination, or to the exclusion of any student’s opinions or viewpoints. Such actions represent a violation of the principles of free and open sharing of ideas and negatively impact the intellectual diversity the university espouses. We urge that incidents of such biases of the sort be taken into account when making hiring or tenure decisions.

3. It is an abrogation of the university’s commitment to the pursuit of truth for the hiring, firing, promotion or granting of tenure to ever be based on a professor’s political philosophy, public notoriety, or personal connections. Instead, all faculty hiring and the granting of tenure should be based solely on their contributions to academic discovery.

4. Selection of speakers and the allocation of university and/or Student Assembly funds for speakers, programs, and other student activities must observe the principle of diversity of thought and promote intellectual pluralism.

5. An environment conducive to the civil exchange of ideas is an essential component of a free university. The obstruction of invited campus speakers, uncivil or violent portrayal of ideas, destruction of campus literature or other effort to obstruct civil exchange and diversity of thought will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted where need be.

We believe that informed decisions are only made when all relevant information is presented and fair consideration of facts is encouraged. In the event that information is expressly hidden because it disagrees with a professor’s views, we feel that this constitutes indoctrination unbecoming of Cornell University and the American system of education. While we do not have the power to make this document binding, we urge the university to turn this initiative into an expressed policy that both guarantees intellectual diversity and ensures freedom of thought, the two cornerstones of this institution.

1. Education is defined as “the act or process of imparting or acquiring general knowledge, developing the powers of reasoning and judgment, and generally of preparing oneself or others intellectually for mature life” (Dictionary.com Unabridged [v 1.1]. Retrieved April 26, 2007, from Dictionary.com website: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/education). [↩]
2. To indoctrinate is “to instruct in a doctrine, principle, ideology, etc., esp. to imbue with a specific partisan or biased belief or point of view” (Dictionary.com Unabridged [v 1.1]. Retrieved April 26, 2007, from Dictionary.com website: http://dictionary.reference.com/ browse/indoctrinate). [↩]