Martin Center Supports Free Speech Proposals at Cornell

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 9, 2022

Contact: Jenna A. Robinson
President
919-828-1400
jarobinson@jamesgmartin.center

Raleigh, NC—Today, Martin Center president Jenna A. Robinson wrote to Cornell President Martha Pollack in support of two proposals to protect and promote free speech at Cornell University. The proposals were made by the Cornell Free Speech Alliance.

The first proposal is to include free speech training in new student orientation. The second is to provide similar training to members of the University Hearing Board and the University Review Board, two entities that adjudicate student conduct.

These proposals will address the critical problem of self-censorship at Cornell: 88 percent of Cornell students have reported censoring themselves because of how other students, faculty, and staff may respond.

“Urgent action is needed,” Robinson said. “These two proposals by the Cornell Free Speech Alliance are common-sense protections for student free speech.”

Robinson’s letter to Cornell is available for download here.