Statement on Cornell Political Union Speaker Invitation
As we have frequently noted , free speech is an essential part of Cornell University’s commitment to the discovery of truth, and the University's leadership is resolute in upholding the principle of freedom of expression on our campuses.
Recently, we learned that an independent, student-run organization, the Cornell Political Union, had already decided to rescind an invitation to a speaker for an event on our Ithaca campus. They made this decision without engaging with the administration on event planning or security. The University in no way requested or suggested that any guest be excluded from attending this campus event, and to date we have made no recommendation related to potential university costs associated with supporting the event.
Joel M. Malina
Vice President for University Relations