Mercer Times

In his third year leading an Orientation session on academic freedom and free expression, President Christopher L. Eisgruber encouraged transfer and first-year students to make the most of the “transformative” opportunity they’ll have at Princeton to meet and learn from others with whom they disagree.

“I hope that you will lean in to this community where we have these opportunities for discussion of sensitive and hard subjects in a way that I think is rare in our society right now,” he said.

The event, attended by incoming transfer students and members of the Class of 2028, marked the President's third consecutive year leading an Orientation session on academic freedom and free expression.

Joining Eisgruber for the discussion was Vice President for Campus Life W. Rochelle Calhoun. He urged their audience at McCarter Theatre Center on Tuesday to be “courageous and self-reliant” as they encounter ideas different from their own on campus, invoking the words of Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis.

“It takes courage, Justice Brandeis says, to confront rather than suppress views with which we disagree,” Eisgruber said. “It builds self-reliance, he suggests, to fend for ourselves in discussion or argument, and to listen when we are wrong, rather than to trust a censor or referee to take care of us.”

Princeton University promotes a culture of free speech and inclusivity where people of every background can feel welcome to engage in vibrant discussion and argument.

Eisgruber told the new students: “I hope that you will lean in to this community where we have these opportunities for discussion of sensitive and hard subjects in a way that I think is rare in our society right now.”

For last year’s Orientation program, President Eisgruber was joined in conversation by Anthony Romero of the Class of 1987, executive director of the ACLU. Later that semester, Princeton School of Public and International Affairs Dean Amaney Jamal and her Columbia University counterpart Keren Yarhi-Milo held a talk on the Israel-Hamas war that was a model for scholarly discourse. Princeton is also working in partnership with PEN America, a worldwide champion for free expression, to conduct workshops about free expression and academic freedom on campus.

After warmly welcoming the students to the Princeton community, Calhoun posed a series of questions in conversation with Eisgruber and later asked him to reflect on other questions students submitted.

At Tuesday’s event, Eisgruber called students’ attention to the University’s Statement on Freedom of Expression from Princeton’s Rights, Rules, Responsibilities — which “guarantees all members of the University community the broadest possible latitude to speak, write, listen, challenge, and learn."

Calhoun encouraged the audience to visit the University's new Protests and Free Expression website dedicated to policies, guidelines, FAQs and resources for members of the University community. "This website gathers all of the information you need to know about how we actually exercise our right to free speech," she said.

In his opening remarks at Tuesday's event at McCarter Theatre Center focused on self-reliance:

“There will come a time when some of you want the University to issue a statement endorsing some position that you cherish or condemning some practice that you abhor. You might ask me for a statement if you do; I will almost certainly refuse because free speech presupposes self-reliance," he said.

He explained his position: "It's not my job as university president or faculty member validate your opinions or tell anyone what they should think about current issues. On contrary it is my job ensure people this campus—including all—have freedom say what they think."

"For these reasons rarely issued statements past expect less frequently future" he added

During Q&A Calhoun asked how advise respond encounter upsetting offensive speech

“That’s great question” said looking back own time student Class 1983

“What say lot different options” continued came small town Oregon long ago met people thought differently sometimes didn't understand perspectives identity experiences"

"And circumstances one can say something like offended want talk about may not understand sounds important transformative conversations entire experience" continued

Also times right thing walk away seek perspective

"One love range mentors—from res college staff coaches faculty members,"

Encouraged find somebody comfortable going saying 'Wow just heard upset talk'

"It my job ensure people campus—including all—freedom say what think" concluded event encourage engage learn others differently think"