On July 26, the Cornell Chapter of the Heterodox Academy (HxA) issued a brief statement outlining what it recommends as the path forward through the challenges currently facing the University. The statement was sent to President Michael Kotlikoff and Provost Kavita Bala. HxA notes, “The statement does not accurately represent any one person’s view, but it represents the center of gravity of our heterodox thinking group, and we are all happy with the result.” It reads:
- “The HxA campus community works to rebuild trust in Cornell as a knowledge-seeking institution. We will constructively and critically engage with President Kotlikoff and Provost Bala in these efforts.
- We adopt the HxA Open Inquiry framework as a foundational starting point for our engagement. https://heterodoxacademy.org/announcements/open-inquiry-u-hxas-four-point-agenda-for-reforming-colleges-and-universities/
- We endorse the HxA way as a means to come to the best solution to the current challenges facing the university. https://heterodoxacademy.org/resources/the-hxa-way/
- We endorse the Chicago Principles for free speech and institutional neutrality. https://www.goacta.org/the-chicago-principles/ https://provost.uchicago.edu/sites/default/files/documents/reports/KalvenRprt_0.pdf
- We recognize that, as long as Cornell receives federal funds, it has an obligation to respond to the concerns of the federal government and of the public. We believe that returning Cornell to its traditional role as a knowledge-seeking institution should satisfy those concerns.”
While weighing in for academic freedom, the statement differs from the Manhattan Institute Statement by advocating for on-campus action rather than further use of leverage by the Trump Administration. Point #4 asks Cornell to endorse the Chicago Principles on free speech and the Kalven Report on institutional neutrality. When Kotlikoff became President, he announced that he would stop issuing statements that take positions on the political and policy issues of the day in the name of the University. Further, a new Task Force on Institutional Voice was appointed last winter with its draft recommendations expected shortly. Although Day Hall has expressed general alignment with the Chicago Principles on Free Speech, Cornell has not officially adopted them. Thus far, The Chicago Principles have been adopted by 113 colleges and universities.
This statement is partially in response to student organizations that push for Cornell to advance social justice. Instead, it proposes Cornell, and universities more broadly, as a truth-seeking institution. The “HxA way” provides a framework for truth-seeking. The HxA way can be summarized as: 1. Make your case with evidence; 2. Be intellectually charitable; 3. Be intellectually humble; 4. Be constructive; and 5. Be yourself. This implies building a broad campus-wide consensus through public debates and panel discussions rather than demonstrations and counter-demonstrations.
Point #5 seems to address the fact that universities that do not comply with the Trump Administration will be subject to large fines and sanctions. A more free-speech oriented direction for Cornell can help avoid penalties from the federal government.
The underlying sentiment of this statement is that a group of Cornell faculty is calling for reasoned debate on the University’s path forward.
