Writing to the BU community, the Boston University president said, “There have been instances of tension and conflict, but more frequently, members of the campus community spoke their minds respectfully.”

University News

BU President Emphasizes Open, Respectful Dialogue, Praises Community for “Preserving a Civil and Intellectually Rich Environment”

In a message to the BU community, President Melissa L. Gilliam says the importance of respecting everyone’s right to speak their mind freely must also come with treating each other with respect and dignity

The new academic year at colleges and universities across the country arrives at a tumultuous time in the United States and around the world. Ongoing conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine continue to spark rallies and protests among students with ties to those regions, raising questions around free speech, the right to protest, and civil discourse on college campuses.

Amid all this strife, and in acknowledgment of the anxiety such global upheaval brings to a campus, Melissa L. Gilliam, Boston University president, addressed the BU community in a letter on Tuesday, stressing the importance of maintaining a safe campus environment that supports free speech and academic freedom and remains open to dialogue, differences, and debate. Gilliam shared reflections she has heard from the last year, along with her hopes for the coming year, in an email to BU students, faculty, and staff.

“Over the past year,” she wrote, “there have been instances of tension and conflict, but more frequently, members of the campus community spoke their minds respectfully; listened to others and their points of view with openness; and worked with administrators, students, faculty, and staff toward preserving a civil and intellectually rich environment, while expressing the right to varied points of view.”

Along with the letter, BU announced it has also launched a new website on community, civility, and free speech, which the letter said “is devoted to communicating about these new initiatives and the University’s resources, policies, and practices related to free speech and academic freedom, civil discourse, and campus safety.” 

“All of us must feel free to openly express our points of view without fear of retaliation, harassment, or bias,” Melissa Gilliam wrote in her letter to the BU community.

On that website, BU includes a centralized incident report form to community members to easily submit a report of bias or harassment. It also includes an updated interim policy on events and demonstrations. The site also includes the findings and recommendations from two working groups that were set up last spring to assess and evaluate campus culture around anti-Palestinian and anti-Israeli harassment and make recommendations for BU to adopt: the Working Group on Muslim and Arab Life and Addressing Islamophobia and Anti-Arab and Anti-Palestinian Harassment, and the Working Group on Jewish Life and Addressing Antisemitism and Anti-Jewish and Anti-Israeli Harassment.

The letter continued: 

“Many members of the campus community have shared ongoing concerns. While these individuals come from a wide range of backgrounds and traditions, there are common themes. People have spoken out about their personal experiences including their pain and fear as they have been directly impacted by current events or interactions on campus. Others have raised concerns about the classroom and campus climate regarding academic freedom and freedom of speech. Some have expressed an inability to speak freely because they question whether their viewpoints and perspectives are valued. Some want to learn and discuss current events but feel prevented from the free exchange of ideas.”

Gilliam outlined initial steps put in place for the current year, including adding more prayer and gathering places on campus, adding training on Islamophobia and antisemitism and other forms of bias, and offering more halal and kosher food options. The administration will continue to engage with students, staff, and faculty and address additional recommendations. 

“The beginning of the new academic year provides an occasion to look ahead with optimism and dive headfirst into the many opportunities that Boston University has to offer,” the letter said. And it affirmed that BU “has a foundational commitment to free speech and academic freedom.”

College campuses in Massachusetts and across the country roiled with protests last year. Students at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Northeastern University, Columbia University, UCLA, and dozens of other campuses built encampments and organized rallies in support of Palestine—where, often, they clashed with counterprotesters rallying in support of Israel.

BU experienced its share of protests and walkouts and gatherings, but Gilliam praised the University community for their respectful treatment of each other. Still, the message to the campus community acknowledged that what lies ahead reflects “the significant work we must do to ensure that all people at BU can participate fully in the life of our campus.” 

“All of us must feel free to openly express our points of view without fear of retaliation, harassment, or bias,” she wrote.

In her message, Gilliam laid out new initiatives in the works:

• Enhancing and communicating the process for reporting perceived incidents of bias and harassment
• Evaluating the findings of the various working groups across campus and implementing some of their recommendations
• Increasing the amount of prayer and gathering spaces on campus
• Offering more halal and kosher dining options and improving the labeling of those foods in dining facilities
• Implementing mandated training on antisemitism, Islamophobia, and other forms of religious and political bias

In the message, Gilliam laid out some steps that have already been taken: “Thus far, we have enhanced a centralized Incident Report Form through the Equal Opportunity Office (EOO), where community members are encouraged to report all instances of bias or harassment; updated and expanded existing prayer space on both the Charles River and Medical Campuses, which continues to be a work in progress; hired an additional part-time Muslim chaplain with plans to hire a full-time chaplain; and begun developing antisemitism and Islamophobia training.”

“Our mission grounds us in the use of speech for the benefit of one another and society,” Gilliam wrote. “In the coming weeks we will have more opportunities for learning and dialogue.”

BU has a number of resources currently available for anyone who may need them. 

Students who need support for mental or emotional health can contact:

Staff and faculty in need of short-term counseling, referrals for mental health and community resources, crisis support, or resources to support well-being can reach out to the Faculty & Staff Assistance Office at 617-353-5381 or via online form.

Anyone who fears for their physical safety or believes they’ve experienced a hate crime should contact BUPD (617-353-2121) immediately.

To report instances of bias or harassment, community members should contact the Equal Opportunity Office for direction and support.

Those who do not want, or are not yet ready, to make a report, can seek out other confidential support on campus through the Office of the Ombuds, Behavioral Medicine, the University Chaplains, or the Faculty & Staff Assistance Office.