Freedom of expression is vital to the University. It enables our teaching, research, pursuit of knowledge and truth, innovation and service to flourish. We value varied viewpoints, the exchange of ideas, challenges to conventional wisdom and uninhibited discourse and debate.
The free expression of ideas is essential to our purpose, aligned with the Kalven Committee report, in the discovery, improvement and dissemination of knowledge. Without free expression, we cannot fulfill our mission, explore diverse opinions, provide rigorous critique or hone the art of debate and argument. A university faithful to its mission must embrace the widest range of views and maintain independence from political trends, passions and pressures. Our role is not to act as a political force but to remain a community of scholars committed to inquiry and discovery who are respectful of one another. Fundamental to such a community are both academic freedom and the opportunity to engage in the dynamic experience of campus life, such as through student organizations.
At the University of Miami, we consistently embrace the values of free expression. With these freedoms comes the responsibility for every member of our community to treat each other with dignity, and to honor differing points of view. We will safeguard these principles and provide a forum for open discussion of public issues. We will ensure that faculty and students remain free to engage in political and social action as individuals while abiding by the standards of their fields, roles, and professions. Our strength lies in integrity and intellectual competence—not in political influence—and we will not be distracted by challenges seen elsewhere. The University of Miami will continue to uphold these values and protect our students, faculty and community.
