A new Cornell task force will develop guidance for how and when the university should exercise its "institutional voice" to speak officially on issues of social and political significance.
The Task Force on Institutional Voice, established by Interim President Michael I. Kotlikoff and Provost Kavita Bala, will deliver by the end of the spring semester a set of principles and guidelines to inform Cornell's approach.
"Cornell does not have formal guidelines concerning the issue of institutional voice - when members of our community, including leadership, speak for themselves, and when they speak for the university," Kotlikoff said. "Guiding principles around institutional voice and institutional restraint will ensure that we enable defense of Cornell's core values, while supporting and respecting diverse viewpoints."
"Establishing clear guidelines for when and how the university speaks collectively will help us address complex issues while supporting our mission and reflecting the breadth of our community," Bala said. "I am looking forward to the task force's findings."
The task force is chaired by Deputy Provost Avery August, Howard Hughes Medical Institute Professor and professor of immunology in the College of Veterinary Medicine; and Jens David Ohlin, the Allan R. Tessler Dean of the Cornell Law School.
"While all of us within the Cornell community have our own voices, it is important to consider when and how Cornell as an institution exercises its voice," August said. "I believe that the task force's work will be critical in helping us to identify some principles that guide this process."
The task force will:
- Examine how the mission of the university as an academic enterprise influences whether and when the institution exercises its voice;
- Discuss the implications of the university speaking institutionally regarding a range of matters - and how that institutional voice impacts the individual voices of Cornell's community members;
- Make recommendations for principles and best practices that should guide university decisions about when to speak publicly and regarding which matters;
- Make recommendations regarding procedures or best practices for who should make such statements at the leadership level, and how they should be made; and
- Discuss the process for exercising institutional voice at levels below university leadership - for example, at the level of colleges, departments, centers, academic sub-units and other faculty, staff or student groups - and make recommendations regarding how members of the Cornell community should guide these collective decisions.
The task force will meet with a range of interested groups and individuals from across Cornell, and examine approaches that other institutions have taken.
"We are eager to hear input and suggestions from the community on this timely topic," Ohlin said. "Cornell is a great university filled with many voices, and we want to think carefully and thoughtfully about how the collective voice of the institution fits into that landscape."
