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The Charger Compact, the University of New Haven statement of our community values, states:
As a member of the University of New Haven community, I will strive for academic excellence, I will assume responsibility for my words, actions and inaction, I will respect the dignity, rights and property of all persons, I will strive to appreciate, respect and learn from others whose experiences and opinions are different from mine, I will conduct my academic and personal life with integrity and I will strive to contribute positively to the campus, local and global communities.
These values and expectations provide the framework for how we interact as individuals and speak to what we stand for as a University community.
Because the University of New Haven is committed to free and open inquiry in all matters, it guarantees all members of the University community the broadest possible latitude to speak, write, listen, challenge, and learn. Except insofar as limitations on that freedom are necessary to the functioning of the University of New Haven, the University fully respects and supports the freedom of all members of the University of New Haven community to discuss any problem that presents itself.
Of course, the ideas of different members of the University of New Haven community will often and quite naturally conflict. A foundation of the educational process is to provide students the opportunity to be exposed to diverse ideas and opinions. The University of New Haven greatly values civility, and all members of the University community share in the responsibility for maintaining a climate of mutual respect.
The University of New Haven's fundamental commitment is to the principle that debate or deliberation may not be suppressed because the ideas put forth are thought by some or even by most members of the University community to be offensive or unsubstantiated. It is for the individual members of the University of New Haven community, not for the University of New Haven as an institution, to make those judgments for themselves, and to act on those judgments not by seeking to suppress speech, but by openly and vigorously contesting the ideas that they oppose. Indeed, fostering the ability of members of the University of New Haven community to engage in such debate and deliberation in an effective and responsible manner is an essential part of the University's educational mission.
The freedom to debate and discuss the merits of competing ideas does not, of course, mean that individuals may say whatever they wish, wherever they wish. The University of New Haven may restrict expression that violates the law that falsely defames a specific individual that constitutes a genuine threat or harassment, that unjustifiably invades substantial privacy or confidentiality interests, or that is otherwise directly incompatible with the functioning of the University of New Haven. In addition, the University of New Haven may reasonably regulate the time, place, and manner of expression to ensure that it does not disrupt the ordinary activities of the University of New Haven. (See Student Protest and Demonstration Policy ). However, these are narrow exceptions to the general principle of freedom of expression, and it is vitally important that these exceptions never be used in a manner that is inconsistent with the University of New Haven's commitment to free and open discussion of ideas.
The University of New Haven would like to recognize the University of Chicago policy statement and the FIRE Model Freedom of Expression Resolution Based on the University of Chicago Statement which were used with permission in the creation of this policy. 3/22/17
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