Dear OU Community,
At the University of Oklahoma, we are proud to recognize Free Speech Week – a national observance of our First Amendment freedoms. It’s a time to celebrate our constitutional rights of free speech, inquiry, and expression, and to appreciate their fundamental role in our academic and research community.
In that spirit, I encourage you to find ways to participate in the Free Speech Week activities happening at OU next week – learn more at ou.edu/freespeechweek. Among these is our Free Speech Week keynote discussion on Tuesday afternoon with Greg Lukianoff, the President and CEO of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), who will speak on “Free Speech and Cancel Culture.”
Freedom of speech and academic freedom are the hallmark of a great institution of higher learning like OU. Preparing the next generation of thinkers, leaders, and problem-solvers means we must remain a place where vibrant discourse, the unbridled search for truth, and the discovery of new knowledge can flourish uninhibited. At the same time, we must uphold our responsibility to treat each other with dignity and respect, even when we do not see eye to eye. I’m very proud that two years ago, the OU Board of Regents formally adopted the principles of the Chicago Statement on Free Speech, an affirmation that these values will always be a cornerstone of our university’s pursuit of excellence.
I encourage every member of our community to reflect on the importance of these freedoms in shaping who we are as a university and as a society – not just in the coming days, but every day of the year.
Live On, University,
Joseph Harroz, Jr.
President
