An independent organization advocating for free expression, viewpoint diversity, and academic freedom at Cornell University
Read this Overview of the threat to academic freedom now facing Cornell.
CFSA Launches "Academic Freedom" Educational Resources For The Cornell Community. See Below...
The Founding of CFSA : Listen To News Podcast Here
Cornell FSA Launches New Educational Resources Focused On Academic Freedom & Free Expression On Campus : 1) CFSA Cornell Campus Reports; 2) CFSA "Open Inquiry" Video Short Course, and 3) UOIF "Academic Freedom" Webinar Series. See New Web Library Resources Below.
Visit Library : Review CFSA Cornell Campus Reports HERE.
Visit Library : Review CFSA "Open Inquiry" Video Short Course HERE.
Visit Library : Review UOIF "Academic Freedom" Webinar Series HERE".
CFSA has established strong connections with many members of the Cornell Community who have experienced up-close and personal impediments to Academic Freedom, Viewpoint Diversity, Open Inquiry, and Free Expression on campus. The testimonials shared by these Cornellians will surprise and disturb many within the Cornell Community -- as they wonder how life at Cornell has been changed so radically since they attended the university. To share insights provided by these testimonials, Cornell FSA has initiated the "CFSA Cornell Campus Reports" series which will be distributed to CFSA followers over the coming year. Please check out the above "CFSA Cornell Campus Reports" series. In addition, Cornell FSA has created a growing video short course series whose purpose is to educate and inform the Cornell Community about the trends which have created these impairments to Academic Freedom and Free Speech on campus. To learn from these new educational resources, please take the time to view the above "CFSA Open Inquiry Video Short Course" presentations. Finally, CFSA has served as Co-Sponsor with the University Open Inquiry Forum ("UOIF") to present the above webinars focused on returning "Academic Freedom" to Cornell and other universities nationwide. Please review CFSA's newly assembled educational resoucres by clicking-on the above links.
CornellFSA Year-End 2022 Capital Campaign :
$250k Raised
As evidenced by reports from Cornell faculty & students and highlighted in this video overview of Cornell's Current Campus Conditions, Open Inquiry and Academic Freedom are under profound threat at Cornell University. CornellFSA has assembled an army of Cornell Community volunteers who are dedicated to bringing critically important educational reforms to Cornell. We have completed a 2022 Year-End Fundraising Campaign which has raised approx. $250,000 in contributions to the CornellFSA cause. These resources will help implement future CornellFSA programs. A summary of CornellFSA's major accomplishments and ongoing action plans can be reviewed HERE. We continue to reach out to out to supporters to fund the CornellFSA action plan for 2023 and beyond. To make a donation to CornellFSA, please send your check payable to :
Cornell Free Speech Alliance
PO Box 47624
San Antonio, TX 78365
Thank you!
New Cornell DEI Loyalty Pledges
Cornell faculty members are now required to make "Political Loyalty Pledges" (watch ACTA video) which continue to transform a formerly proud "Community of Scholars" into a "Band of Political Activists". The Nov 2022 Stanford University Academic Freedom Conference confirms that dangerous DEI political mandates have now aggressively moved from the Humanities to STEM. The result is to impose an "Ideologically Pure Monoculture" throughout all academic disciplines at Cornell which suppresses Free Expression, prohibits Academic Freedom, and eliminates Viewpoint Diversity by preventing faculty and staff representing a diversity of viewpoints from being hired. Pres. Pollack and the Cornell Administration must be brought to realize that imposing "viewpoint suppression" through prejudicial hiring and promotion practices aimed at imposing political uniformity on campus not only violates US legal principles but also perverts the basic educational purposes of Cornell. Rather than illuminating educational truths by embracing diversity of thought, Cornell's DEI bureaucrats are making absurdly outrageous and untrue claims about Cornell while imposing DEI political litmus tests in hiring and promotion which have crushed Viewpoint Diversity and helped deliver 99.5% Political Purity on campus. All views should be welcome on campus. An "extreme super-majority" adhering to only one political viewpoint runs directly counter to Cornell's fundamental responsibility to promote and protect thought diversity in the classroom and in research. The facts are now in. Observers from across the political spectrum agree on the results. Current Cornell DEI policies are expunging thought diversity among the faculty and staff -- which, in turn, teaches intolerance and close-mindedness to students. Prospective faculty who do not conform to DEI political philosophy mandates are screened out under the current hiring and promotion process. As a consequence, an environment of Open Inquiry no longer exists at Cornell.
Cornell Policy :
Free Speech or Just "Lip Service"
Cornell Pres. Martha Pollack Pays Lip Service On “Open Inquiry & Free Speech” In Fall 2022 Keynote Address To New Students. However, in 2022, FIRE ranks Cornell’s “Free Speech Climate” 154th out of 203 US universities surveyed. After a full year of efforts by CornellFSA requesting action by the Cornell Administration to strengthen Free Speech & Open Inquiry at the university, Pres. Martha Pollack chose “Free Speech On Campus” as the topic of focus for her very recent Fall22 “Annual Address To New Students”. CornellFSA was initially very pleased with this result – which validates all the efforts which CornellFSA has made over the past year. Pollack's verbal pledge comes after extensive national media coverage CornellFSA has brought to expose the current Monoculture and Thought Orthodoxy at Cornell and elsewhere (i.e. from WSJ, Washington Post, Newsweek, National Review, FOX News, Washington Examiner, and many other media outlets) and through the efforts CornellFSA has made to push for reform of Cornell Policies on certain important free speech matters. Yet, despite Pres Pollack's recent address, FIRE's student survey reports that 88% of Cornell students feel compelled to "self-censor" on-campus and FIRE rankings show that Cornell's free speech environment languishes within the "bottom quartile" of the 203 US universities surveyed. Thus, Pres Pollack's recent address represents little more than sound-bite “lip service” from the Cornell PR department. Worse still, the Summer and Fall of 2022 have seen the Cancellation of Abraham Lincoln and the Shout Down of Ann Coulter take place on campus. The Cornell Community must now hold the university accountable to the Pollack pledges by continuing to support the Cornell student / faculty/ alumni push for Cornell's adoption of the "Chicago Principles" as its Free Speech Policy (see Cornell Daily Sun article below). Congratulations to all CornellFSAers who have contributed to pushing Cornell University to finally declare "Free Speech" a university goal ! It is a beginning for CornellFSA's work to transform Martha Pollack's PR statements from "lip service" into "reality".
Sample Press Coverage :
- WSJ Report On Cornell Monoculture – Dec21
- Cornell Motto “Rewritten” Aug22”
- Cornell Professor : Universities Eliminate Meaning Of Objective Truth
Pres Pollack’s “Newfound Focus” On Free Speech :
Cornell President’s Keynote Address – Sep22
Cornell Should Adopt the Chicago Principles
by Sara Stober / Cornell '22
Liberal Caucus of the Cornell Political Union
August 30, 2021
A little over seven years ago, the University of Chicago issued a report defending free speech on campus. Since then, over eighty institutions or faculty bodies have adopted the report and committed themselves to promote free expression. We write this letter to encourage Cornell to do the same.
CFSA GROWTH REPORT : CornellFSA Now Has 28,300+ Supporters & Followers (with over 110 Faculty) And Is Growing Rapidly. Thank You! .....................................................................................................
IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT ON ACADEMIC FREEDOM :
"CFSA Open Inquiry Policy Recommendations" Report Submitted To Cornell Leadership
On August 14, 2023, after 2 years of dedicated effort, CFSA has submitted key university policy reform recommendations to Cornell leadership in order to restore an environment of Open Inquiry, Academic Freedom, Free Expression, and Viewpoint Diversity to the Cornell Campus. CFSA urges the Board of Trustees to engage with the Administration to implement these policy reforms as soon as possible. All Cornellians should review these materials related to the CFSA Policy Recommendations :
“LIFTING THE FOG : RESTORING ACADEMIC FREEDOM & FREE EXPRESSION AT CORNELL UNIVERSITY”
CFSA Open Inquiry Policy Recommendations To Cornell University
SUMMARY OF CFSA POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS
PRESS RELEASE
OUR GOAL :
Moving Cornell's Mission From "Political Activism" Back To Pursuing "Knowledge & Truth"
UOIF / CFSA SPONSORS THE MIT "GREAT DEI DEBATE" -- ATTRACTING OVER 20,000 VIEWERS.
CFSA brings a "large Cornell audience" to the MIT "Great DEI Debate" through the University Open Inquiry Forum ("UOIF") webinar series launched in Spring 2023. IMPORTANT : CFSA is proposing a termination of Cornell's use of DEI Statements in faculty hiring. Click-on the below UOIF / MIT DEI debate to understand why this Cornell policy change is needed!
PLEASE WATCH THIS DEBATE (CLICK HERE)
More than 20 non-profit organizations have joined to co-sponsor the above webinar. See sponsors below...
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CORNELL "CANCEL CULTURE" IS ALIVE & WELL
FIRST : Abe Lincoln Cancelled At Cornell In Summer 2022
THEN : CU Alum Ann Coulter Cancelled : November 9, 2022
(see "Ann Cancelled" and "Words Are Violence")
In her annual Aug 2022 keynote address, Cornell Pres. Martha Pollack declared that Free Speech is a priority at Cornell. But as cited by the American Council of Trustees & Alumni, Cornell is not living up to these words and priorities. The Cornell Review reports that, regarding disciplining the disruptive students who shut down the Nov22 Coulter speech, Pollack "does not have a good answer.” Instead, only lip service has been offered which stated that protection of free speech is "something we need to discuss". Cornell leadership has for months stonewalled a formal request made by CornellFSA, FIRE & ACTA for the university to institute free speech training for incoming students. The Cornell Administration's 's refusal to act helped cause the Coulter debacle. CornellFSA does not endorse the views of Ann Coulter or any other partisan speaker who visits Cornell. However, CornellFSA resolutely supports the right of Ann Coulter and others to have their reasonably held views publicly expressed at Cornell -- regardless of the public popularity of the views shared.
As a politically non-partisan organization, CornellFSA supports views from across the political spectrum being freely heard and fully examined at Cornell. However, the Cornell Admin has refused to take the simple actions recommended by CornellFSA, ACTA, & FIRE to allow such Open Inquiry to occur. Policies aimed at preventing Cancel Culture have already been implemented at myriad universities including NYU, Purdue, Princeton, Univ. of Chicago, and scores of others. Over 100 US universities have adopted the Chicago Principles as their free speech policy. BUT NOT CORNELL. Why not? What is the Cornell Admin waiting for? Perhaps a continuing stream of national embarrassments for Cornell? Seems words are cheap in Ithaca. Will Cornellians hold the Cornell Admin accountable? Cornell needs a LEADERSHIP that will deal with its serious Cancel Culture problem. With only hollow words, the Cornell Admin has shown no willingness to lead on this critical issue which continues to seriously damage Cornell, its traditions, and its reputation. WE ASK THE CORNELL ADMINISTRATION TO PLEASE TAKE THE NECESSARY ACTION ! THERE IS NO REASON FOR FURTHER DELAY.
Abe Finally Reinstated In Oct22
Lincoln Bust Being Reinstated At Uris Library. (Fall Semester 2022) In the summer of 2022, Cornell faculty and alumni discovered “The Cancellation Of Abe Lincoln” -- i.e. the removal of the marble Lincoln bust (1865) and accompanying presentation of the Gettysburg Address text (Cornell owns an original address in Lincoln’s own hand) from Cornell's rare manuscripts Kroch Library section of Olin Library after a reported complaint which apparently identified Abraham Lincoln as a symbol of American racism. Sadly, Cornell University readily capitulated to this cynical and distorted view of American history and its greatest President. Witnessing this appalling failure of President Martha Pollack and Cornell's top leadership to defend the university's time-honored reputation and values, CornellFSA supporters took timely action and brought pressure on President Pollack and her Administration via faculty & alumni mobilization and through heavy news media coverage. In response, the Cornell Administration offered an untruthful cover-up to the press suggesting the Lincoln display was removed due to a normal exhibit rotation. But with the commitment of CornellFSA supporters, the university's Cancel Culture actions were made known, as was the false and intentionally misleading “official cover-up" narrative created by Cornell University Relations designed to hide the cause of the Lincoln exhibit removal. These official Cornell statements have now been repudiated via press and faculty investigations. THE RESULT : On 9/29/22, it was announced by the university that “Old Abe” will be reinstated in a new and more prominent display at Uris Library. CONGRATS to the Cornellians who made this happen ! The media and CornellFSA illuminated the facts related to this embarrassing episode for Cornell -- and the weakness demonstrated by Cornell's leadership. See the below “before” and “after” news articles on the Lincoln bust cancellation. This reporting resulted in Cornell’s reversal and reinstatement of Abe Lincoln :
News Before: “Lincoln CANCELLED At Cornell” Press Report -6/28/22
News After: “Lincoln REINSTATED At Cornell” Press Report – 9/29/22
Become A CornellFSA Subscriber
If you are a member of the Cornell Community who wishes to preserve freedom of speech and open academic and intellectual inquiry at Cornell University, we urge you to subscribe to the CFSA Quarterly Update today by clicking on the below link. This no-cost CFSA subscription will keep you informed of ongoing matters at Cornell relating to free speech, viewpoint diversity, and academic freedom on campus. As requested, CFSA maintains strict confidentiality regarding subscriber names and contact information. Please subscribe today !
Join faculty, students, staff, and alumni from Cornell and these leading universities in the fight to preserve free expression and academic freedom on campus :
