The big wrong turn: DEI policies.
For over two millennia, Western civilization has nurtured the ideal of free inquiry, culminating in today’s American university system. This system, widely regarded as the best in the world, has fostered intellectual diversity and academic freedom, placing institutions like Cornell University at the forefront of higher learning. Yet, this very mission is now under grave threat.
Cornell, long a bastion of excellence and openness, faces a growing crisis: a campus environment where ideological conformity stifles free expression and academic freedom. This is why we founded the Cornell Free Speech Alliance (CFSA)—to protect and preserve the foundational values that make universities like Cornell engines of intellectual discovery.
Diversity of Thought: The True Purpose of Diversity
Diversity of thought and academic freedom are essential to the mission of a modern university. Over the past 40 years, Cornell and other leading institutions have worked to diversify their faculty, administration, and student body in terms of race, gender, and cultural background. CFSA wholeheartedly supports these efforts, as they aim to broaden the range of experiences and perspectives represented on campus.
However, a critical misstep has undermined these efforts. Instead of fostering greater viewpoint diversity, the implementation of the “diversity objective” has led to the opposite result. Today, Cornell’s focus on personal identity has coincided with the erosion of intellectual diversity, creating an environment where faculty and students overwhelmingly conform to a narrowly defined ideological framework.
From Diversity to Monoculture
Forty years ago, Cornell’s community was less diverse in personal background but thrived on intellectual independence, with faculty and students free to think differently and debate openly. Today, the university boasts a greater diversity of personal identity, but this progress has come at the expense of ideological diversity. Faculty and students increasingly think within narrowly defined boundaries, enforced by an intolerant "University Monoculture."
The evidence of this trend is stark. Reports from across the political spectrum—faculty, students, independent research organizations, and the campus newspaper, The Cornell Daily Sun—all point to a growing culture of “Group Think.” According to The Cornell Daily Sun, 99.5% of faculty political donations at Cornell go to a single political party. This startling statistic reveals the extent of ideological homogeneity shaping academic discourse and curriculum.
The Alarming Reality of Campus Life
Faculty and students at Cornell frequently report challenges to basic First Amendment freedoms.
These challenges include self-censorship, fear of retaliation for expressing unpopular views, and increasing intolerance for open debate. Many feel that dissenting perspectives are unwelcome, creating an oppressive environment where intellectual exploration is stifled.
The consequences are profound. As universities like Cornell prioritize conformity over curiosity, they risk abandoning their mission to prepare students for a world of complex and competing ideas.
The Call to Action
The Cornell Free Speech Alliance was founded to combat these trends and restore the university’s commitment to free expression, viewpoint diversity, and academic freedom. We believe that these values are not just essential to Cornell’s mission but are vital to the health of democracy and society at large.
Our mission is clear:
Defend Free Speech: Protect the rights of all Cornellians to express their ideas without fear of retaliation or censorship.
Promote Viewpoint Diversity: Advocate for policies and practices that encourage a broad range of perspectives on campus.
Preserve Academic Freedom: Ensure that intellectual exploration and debate remain at the heart of the Cornell experience.
Understanding the Current Conditions
The challenges Cornell faces are not unique but reflect a nationwide trend in higher education. To shed light on these issues, we’ve compiled reports and commentary from faculty, students, and organizations across the ideological spectrum. These resources underscore the urgent need for action and provide a roadmap for restoring the principles of open inquiry and intellectual diversity.
A Vision for Cornell’s Future
Cornell has the potential to reclaim its role as a leader in higher education by embracing its core mission of fostering free inquiry and diversity of thought. This will require courage from university leadership, faculty, and alumni, as well as a collective commitment to creating a campus where all voices are heard, respected, and valued.
The stakes could not be higher. As intellectual diversity declines and free speech comes under assault, the very foundation of the American university system is at risk. The Cornell Free Speech Alliance invites all members of the Cornell community—students, faculty, alumni, and supporters—to join us in this vital effort.
Together, we can ensure that Cornell remains a beacon of excellence and intellectual freedom for generations to come.
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