Passed: October 11, 2017

Sponsor: University Faculty Committee (UFC)

Senate Discussions: October 11, 2017

Title: On Recent Racial Incidents

Sponsor: University Faculty Committee

Date: October 5, 2017

Whereas, throughout the month of September 2017, in several well-publicized incidents detailed in the Cornell Daily Sun and the New York Times, Cornell students used racial slurs and insults against other students, and

Whereas, on September 15, 2017 one or more students allegedly used racial slurs against a Black Cornell student and violently assaulted him; and

Whereas, should the allegations prove true, we note that these incidents are violations of the Campus Code of Conduct to:

• “harass another person…by acting toward that person in a manner that is by objective measure threatening, abusive, or severely annoying and that is beyond the scope of free speech,” or
• “assault or cause any physical injury to another person on the basis of disability, ethnicity, gender, national origin, race, religion, or sexual orientation or affectional preference;” and

Whereas, we, the Faculty Senate, are appalled by these recent attacks and incidents; therefore,

Be it Resolved, that the Faculty Senate unequivocally condemns these violent, racist actions; and

Resolved, that the Faculty Senate commits to ensuring that incidents of harassment against persons based on disability, ethnicity, gender, national origin, race, religion, sexual orientation or affectional preference be fully investigated and persons responsible for these acts of harassment be held accountable, and

Resolved, that the Faculty Senate charges all members of the Cornell community to consider how best to heal these harms, and how best to accord all members of our community the equal dignity and respect that is the promise underlying Cornell’s motto, “I would found an institution where any person can find instruction in any study.”