Just received this from President Bowen:
A Message from President Bowen
Several groups have indicated they may exercise their First Amendment right to free speech on campus today. Details about the speech and demonstration regulations at ATU as well as information about how the ATU Department of Public Safety is prepared to handle today’s potential demonstrations were posted on OneTech yesterday afternoon. I encourage you to read that post if you have not already done so.
I am committed to diversity and inclusion. It is integral to who I am as a human being and as an educator. It is what I personally believe, and it is a value that I have observed our university community uphold time and again.
But today, we must balance personal beliefs with two important responsibilities.
ATU recognizes and supports the rights of individuals to speak in public and demonstrate in a lawful manner that is consistent with our speech and demonstration regulations. As a result of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and subsequent rulings from the U.S. Supreme Court, any internal or external groups have a legal right to express their points of view on campus.
ATU also strives to provide its students with a safe learning environment and its faculty and staff with a safe working environment. That is why the ATU Department of Public Safety has taken specific and proactive steps to support the physical safety of the university community. It is why our officers will be on hand to maintain a safe environment.
In support of the maintenance of a safe learning and working environment, please give serious consideration to avoiding engagement with any external groups if they do indeed visit our campus and demonstrate today.
Thank you for your consideration of my thoughts on this important topic. I wish students a successful final day of class for the spring 2019 semester, a productive reading day tomorrow and the best of luck during final exams.
Dr. Robin E. Bowen
President
A Message from President Bowen
Several groups have indicated they may exercise their First Amendment right to free speech on campus today. Details about the speech and demonstration regulations at ATU as well as information about how the ATU Department of Public Safety is prepared to handle today’s potential demonstrations were posted on OneTech yesterday afternoon. I encourage you to read that post if you have not already done so.
I am committed to diversity and inclusion. It is integral to who I am as a human being and as an educator. It is what I personally believe, and it is a value that I have observed our university community uphold time and again.
But today, we must balance personal beliefs with two important responsibilities.
ATU recognizes and supports the rights of individuals to speak in public and demonstrate in a lawful manner that is consistent with our speech and demonstration regulations. As a result of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and subsequent rulings from the U.S. Supreme Court, any internal or external groups have a legal right to express their points of view on campus.
ATU also strives to provide its students with a safe learning environment and its faculty and staff with a safe working environment. That is why the ATU Department of Public Safety has taken specific and proactive steps to support the physical safety of the university community. It is why our officers will be on hand to maintain a safe environment.
In support of the maintenance of a safe learning and working environment, please give serious consideration to avoiding engagement with any external groups if they do indeed visit our campus and demonstrate today.
Thank you for your consideration of my thoughts on this important topic. I wish students a successful final day of class for the spring 2019 semester, a productive reading day tomorrow and the best of luck during final exams.
Dr. Robin E. Bowen
President
