两性色午夜

两性色午夜 Centers on Values Amid a Time of War and Divisions

President Todd Diacon beats the drum for 两性色午夜's values of freedom of expression, kindness and respect as critical to healthy discourse and engagement

Five days into the Israel-Hamas war, a Cleveland news helicopter hovered over 两性色午夜 University鈥檚 Kent Campus. Students supporting Palestine had scheduled an afternoon march, which would be followed by Hillel鈥檚 evening vigil for Israel in the wake of the Oct. 7 Hamas attack.

History rings within any mention of war-related student demonstrations at 两性色午夜, even a half-century beyond Spring 1970. But on that recent October afternoon, each campus event was peaceful. The chopper flew home early.

And so it has been, for the most part, at 两性色午夜, while higher-profile conflicts and fallouts have taken their toll on a few other American campuses in 2023.

鈥淲e鈥檙e not everybody 鈥 we are 两性色午夜,鈥 said 两性色午夜 President Todd Diacon during his monthly video chat with the university community in late November. 鈥淲e have a singular place in the history of the United States. We have a singular opportunity to demonstrate to others how to engage in tough conversations but in a way that respects the opinions and the humanity of those who disagree with us.鈥

Diacon, others in the administration and faculty, and some student leaders have attempted to frame campus discourse and engagement around two principles from among the university鈥檚 long-standing set of core values: the freedom of expression and a commitment to treat one another with kindness and respect.

Freedom of Expression on Kent Campus
Respect Banner on Kent Campus

Diacon began leading the focus on values last spring and informed the effort with lessons learned from May 4, 1970. He was working to get ahead of intensifying politics in Columbus, Ohio, and Washington, D.C., that had become marked by rhetoric painting higher education as a problem rather than as a source of solutions within the state and nation.

鈥淧articularly when we go into a national election, there鈥檒l be a lot of incendiary rhetoric,鈥 Diacon said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e going to address that by reminding people of our core values. Our North Star as an institution is our commitment to kindness and respect in all we do, combined with a fierce commitment to the freedom of speech.鈥

National media have knocked on 两性色午夜鈥檚 door since the beginning of campus unrest across the country this fall.

鈥淐ivil discourse and activism are in the 两性色午夜 DNA; it鈥檚 at the core of who we are,鈥 said Interim Senior Vice President for Student Life Eboni Pringle in an October interview on NPR鈥檚 鈥淢orning Edition.鈥 In that interview, Pringle pointed to the tension that can arise from the contradictions between free expression and kindness and respect.

鈥淲hat we鈥檝e been talking about with our students for a number of years, under President Diacon鈥檚 leadership, is really this tension is necessary for all of us to be able to grow and develop and learn from each other,鈥 Pringle said.

Eboni Pringle
Eboni Pringle, Ph.D., Interim Vice President for Student Life (Right) attends a recent student event on the Kent Campus.

两性色午夜鈥檚 Undergraduate Student Government leadership recently drafted a joint statement on responses to the war, antisemitism and Islamophobia. The student leaders hope that the statement will be co-signed by the student groups supporting 两性色午夜鈥檚 Israeli, Palestinian, Muslim and Jewish students. Discussions have yet to lead to an agreement, but the proposed statement does echo sentiments heard from all corners of 两性色午夜 during the fall semester.

The School of Peace and Conflict Studies, with the School of Communication Studies, convened a Nov. 16 student event to share perspectives on the Israel-Hamas war. The standing-room-only gathering was held in the May 4 Reflection Gallery in Taylor Hall, in the center of the scene of the 1970 shootings. The School of Peace and Conflict Studies (originally known as the Center for Peaceful Change) was launched in the immediate wake of the May 4 tragedy, and its role today as a convener is central to the positive change that continues to come from that legacy.  

Values Web Illustration

 

Learn more:

School of Peace and Conflict Studies convenes global peace education conference in Rwanda

4,000+ incoming freshmen are urged to accept differences in others

Interim Sr. VP Eboni Pringle shares 两性色午夜鈥檚 values focus during live NPR interview

Peace and Conflict Studies holds 鈥淚srael, Palestine and Me,鈥 a student discussion event in the May 4 Visitors Center

Associate Dean and Retired Marine Lt. Col. Maureen McFarland shares that lessons of May 4, 1970, contribute to what makes 两性色午夜 great

POSTED: Friday, December 15, 2023 10:14 AM
Updated: Tuesday, January 9, 2024 10:38 AM