Safety, Free Speech and Respect

Dear Students and Colleagues,

Many of you have heard about the events involving representatives of the Border Patrol and University of Arizona students and employees who objected to the officers’ presence on campus. There have been many opinions expressed about those interactions, involving campus safety, freedom of expression and respect for others. I want the UA campus community to know where I stand. 

Providing a safe environment for students to pursue their education is my top priority. Ensuring safety can take many forms, including providing an environment where students feel the university will support them. We will review our current policies and procedures to ensure we are appropriately managing campus safety and security.

While we will act within the law, the university will always protect students’ confidential information, including their immigration status, and we will work with other authorities to moderate disruptions on campus.

At the same time, all members of our campus community should be able to engage with a variety of viewpoints and positions and express themselves as well. These are fundamental constitutional rights that we all benefit from and also are essential to providing an exceptional university education. That requires that we respect others’ right to speech and that they respect ours.

We are all very fortunate to be able to pursue our individual goals for education and livelihood at the University of Arizona. I urge all of us to do our part in making this a campus of inclusion, not exclusion, and a model for others to emulate.

Sincerely,

Robert C. Robbins, M.D.
President
The University of Arizona