Final Report and President's Message
January 15, 2025
Dear UNH Community,
Last night, I received the final report from the Free Speech and Expression working group that I convened last semester. As you may recall, I had asked this group to review the university’s speech and expression policies and guidelines and examine how these policies informed the university’s actions during the Spring 2024 protests. The group was also charged with evaluating best practices and approaches for interacting with student and community demonstrators at similar institutions and making recommendations for improvement here.
I want to thank the 16-member working group, led by Associate Vice President Nadine Petty, for engaging in this important effort and for their thoughtful and diligent work over the last few months. The working group produced an important perspective on the spring protests and the university’s response, as well as campus policies and procedures more broadly.
In the coming days, I will work with my executive team and leaders of key campus units, including the Division of Student Life and the UNH Police Department, to evaluate the recommendations and propose specific actions for strengthening our commitment to free speech, expression, and campus safety. I will continue to keep our community involved and informed; updates will be provided on the Free Speech at UNH website and during my State of the University address on February 11th.
UNH is an inclusive community that promotes intellectual growth through the exploration of diverse perspectives. Freedom of speech and expression is fundamental to that work, as well as our mission as a public university. I look forward to engaging with all of you to continue to foster a campus culture aligned with those values.
Read the Working Group's Final Report
Free Speech and Expression Working Group
Charge and Membership
Values Statement
UNH is a community that values respect, inclusion, and belonging. The safety of our students and the protection of their right to access educational opportunities are paramount concerns for the university. As an academic institution, we believe in fostering an environment where we can engage with diverse viewpoints, even those some of us may find disagreeable or offensive. Fostering such an environment is essential to our educational mission and the preservation of a free society in which free speech and expression are foundational. We acknowledge tension may exist among values and perspectives, but their collective importance remains.
Goals
In keeping with these values, we must maintain and enforce policies and practices that balance our responsibilities and commitments to our community, the law, and society. The goals of this working group are to explore and review expressive responsibilities, actions, protocols, policies, and procedures, including, but not limited to, the May 1, 2024 protest; evaluate whether UNH campus protocols, policies, and procedures are in alignment with stated values and national best practices; and provide recommendations to President Chilton for best practices utilizing an equity lens.
Charge
By December 15, 2024:
- Review UNH’s Student Rights, Rules, and Responsibilities, and any other applicable policies and guidelines, and how these policies informed university actions during the Spring 2024 semester, and specifically on May 1, 2024.
- Evaluate public higher education best practices and approaches for interacting with student and community demonstrators. Consider communications, de-escalation processes, intervention methods, and decision-making authority.
- Submit a report summarizing the review and evaluation and making recommendations to:
- Strengthen UNH’s policies, procedures and practices related to free expression and demonstrations on campus with the dual priority of ensuring campus and community safety and promoting First Amendment rights.
- Improve communication about these policies, procedures and practices with the campus community and beyond, including how the community receives timely information in the event of a large demonstration or major police activity.
Membership
- Nadine Petty, Chair, Chief Diversity Officer
- Michael Blackman, Dean of Students
- John DeJoie, Senior Lecturer, Faculty Senate Student Affairs Committee
- Luciana Echazu, Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education
- Jessica Ernakovich, Associate Professor
- Amanda Harvey, Administrative Coordinator
- Christopher Josefowitch, Undergraduate Student Senate Judicial Affairs Council
- Ashby Kinch, Dean of the Graduate School
- Rita Kondrath, Online Professional Faculty
- Julien Kouame, Extension Specialist
- Alexis Piñero-Benson, Director of Community Standards
- Shari Robinson, Assistant Vice Provost for Student Life
- Albert (Buzz) Scherr, Professor
- Jeannie Sowers, Professor
- Mike Stocz, Senior Lecturer, Faculty Senate Campus Planning Committee
- Ryan Tuttle, Graduate Student Senate Officer
