Open Letter from Indiana University Bloomington Faculty re: Campus Protests and Arrests

Comments

#807

I am utterly shocked -- and ashamed -- that the administration took such strong-armed actions against students and faculty. I also note that the President appointed an ad hoc committee to change the rules regarding campus protests at the last minute, without a single student or faculty member as part of the committee process. Such actions, at the very least, do not reflect wise leadership. These individuals may get things done, but if they do, it is because they often fail to consult with stakeholders. In the end, they have lost the trust of most of us, and I have come to believe, along with so many of my colleagues, that it's time for them to move on.

S. Holly Stocking (Bloomington, 2024-04-29)

#810

The Whitten Administration has acted shamefully. She and her associates should resign immediately before they further embarrass IU. The University trustees who imposed Whitten against faculty advice and support her recent actions should also resign.

Daniel Cole (Bloomington, 2024-04-29)

#811

I do not believe the current administration is capable of building the relationships with its faculty, staff, and students necessary for IU to thrive.

Jamie Hook (Bloomington, 2024-04-29)

#814

The capriciousness, heedlessness, and hastiness with which president and provost govern IU have already brought its administrative workings to near standstill. Those same qualities have now led them to manufacture a true crisis in which students, staff, and faculty were confronted by snipers, armored vehicles, and heavily armed troopers -- not once, but twice -- all because a few students assembled a small demonstration on Dunn Meadow. IU is better than this. We need new leaders who are capable of dealing with the challenges we face in the 21st century.

Professor and Chair
Earth & Atmospheric Sciences

P. David Polly (Bloomington, 2024-04-29)

#823

Being so far away now, I just simply cannot believe what is happening at the campus that I once called home. If the administration continues to act without thought of or care for student & faculty well-being, they will live in even more infamy and disgrace. And for this to be happening right before graduation? An absolute shame and disgrace. The administration is skating on thin ice right now, and summer’s ramping up pretty quickly. I see no other option other than a swift and willing resignation from the University and a return to private life.

Nicholas Williams (Warsaw, 2024-04-29)

#840

Professor Emeritus of Anthropology

Virginia Vitzthum (Thetis, 2024-04-30)

#844

I am signing because what is happening at IU is outrageous.

Jesús Dapena (Bloomington, IN, 2024-04-30)

#850

Lecturer, Kelley School of Business

Shelly Scott-Harmon (Bloomington, 2024-04-30)

#851

What the president and dean have done is against everything IU stands for. They are a disgrace to our community and I stand with the protestors who were wrongfully arrested and removed.

Kathryn Ortiz (Westfield, 2024-04-30)

#852

As a military veteran who served this country honorably to uphold the constitution of the United States of America, I going it utterly deplorable to call in riot police to disrupt a lawful demonstration of students and faculty that were exercising, among other things, their first amendment rights.

Leslie Rutkowski (Bloomington, 2024-04-30)

#856

Professor of Anthropology, Cognitive Science, and Animal Behavior, IUB

Erica Cartmill (Bloomington, 2024-04-30)

#857

Professor of Informatics and Cognitive Science, IUB

Jacob Foster (Bloomington, 2024-04-30)

#863

Chancellor's Professor Emeritus
Department of English

Anthony V Ardizzone (Portland, 2024-04-30)

#866

There must be a better way to allow student protests to happen peacefully without violence or intimidation.

Patricia Wise (New York, 2024-04-30)

#878

Professor, Departments of Mathematics and Statistics. I spent the past year serving on the Bloomington Faculty Council where Provost Shrivastav's excuse for every controversial speaker or artist cancelation or postponement was "I will do anything to protect our community." Then, what does he do? He puts our community at risk by having sharp-shooters on the roof of the IMU pointing weapons at our students and faculty - not outsiders, but OUR students and faculty - who were protesting peacefully, even if the protest lacks the nuance needed for the complicated situation of the region. Moreover, he cherry picks parts of policy to follow. The policy he used from the board of trustees has the following provision: 2.D. We believe the University should not use physical force to enforce these rules. In cases of non-compliance, the University should use the legal process to enforce its legal rights. This commitment might involve some cost to the University and would probably entail more serious consequences for violators; we believe these costs are an appropriate way to mark the weight the University community attaches to both the rights and responsibilities it recognizes in the Assembly Ground.

Elizabeth Housworth (Bloomington, 2024-04-30)

#887

I am horrified at the administration's over reaction to removing tents, and the resulting brutality and fear which is being injected into the Bloomington campus by Pres. Whitten. Civil engagement, non-violent discussion even if heated, seeking reconciliation, are central to dispute resolution, particularly on the Bloomington Campus, renown for its Liberal Arts, Humanities, Law, Business, Policy, and Science Colleges and Schools cannot tolerate inhumane tactics to quell debate on a free speech zone on campus.- Professor Emeritus, IUB.

Rob Shakespeare (Bloomington, 2024-04-30)

#888

I am saddened by the administrations response to a peaceful protest. This is not the University that I know as IUB.

Michael Stucker (Bloomington, 2024-04-30)

#889

Professor of Biology

Curtis Lively (Bloomington, 2024-04-30)

#891

It is truly unfortunate that we have come to this point, but this is the last straw in campus leadership saying they want to work together and then ignoring IU's long history of sharing governance between faculty and administration to address complex issues and solve problems.

Peter Kloosterman (Bloomington, 2024-04-30)

#896

Associate Professor Emeritus, Biology

Alan Bender (Boulder, 2024-04-30)

#900

The administration's attempt to forcefully disassemble a peaceful protest is shaping students' understanding of their first amendment rights, the responsibility of institutions of higher learning, and the part that young people should play in civil society for future generations. The fact that they view community members' speech as an unwanted problem to be quashed tells us all we need to know about our leadership's active shift away from the time-honored tradition of universities as centers of deep examination, critique, and mobilization around real issues, local and global.

Rebecca Mueller (Bloomington, 2024-04-30)

#905

As a member of the IU community, and a resident of Bloomington this is an intolerable situation. Whitten and Shrivastav MUST go. They're bad for IU, and bad for Bloomington. They've made a mockery of the ideals we hold dear here. All donations to the university should stop until leadership with a just moral compass and actual leadership skills can be found. Shame on the trustees for allowing this to go on.

Max Monegan (Bloomington, 2024-04-30)

#911

Pam Whitten and the Provost and their team have proven themselves incompetent as leaders of Indiana University. Moreover, their militaristic decision has created an unsafe campus for students, faculty, staff and the public.
The Board of Trustees should act responsibly and terminate them immediately

Beverly Stoeltje (Bloomington, 2024-04-30)

#917

Snipers on IMU, police in full riot gear, and at hot committee changes an important policy and puts it into effect overnight.

All of these are clear signals of inept leadership. There is every reason to believe that these same leadership characteristics are, unfortunately, in view every day.

Don Hossler (Bloomington, 2024-04-30)

#918

I'm signing because I'm outraged, disappointed, and very, very sad.

Michael McGregor (Bloomington, 2024-04-30)

#929

I am opposed to the violent response to peaceful protestors that President Whitten has ordered and have lost faith in the administration's ability to respect free speech on our campus.

Constance Glen (Bloomington, 2024-04-30)

#931

I free with the statements.

Harold Ogren (Bloomington, 2024-04-30)

#937

Professor of English

Jennifer Fleissner (Bloomington IN, 2024-04-30)

#938

University leadership should protect our students' right to free speech and peaceful assembly.

Farrah Bashey-Visser (Bloomington, 2024-04-30)

#976

The "procedure" by which the 1969 policy was amended beggars credulity and brings shame to the institution.

My IU email is: mweinma@iu.edu

Michael Weinman (Bloomington, IN, 2024-04-30)

#977

I've had enough of

Whitten et al.'s incompetence, insensitivity, and cluelessness

Preston Garraghty (Bloomington, 2024-04-30)

#980

I did not personally witness the events in Dunn Meadows, but I have seen the media reports and agree that, based in part on these events, the President and Provost should resign or be terminated.

Richard Durisen (Bloomington, 2024-04-30)

#983

The level of ineptitude on the part of Whitten and Shrivastav is grotesque. Do they want another Kent State bloodbath? They need to go NOW!

Kathleen Gilbert (Bloomington, 2024-04-30)

#985

This situation has now become a matter of respect for constitutionally guaranteed rights. I support freedom of speech and assembly as aptly described in the letter from the Media School faculty.

David Lohrmann (Bloomington, 2024-04-30)

#990

Distinguished Professor of Biology and Computer Science

Matthew Hahn (Bloomington, 2024-04-30)

#992

I'm signing because President Whitten and Provost Shrivastav's administration feels to me like an authoritarian regime.

Joanna Nizynska (Bloomington, 2024-04-30)

#993

I’m signing because I’m outraged and heartbroken that the University I loyally served for 33+ years has such little regard for free speech and peaceful protest. Shame on IU.

William Jones (Bloomington, 2024-04-30)

#994

Professor of Biology, IU Bloomington

Leonie Moyle (Bloomington, 2024-04-30)

#999

The last-minute revision of long-standing rules for Dunn Meadows reflects very poorly on this administration. And how absolutely irresponsible and dangerous for IUB to call for a militarized intervention in response to a peaceful student protest that was taking place within a designated free-speech area. This is no way to model academic dialogue or freedom of speech.

Izabela Potapowicz (Bloomington, 2024-04-30)