The University Senate on Wednesday passed a resolution denouncing the Pacifica Forum “in the strongest possible terms.”
The resolution was sponsored by Margie Paris, dean of the University School of Law, and Bob Bussel, director of the University Labor Education and Research Center.
“While the students were very vocal, we were concerned that the University be vocal as well,” Bussel said. “Another thing that we were concerned about was when people stood up and spoke out, that they felt vulnerable and alone. This resolution will help people who felt threatened by the Pacifica Forum know that they are not alone.”
In a press statement prepared by Bussel, Paris also clarified why she thought the resolution had to be passed.
“The best way to answer the hateful speech often expressed at Pacifica Forum is with vigorous counter-speech and visible activity affirming the University’s best values and ideals,” Paris said.
The Senate’s actions came on the heels of the University moving the Pacifica Forum from its meeting location in Agate Hall to the University’s downtown Baker Center on East 10th Avenue and High Street.
During winter term, students have vehemently protested and rallied against the Pacifica Forum, which has created controversy on campus for its anti-Semitic speakers. This will be the group’s second relocation this year; it met in the EMU until the third week of winter term, when protests at the group’s meetings became too large for the meeting
room’s capacity.
“It puts them further away from directly antagonizing the majority of the University community, and that’s a positive thing,” Bussel said. “But I think the type of speech that they engage in and the types of views that they consider is obnoxious. This move doesn’t remove the need to be vigilant, to scrutinize and speak out.”
University Senate President and biology professor Nathan Tublitz lauded the resolution.
“I think this is a very important statement of University values,” Tublitz said. “It’s an affirmation of who we are and our beliefs.”
David Frank, dean of the Honors College, also approved of the resolution.
“I’m proud of what the Senate did. The Pacifica Forum are deplorable individuals who do not belong on a university campus,” Frank said. “The campus will need to continue to talk beyond about condemnation of their messages.”
Bussel said he was excited to see the University community banding together against hateful speech.
“We certainly believe in the freedom of expression, but we feel that this type of speech denigrates against people on the basis of race, ethnicity or sexual orientation,” Bussel said.
“We also believe in rigorous intellectual inquiry and debate, and what you get at the Pacifica Forum are pseudo-intellectual debates that masquerade as intelligent debate.”
On Thursday, the University listserv distributed a notice of the Senate resolution. According to the resolution, “the University Senate will publicize this stand widely throughout the University community.” Tublitz said the publicity will take the form of a University press release.
“We’re not going to pursue any additional actions,” he said.
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