Dear CCA Community,

I write to you today to underscore the importance of the values that underpin our community: academic freedom, freedom of expression, diversity, and the commitment to fostering an inclusive and respectful environment for all. As the world continues to face a great number of challenges, it is important that institutions such as ours renew and refresh our commitment to these values.

Higher education exists to support and encourage critical thinking and to respect a multiplicity of perspectives. In that context, it is also essential to recognize that exercising our right to academic freedom and free speech may sometimes reveal differing opinions—ideas that may challenge and provoke. Yet I believe firmly that our strength as a community thrives in this diversity of perspectives, and it is therefore equally crucial that each member of our community feels respected and valued, even when opinions may differ.

To further our commitment to this work, we have created a task force on Expression, Community & Policy. The task force will include faculty, staff, graduate, and undergraduate students from across our campus and will be led by Tricia Brand, VP of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging. The goal of this task force is to identify how we can support and strengthen CCA’s policies and procedures as they relate to expression. We can and must continue to hold both freedom of expression and our commitment to keeping our community safe as our highest priorities at all times. To do this effectively, we need to examine the policies that guide us and articulate clear standards and expectations. Please stay tuned for more information about this task force.

Lastly, I want to acknowledge that in our pursuit of academic freedom and free expression, it is inevitable that actions or words may unintentionally cause discomfort or offense. This has happened on our campus in recent months with a social media post, flyers, and pamphlets which—though shared by individuals within our community—do not represent the collective opinion of our community or the College’s leadership. When this occurs, it is my responsibility as your President to acknowledge the concerns expressed and address these issues promptly. Flyers and pamphlets that violate our existing policies for such materials will be removed, and we will likewise continue to be engaged with social media posts even as we work to update our policies about the use of these "sub-brand" accounts.

CCA is as great as the sum of its parts, and we must remain a place that welcomes everyone.  As a small liberal arts and design community, we must continue to promote open dialogue and encourage conversation, even on the most difficult and painful topics.  CCA classrooms are important spaces for exploration, and we also have an obligation to continue encouraging students to seek more than just the information that aligns with their existing viewpoints—even if this can also be difficult.

We will not tolerate racism, Islamophobia, antisemitism, genderism, ableism, nor any behavior that discriminates against another identity. Our challenge is to ensure that our communal approach to teaching and learning, to dialogue and engagement with one another, respects the diverse backgrounds and experiences of all community members while also maintaining the open dialogue that is the cornerstone of education.

Thank you for your continued understanding and commitment to this dynamic and beloved community.

Sincerely,

President Howse