Ag$08
  |   posted 12:13p, 11/26/08   
To: Texas A&M students, faculty and staff
As proud Americans, Texans and Aggies, we have so much for which to be thankful, and we should be especially so at this time of the year. It is indeed an opportune time t o reflect on all of our many blessings – and a great time for recommitting and rededicating ourselves to some key underlying principles on which our great nation was founded and which are clearly reflected in our core valuesat Texas A&M University.
We reside in a remarkable country where everyone has the right to live, work and worship in freedom. We also live in a country where one of our most fundamental and important rights is the freedom to express our views. Higher Education – often referred to as “the marketplace of ideas” – embraces the engagement and practice of First Amendment principles through the dissemination, discussion, and debate of ideas and principles across the spectrum of disciplines and beliefs. Texas A&M will continue to defend and embrace the First Amendment right to free speech and all the richness that it brings to the teaching, learning, and research missions of our university.
A university is, and should always be, an open community, a place where freedom of expression is uncompromisingly protected and where civility is powerfully affirmed. That freedom, however, ideally should be coupled with a keen sense of responsibility and sensitivity to disagree without being disrespectful. Respect is a core value that is fundamental to being an Aggie and is an essential ingredient to creating a caring community, a place where the well-being of each member is sensitively supported.
We need to ensure that our community is both open and caring if we are to achieve our goal of preeminence as a consensus Top 10 public university, and be considered an institution where reasoned and thoughtful dialogue prevails. Toward this end, I have asked Dr. Jeffrey S. Vitter, our Provost and Executive Vice President for Academics, to work closely with the Deans and the Vice President for Student Affairs to explore creative solutions in which we can advance the principles of respect, openness, and caring on our campus. This will include facilitating programmatic initiatives, as well as including strategies in the academic master plan specifically intended to improve the overall climate of our great institution. The goal for these initiatives and strategies will be to establish an open community where freedom of expression is welcomed and care and civility become the norm.
As a first step, we are finalizing plans for a free 90-minute interactive workshop for students in late January titled, “Following Up on Free Speech: Should You, Just Because You Can?” This is the first of a series of planned forums sponsored by my office to help students develop desirable—yes, even necessary—tools and strategies to engage more effectively in respectful dialogue. This can be an especially valuable tool as our students enter the globally competitive workplace, where views often vary. Specific details of the workshop will be forthcoming.
As we reflect on our many blessings, let’s also take this opportunity to make a firm commitment to redouble our efforts to become a place where individual uniqueness is valued and celebrated, diversity is aggressively pursued, and where changes in our future are celebrated with as much passion and optimism as our heritage and rich traditions.
Thank you, and Gig ’Em!
(signed)
Elsa A. Murano
President
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NoACDamnit
 |  posted 12:15p, 11/26/08
Rabble
RABBLE RABBLE
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Schnauzer_Man
|  posted 12:21p, 11/26/08
Rubbish! / Typical Texag response!
I wish that what she is asking would become the norm on Texags sadly the views expressed on Texags are not the reality of how most people think. I have to remind myself the views on Texags are a very narrow % of the population.
No matter who was elected if they are not a Republican they would not be accepted period.
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AgMarauder04
 |  posted 12:22p, 11/26/08
Uhhh....oookkk....
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aggieloaf
| posted 12:24p, 11/26/08
Is this because of the YCT, or is there other stuff going on around campus I'm not aware of?
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Cow Hop Ag
 |  posted 12:25p, 11/26/08
What in the world is she even talking about? Is A&M still a university or is is some kind of bed-wetting encounter group?
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Why So Serious?
| posted 12:30p, 11/26/08
Why is she wasting her time on crap like this when she should be encouraging students to arm themselves in support of Texas secession and for the eventual military invasions of Kenya and Hawaii to recover Obama's birth certificate(s)?
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Agnzona
| posted 12:30p, 11/26/08
I'll translate what she is saying is
"We should not be unique and different; we need to be like all the other universities. Very tolerant of the abnormal, freakish and down right destructive elements in humanity and intolerant of anything traditional, white European and Christian based."
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Kozmoz
| posted 12:32p, 11/26/08
free speech is getting ready to take a hit at aggieland, be careful what you say
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fixer
| posted 12:32p, 11/26/08
is she ever gonna say something substantive?
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CJS4715
| posted 12:32p, 11/26/08
Does Berkeley send out similar messages at Thanksgiving after their hateful protests? Well, they probably don't even recognize Thanksgiving, nevermind...
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Urban Ag
| posted 12:35p, 11/26/08
So everyone said give her a chance.
I've given her a chance.
I think she is a joke.
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Tanya 93
| posted 12:36p, 11/26/08
How is free speech taking a hit?
She isn't saying things can't be said. She asked if you should say them.
Simply because you can say something doesn't mean it is always a good thing to do.
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Cow Hop Ag
| posted 12:45p, 11/26/08
In other words,
"Keep your mouth shut if you aren't PC."
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SpreadsheetAg
| posted 12:46p, 11/26/08
Slippery Slope Tanya...
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amercer
| posted 12:46p, 11/26/08
quote:
She isn't saying things can't be said. She asked if you should say them.
Simply because you can say something doesn't mean it is always a good thing to do.
I'm sure you supported Ari Fleischer in the same vein:
quote:
"all Americans that they need to watch what they say, watch what they do."
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Ag$08
| posted 12:50p, 11/26/08
I'm still a student, but I can't think of anything besides YCT that would envoke this from Murano. To those thinking this is a terrible idea, take comfort in the fact that no one on campus will go to this seminar. If they can't get students to go to open forums about MSC renovations, they aren't going to show up for free speech training.
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Pro Sandy
| posted 12:52p, 11/26/08
So it looks like she is saying to take personal responsibility for your actions, to think before you speak, and is not going to silence people who others disagree with. Good advice and good for her.
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Ulysses90
 | posted 12:55p, 11/26/08
Per Unitatem Vis
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Vestal_Flame
| posted 12:55p, 11/26/08
This reminds me of the time when student affairs threatened to send a sensitivity trainer to the dorm. In the dorm meeting to explain what was about to happen, one of the upperclassmen publicly offered a keg of beer for anyone who could make the sensitivity trainer cry. Sensitivity training was canceled.
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Cow Hop Ag
| posted 12:57p, 11/26/08
quote:
As a first step
Nothing to worry about. Pay no attention to the planned "Speech Codes" on campus.
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Federale01
| posted 12:57p, 11/26/08
quote:
"We should not be unique and different; we need to be like all the other universities. Very tolerant of the abnormal, freakish and down right destructive elements in humanity and intolerant of anything traditional, white European and Christian based."
So, every other university is full of freakish people that are detremental to our society. So, every person who goes to every institution of higher education fits this description? Wow. Do you really believe this or do you just post this stuff to troll.
[This message has been edited by Federale01 (edited 11/26/2008 12:58p).]
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Kozmoz
| posted 12:58p, 11/26/08
maybe i'm cynical, but that was a toe the pc line shot
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Vestal_Flame
| posted 1:00p, 11/26/08
quote:
Pay no attention to the planned "Speech Codes" on campus
I'll critique the speech code when I read it.
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Tom Hagen
|  posted 1:01p, 11/26/08
To summarize this twit's BS: Get ready for speech codes and mandatory pc indoctrination classes.
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Vestal_Flame
| posted 1:02p, 11/26/08
A&M has always been (at least since I was a student) in the business of threatening students for uttering opinions that were not consistent with the opinions of the administration. If it gets out of hand, you threaten to sue; they fold.
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Lurking For So Long
|  posted 1:04p, 11/26/08
Why doesn't YCT stop beating arond the bush?
They should walk around campus, and simply ask people their political affiliation. If they say "liberal" or "Democrat," just kick them in the junk/box.
No need to buy baked goods and carnival supplies, this is the response they ultimately want, and a more direct approach will shake the tree moreso.
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Keegan99
| posted 1:06p, 11/26/08
quote:
A&M has always been (at least since I was a student) in the business of threatening students for uttering opinions that were not consistent with the opinions of the administration. If it gets out of hand, you threaten to sue; they fold.
That certainly comports with my views and experiences.
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Cow Hop Ag
| posted 1:10p, 11/26/08
details?
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JMJLAW
 |  posted 1:22p, 11/26/08
quote:
The goal for these initiatives and strategies will be to establish an open community where freedom of expression is welcomed and care and civility become the norm.
WELCOME to Aggieland prior to your arrival...
Seriously, aside from the isolated incidents you have in any large university we...
nevermind.
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Troutslime
| posted 1:29p, 11/26/08
Bring back Bonfire and we'll talk.
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SD_71
 |  posted 1:29p, 11/26/08
fixer....according to doggieman...she has.....
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Orphan
| posted 1:37p, 11/26/08
quote:
A university is, and should always be, an open community, a place where freedom of expression is uncompromisingly protected and where civility is powerfully affirmed. That freedom, however, ideally should be coupled with a keen sense of responsibility and sensitivity to disagree without being disrespectful.
Uh-oh! Incoming.....
Individuality is about to be scorned. So I am not misunderstood, words mean somethng, and if you speak the words, you'd best be able to back them up to your own benefit or at your own peril.
david
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saber69
|  posted 1:39p, 11/26/08
I have now become libertarian because Dimocrats and Republicans both have teh suck.
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CalAG
| posted 1:43p, 11/26/08
quote:
I'll critique the speech code when I read it.
Clearly you haven't read it yet. Critiquing the speech code is mentioned in the first bullet of the speech code, it isn't allowed.
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