One of the most treasured freedoms we enjoy as Americans is the right to free speech. It is fundamental to our national identity and serves as the underpinning of our democracy. 

Universities, by their very nature, cannot exist without the free exchange of ideas. Members of our community will at times be confronted with ideas that they fundamentally oppose. The solution is not to suppress the ideas we reject, but instead to counter those ideas with better ones.

At Penn, our commitment to open expression is unwavering. We have established open expression guidelines that are designed to protect freedom of thought, inquiry, speech and lawful assembly.  These guidelines are intended to provide individuals or groups with the freedom to speak without fear of censure, while at the same time allowing those who wish to hear them to do so. 

We urge everyone in the Penn community to become familiar with our Guidelines on Open Expression, which can be found online at: http://provost.upenn.edu/policies/pennbook/2013/02/15/guidelines-on-open-expression

At Penn, we are proud of the steps we have taken, and the commitment we have made, to protect free expression. It is our hope that everyone in our community knows that their right to open expression under our long-standing policies will be defended by the University, whether we agree with the content or not. As you exercise your right to free expression, it is critical that you also respect the rights of others to express their ideas and thoughts. The freedom goes both ways; if it doesn’t work for all, it won’t work for anyone.                                           

—Vincent Price, Provost

—Valarie Swain-Cade McCoullum, Vice Provost for University Life