To the Editor:
The Committee on Civil Discourse was formed in November 1997 "to keep current in the community discussions and considerations of how we interact with each other through our speech and actions." The Committee has met each month during the past year to review and discuss the state of discourse on campus. In January, the Committee conducted a survey to hear from students their opinions about how students talk with each other, and whether students listen to and support diverse points of view. Throughout the past year, the Committee has met with various student groups to hear their perspectives.
This week, the Committee released its first annual report. The report notes that most students on campus find the environment supportive and open. Although this is true for the vast majority, it is also true that students representing minorities or minority opinions feel more frequently offended by speech and behavior on campus. Some of our findings have surprised us. For example, more men than women feel that their opinions are not treated with respect, and fewer men than women feel supported by behavior on campus. The Committee has not reached any conclusions about the meaning or interpretation of these findings, but we hope that they will inspire conversation and discussion.
The Committee applauds the remarkable efforts of many students to open the community to inclusive dialogue. All of us have a responsibility to support the voices of those least frequently heard, to make room in our discourse for all points of view, and to avoid behavior and speech that will silence the voices of those offended or intimidated by our actions. We are lucky to live in an open community, and we all have an ongoing responsibility to protect that community by balancing our strong beliefs with respect for others and their right to differ with us.
Copies of the report are available at the Tucker Foundation, the Dean of the College Office and the Public Affairs Office.