Reaffirming Our Principles on Campus Speech

Dear Members of the Seattle University Community: 

In response to the ongoing suffering, death and destruction in Israel and Gaza, the Society of Jesus in Rome recently issued a statement that echoes Pope Francis’s continued prayers for “an immediate ceasefire, for the release of all the 7 October hostages, for negotiations and for the beginning of a process that will bring freedom, liberty and justice for all in the Middle East.” As the conflict continues, events over the past two weeks on college campuses across the country have received extraordinary media and public attention. In this context, it is important for Seattle University to reaffirm the following principles regarding campus speech. 

Seattle University will continue to be guided by three important interests around free expression of ideas and viewpoints in service of our educational mission, each of which implicates our values as a Jesuit Catholic university. These are: (1) students’ expressive rights, including the right to protest, regardless of viewpoint; (2) students’ ability to pursue their education without disruption; and (3) students’ safety (including both their physical safety and their right to be free from threats, harassment or discrimination). Each of these is essential to our Jesuit educational mission of empowering leaders for a just and humane world. Each deserves – and receives – our fullest consideration. 

Universities are bastions for robust engagement about contested ideas. As is the case at any university, there is substantive disagreement on our campus about the conflict in Israel and Gaza, including about statements by the Society of Jesus and Pope Francis. As we express our views to one another on this urgent issue, let us strive to do so in ways that affirm the dignity of every member of our academic community. And let us continue to extend our care, consideration and grace to one another as we pursue our shared educational mission. 

Respectfully, 

Eduardo M. Peñalver
President