The purpose of a university is to assemble a talented group of students from a range of backgrounds and help them grow and learn as part of a community. This includes teaching them how to appreciate a range of perspectives—and to learn how, not what, to think. The university remains one of the last places in society where people with diverse viewpoints can engage in the kind of civil dialogue that allows them to explore complex topics—and find innovative solutions to difficult problems—together. To this end, university students should debate one another respectfully. They should challenge each other’s ideas, as well as their own. If part of that process involves protest, then they should engage in that, too.
Protesting is something that Vanderbilt students have been doing weekly since the start of the war in Gaza. While protests have turned disruptive and even violent elsewhere, those at Vanderbilt had remained peaceful and resulted in civil exchange, including counterprotests, lectures and debates. This commitment to civil discourse is typical for our students. Last month, our College Democrats and College Republicans held a joint debate on another divisive issue: gun control. Despite the charged subject matter, the student-led event was notable for its substance and civility.
Vanderbilt has worked hard to nurture a culture of free expression built on three pillars. The first is a determination to provide an open forum: opportunities for dialogue and debate.
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Author: Ruth King
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