CU Administration Ignore Regent"s Rules

A CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO'S ANNOUNCED POLICY OF CLOSING CAMPUS TO A POLITICAL ASSEMBLY. I have studied the laws aned rules of the University of Colorado as published by the Board of Regents. DiStephano is either intentionally ignoring them, arrogantly bypassing them, or receiving assurances that this is what the Regents really want, but is allowing the Regents to maintain a position of deniability. The conduct of the administration is a blatant violation of the stated principals. Not only that, but the administration’s rationaliz-ations are insulting. Any administrator who is unaware of the number of classes being taught at 4:30 on a Friday is incompetent. There are very few. This is either deceptive or ignorant. Additionally, a short rally cannot conceivably be interfering with any research, let alone disrupt it. The administration wants the public, in-your-face and what don't you understand, to know that speech is free – unless and until it is inconvenient or controversial. Inconvenient or controversial free speech is simply banned. I write this critique with the hope that the regents will review the conduct of the administration and that the faculty will call for a vote of no confidence. Its time. It has been 50+ years since I first enrolled in the University, which at that time was striving to be the Harvard of the West, in spite of McCarthyism. I weep now to see the institution striving to be the General Motors Institute or the Barberf College of the West. Hopefully, someone will understand and change things. The following is from the rules and regulations of the University of Colorado. My comments are in Bold face. MISSION OF THE UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO The University of Colorado is a public research university with multiple campuses serving Colorado, the nation and the world through leadership in high-quality education and professional training, public service, advancing research and knowledge, and state-of-the-art health care. Each campus has a distinct role and mission as provided by Colorado law. (Laws of the Regents, Article 1, Part C. Adopted 02/11/2010.) GUIDING PRINCIPLES Article 1, Part C of the Laws of the Regents establishes the mission of the University of Colorado. Consistent with the legal obligations and responsibilities of the University of Colorado community, the university will: 1. Encourage and provide access to the university for all qualified students within the university’s capacity. A blockade certainly can’t fit this principal. I rather suspect that many of those who plan to attend the assembly are probably more qualified intellectually, and certainly ethically, than the current chancellor’s office. 2. Maintain a commitment to excellence. Is this the 21st Century the equivalent of book-burning excellence? Many perceive it as a dive into mediocrity, or worse, a pandering to the business interests that give money to the university. Is this any different than Hitler’s book-burning to placate Krupp et al? 3. Promote and uphold the principles of ethics, integrity, transparency, and accountability. This current action is an obvious affront to this statement. In no way does the closing of campus uphold the principals of ethics and integrity. Free speech and a short demonstration of public opinion are not only stomped on, but run over by an armored tank. I'm looking for the integrity in that. More obviously, it is a transparent ploy to propagandize a false image at the expense of the students. They want to show a Judge Judy, zero tolerance, totalitarian response to reasonable debate. Perhaps this makes it easier to obtain financing from the modern day equivalent of the Krupps, Seimans, etc. 4. Be conscientious stewards of the university’s human, physical, financial, information, and natural resources. Spending funds on police in order to stomp on students exercising free speech rights is insane. The attempted bribery of students via a promoted, expensive concert, certainly an insult to their integrity, and improper stewardship of human resources. 5. Encourage, honor, and respect teaching, learning, and academic culture. The actions show disdain for the concept of respect for teaching and the academic community, making a mockery of such. There is no honor in dishonorable acts, and these are dishonorable administrative actions. We all realized that learning occurs in many places, not just inside the classroom. A public announcement that free speech is unwelcome at the University of Colorado, and a police presence will make sure of it, is being taught. It’s a nice, visceral method, to make sure students know their place, and thoroughly understand they have no free speech rights on certain issues, only regarding acceptable issues. There is no way closing the campus forwards any of the legal obligations and responsibilities the University has to the university community. It is destructive and divisive. 6. Promote faculty, student, and staff diversity to ensure the rich interchange of ideas in the pursuit of truth and learning, including diversity of political, geographic, cultural, intellectual, and philosophical perspectives. How can there possible be an exchange of ideas , culture, political, intellectual and philosophical perspectives, when divergent ideas and views are banned? This is particularly insulting when brought in the name of class instruction and research. 7. Encourage and support innovation and entrepreneurship at all levels of the university including research and creative activities. Closing campus certainly doesn’t support research and creative activities. Chances are the most creative, innovative people on campus will want to be present. The most intelligent and entrepreneurial will want to be there to observe. Quite likely the most creative and most intelligent won't miss it. 8. Strive to meet the needs of the State of Colorado, including health care, technology, work force training, and civic literacy. The most imperative needs of Colorado can only be met by promoting an intellectual climate that attracts thinking people, not robots; out-of-the-box innovators, not yes-men/women. The people who color inside the lines make excellent followers. The University is making it clear just what type of thinkers are “acceptable” on campus. 9. Ensure that the university is an economic, social, and cultural catalyst. The ban is contrary to the concept and the very meaning of the word “Catalyst.” 10. Support and enourage collaboration amongst departments and campuses, and between the university and other educational institutions to improve our communities. Promoting totalitarian authoritarian edicts against Constitutional Assembly cannot improve communities. Promoting totalitarianism against our youngest, finest, and brightest, makes a mockery of the very concept of “collaboration.” 11. Provide an outstanding, respectful, and responsive living, learning, teaching, and working environment. The in-your- face policy decisions of the administration are certainly not respectful of any of these concepts. In fact they personify concepts that are exactly the opposite. 12. Focus on meaningful measurable results. I suppose trampled civil rights, cracked skulls, tickets, arrests, lawsuits, legal costs and police expenditures are measurable results, but are they