The Board of Trustees of Washington University in St. Louis is establishing an ad hoc committee to review university policies and guidelines governing on-campus protests and demonstrations. Emeritus Trustee William B. Pollard III is chair of the committee.
“Last spring, we saw a heightened level of protest activity on campus, which led to concerns and divisions within the university community,” Pollard said. “The Board of Trustees has been engaged in discussions concerning these events throughout the summer and is now looking ahead to the start of the fall semester with an eye toward gaining greater understanding of policies and procedures that govern protests and demonstrations on campus. Our committee was formed with this goal in mind.”
The committee’s mandate includes reviewing the university’s response to the spring protests as well as the implementation and effectiveness of existing policies and procedures.
“Protests and demonstrations are a long-standing and important aspect of university life,” Pollard noted. “Given the current climate of increased protest activity on campuses nationwide, the board wants to ensure that our policies are effective in maintaining a safe campus environment while upholding the core principles of freedom of expression and academic freedom.
“Like many of our peer institutions across the country, we believe it’s essential to assess the effectiveness of the policies that guided our response to the events of last spring,” Pollard said. “Our goal is to complete a thorough, independent and fair review of what happened in order to identify any opportunities for improvement or clarification in our policies.”
The committee is inviting members of the WashU community with a current wustl.edu email address to provide comments and suggestions. Faculty can share their feedback with the Faculty Senate Council at fsc@wustl.edu, while students and staff can contact the committee at AHCommittee@wustl.edu.
“We deeply value the voices of our university community as we embark on this journey of self-reflection,” Pollard added. “It’s a moment for all of us to come together, to listen, and to challenge ourselves to do better — not just for today, but for the future. Sharing your diversity of thought is not just appreciated, it’s essential.”
In addition to Pollard, the nine-member committee includes Trustees Lori Coulter, Catherine L. Hanaway, Stacey L. Hightower, David W. Kemper, Susan B. McCollum, Henry D. Warshaw and Joseph F. Wayland. Board Chair Andrew M. Bursky serves as an ex officio member.
The committee expects to submit its report to the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees in December. A summary will be shared with the university community thereafter.
