Modern Language Association
The Executive Council approved the following statement in November 2016.
Throughout the campaign and in the aftermath of the presidential election in the United States, sharp political lines have been drawn that pit groups and individuals against one another on the basis of national origin, race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, migration status, ability, class, and other forms of identity. The Modern Language Association reaffirms in the strongest terms possible its commitment to free inquiry and academic freedom for all, unimpeded by acts of prejudice and hate. We note especially the need to offer support to those who are the most vulnerable and condemn the unjust rhetoric that targets them. We recognize that the humanities and humanistic knowledge are now more essential than ever to help guide us in these difficult times, and we pledge to maintain the MLA as an organization open to all individuals who share our commitments.
University of California
https://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/press-room/university-california-statement-election
President Janet Napolitano and the Chancellors of the University of California issued the following statement:
In light of yesterday’s election results, we know there is understandable consternation and uncertainty among members of the University of California community. The University of California is proud of being a diverse and welcoming place for students, faculty, and staff with a wide range of backgrounds, experiences and perspectives. Diversity is central to our mission. We remain absolutely committed to supporting all members of our community and adhering to UC’s Principles Against Intolerance. As the Principles make clear, the University “strives to foster an environment in which all are included” and “all are given an equal opportunity to learn and explore.” The University of California will continue to pursue and protect these principles now and in the future, and urges our students, faculty, staff, and all others associated with the University to do so as well.
We are proud of what the University of California stands for and hope to convey that positive message to others in our state and nation.
George Washington University – Department of English
http://gwenglish.blogspot.com/2016/11/gwu-department-of-english.html
GW English and Creative Writing affirm that we are absolutely committed to fostering programs that recognize the value of studying all aspects of human experiences. Learning from and alongside student movements across the country that – as signs in Kogan Plaza have recently announced – say no to any form of sexism, racism, xenophobia, homophobia, transphobia, and ableism, our department will continue to be a space for thinking deeply, critically, and historically about the rich diversity of the many cultures that have brought us to the moment we inhabit. Our department offers courses and programming that centralize immigrant or migrant experiences; African American, Latino/a, Asian American, indigenous lives; and the stories and struggles of Muslim, Jewish, and other religious minorities. We have been at the forefront of developing courses centered on disabled and LGBTQI lives. We share our students’ concern about the need to end economic injustice and the devastation of the planet we share, and our work as teachers and scholars will continue to reflect that. We will continue to think about the struggles that unite us across borders and we will not be impeded from carrying out that vital intellectual work. As a faculty, we believe strongly that the Humanities are needed now more than ever. Our doors are open for study and critical reflection on all of these issues.
American Federation of Teachers & Southern Poverty Law Center
https://uaw.org/app/uploads/2016/11/AFT-SPLC-Letter-to-Trump.pdf
Joint CSU/CSSA Statement
The California State University embraces its diversity and the way in which our students, faculty and staff achieve excellence through inclusion. We are unequivocally committed to supporting all members of our community. That is who we are. It is a core strength and part of our DNA.
Elections are essential to democracy. Yet, they are not easy. They test our resolve, but also our understanding and compassion. They can be difficult and sometimes even painful, especially for those who hoped for a different outcome.
Today, many in our community may feel anxious and perhaps vulnerable about their personal future, the future of those they care for and the future of our nation. It is our duty – as a community – to listen to each other and support each other through this time.
It is also our responsibility to hold our political leaders to account, regardless of party. To meet that obligation, the California State University and California State Student Association will together be leading advocates in advancing the rights of our students, faculty and staff.
In this effort, we stand with California’s political and civic leaders, our colleagues in the University of California and California Community Colleges, and our many peers nationwide who care about and are dedicated to a nation that lives up to its highest principles.
Hamilton College – Statement from the Department of Literature and Creative Writing
The 2016 presidential election was marred by verbal abuse and misrepresentation, by the use of language to obfuscate, injure, and divide. That campaign rhetoric now threatens to become the basis for policies that will further weaken social bonds, violate individual rights, and threaten lives.
The Literature and Creative Writing Department at Hamilton College renews its commitment to language as a means of creating understanding across differences and of improving the world. As individual citizens and as teachers, we dedicate ourselves to supporting those of our students and colleagues who are most immediately affected by the current political climate, and to resisting the coarsening of both language and political life. Finally, as members of the broader Hamilton community, we support efforts to make Hamilton a sanctuary for undocumented students.
We enthusiastically support the recent statement from the Modern Language Association:
Throughout the campaign and in the aftermath of the presidential election in the United States, sharp political lines have been drawn that pit groups and individuals against one another on the basis of national origin, race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, migration status, ability, class, and other forms of identity. The Modern Language Association reaffirms in the strongest terms possible its commitment to free inquiry and academic freedom for all, unimpeded by acts of prejudice and hate. We note especially the need to offer support to those who are the most vulnerable and condemn the unjust rhetoric that targets them. We recognize that the humanities and humanistic knowledge are now more essential than ever to help guide us in these difficult times, and we pledge to maintain the MLA as an organization open to all individuals who share our commitments.