Dear WKU Faculty, Staff and Students,
Earlier this week I encouraged our campus to consider a range of options in response to the controversy surrounding last night’s speaker. Beginning yesterday morning and concluding long after Kyle Rittenhouse left campus, our students, faculty and staff embraced the opportunity to make their voices heard in a respectful, peaceful and safe manner. From a daylong sit-in, protests and meaningful conversations over ice cream to presenting challenging questions without disruption during the presentation, the WKU Community demonstrated to the many watching us - from around our state and nation - how free speech and expression should unfold on a college campus. I could not be prouder of the way our campus community conducted itself and upheld its responsibility to abide by Kentucky’s Campus Free Speech Protection Act – all without silencing anyone.
The WKU Experience prepares our students not only for their careers but for their lives – which we hope will include being civic leaders and agents of change across our globe. We also know that the WKU Experience encompasses both what we teach inside and outside the classroom.
Thank you to our faculty and staff for taking this opportunity to educate – for leading, guiding and mentoring. Thank you to our students for questioning, listening and reasoning. And thank you to the entire WKU Community for demonstrating how we respond to controversy and for so clearly defending free speech and freedom of expression on our campus – even when you may disagree with the message being shared. You exhibited, once again, the strength and spirit of WKU.
Best,
Timothy C. Caboni
