A Message to the Rutgers–Camden Community

To the Campus Community:

On Thursday, April 18, a group of largely Rutgers–New Brunswick students protested at and outside of the public meeting of the Rutgers Board of Governors, which was held in our Campus Center.

Some of you have expressed concern that these protesters were disruptive and disturbing in their language and their demeanor. Others have stated that the protestors followed all rules provided to them and that it was their right to speak freely about something they care deeply about.  Rutgers – as a public institution – was obligated to honor their free speech rights in public spaces, even though some members of our community found the speech expressed to be disturbing.

As President Holloway stated in his January 16, 2024, message to the University community, our cherished freedoms come with an “awesome responsibility… to be respectful and openminded, to be intellectually honest and curious, and to be civil, decent, and understanding of one another.” These characteristics iterated by President Holloway define our Rutgers University–Camden community. 

Let me be clear:  I recognize that many members of our Rutgers University–Camden community have deeply held perspectives related to the current crisis in Israel and Gaza. While those perspectives are passionate and divergent, our campus nonetheless has chosen to respond with collaboration rather than conflict, and with a spirit of unity rather than divisiveness. 

No member of our campus community should ever be made to feel threatened or afraid due to their religious identity, ethnic background, racial heritage, gender identity sexual orientation, or any other characteristic that defines their humanity. We also hold that the free speech rights of individuals, members of our campus, community and nation are critical to our civil liberties.  At times these two critical issues can collide, causing concerns on both sides.  While we understand this conflict, we will continue to support the rights of our community members and the freedoms that we all hold so dearly.  We will continue to work to maintain a respectful environment for learning, working, and living, while promoting dialog and discussion and respecting differences.

I encourage students feeling the need to do so to seek assistance from the counseling services offered by the Wellness Center located in the Campus Center.  If you feel that you have been a victim of bias, hate or intimidation, please report the issue here (anonymously or with your name if you would like outreach and support) and the campus Bias Education and Response Committee will work to address it and support our students. 

In closing, I would like to note that the events of the day also impacted the annual Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (CURCA) presentations by our undergraduate students. I applaud these student researchers for nonetheless presenting their work; and I thank the faculty and staff involved for supporting them. I encourage you to review these exceptional research achievements online. 

Antonio D. Tillis, Ph.D.
Chancellor