Cornell University: Administrator Says Faculty’s Classroom Speech is Being “Scrutinized”

During a September 30, 2024, Zoom call with about 200 parents hosted by Cornell Hillel, a participant asked Vice President for University Relations Joel Malina how Cornell would handle a new faculty hire who had allegedly made anti-Semitic comments in the past. Malina responded by saying the professor’s in-class activities would be “scrutinized, as will all in-class activities of our faculty.” FIRE wrote Cornell on October 17, urging it to publicly reassure its faculty that they will not face investigation or discipline for protected classroom speech simply because it is political or may be considered offensive.