Dear Members of the SUNY Oswego Community–
Welcome to a new semester at SUNY Oswego. As we begin this academic term together, I am pleased to extend my best wishes to our students, faculty, and staff as you embark on learning, teaching, scholarship, and service.
At the start of each semester, it is important to reaffirm our shared commitment to the values that define our university community. Among these values is our strong, enduring commitment to free speech and civil discourse. These principles are essential to higher education and to fostering a campus environment where ideas can be explored, challenged, and discussed openly.
SUNY Oswego welcomes diverse perspectives and protects the free exchange of ideas. Our policies are designed to uphold the rights guaranteed by the First Amendment, ensuring that members of our community can speak, listen, and engage in dialogue without fear, while recognizing our collective responsibility to do so with respect and care for one another.
The university remains committed to providing a safe, neutral environment for all constitutionally protected speech, regardless of viewpoint or content. In support of this commitment, we apply consistent standards that promote safety, fairness, and respect for all speakers and participants.
To balance free expression with the effective functioning of our academic mission, SUNY Oswego provides clear guidance on the time, place, and manner of expressive activity. These guidelines are intended to support meaningful engagement, minimize disruption, and ensure that all members of our community can participate fully in campus life.
I encourage you to review these policies and guidelines, developed in alignment with SUNY System expectations. Familiarity with them strengthens our ability to engage in thoughtful dialogue and to navigate disagreement constructively.
Free expression and respectful discourse are vital to our democracy and to the educational experience we share. I thank you for your continued commitment to these values and for fostering a campus culture grounded in openness, inquiry, and mutual respect. As the semester begins, I wish you a productive, engaging, and successful term.
Remain well,
Peter O. Nwosu
President