Expressive Activity Policy

(from Cornell's statement on the Final Expressive Activity Policy, March 28, 2025)

Dear Cornell community,

Following broad discussion and review with faculty, staff, and students, and shared governance bodies across Cornell’s campuses, we are announcing the final university-wide Expressive Activity Policy, as approved by the university’s Executive Policy Review Group. The policy is effective immediately and replaces the former Interim Expressive Activity Policy.

Over many months, the 19-member Cornell Committee on Expressive Activity (CCEA), chaired by Colleen Barry, dean of the Cornell Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy, developed and refined the policy based on feedback presented by campus stakeholders at listening sessions and shared governance meetings, hundreds of written comments, a thorough review of peer institution policies, and extensive committee deliberations. We are grateful to the Cornell community for its broad input and valuable perspectives in helping to craft a policy that upholds our institutional core values.

Since Cornell’s founding, free and open inquiry and expression have underpinned our mission, and these ideals continue to guide us as we work to foster an environment where a diversity of ideas is welcomed and valued. At the same time, we recognize the need for expressive activities to adhere to time, place, and manner regulations that limit disruption to our community. We must also uphold our legal obligations to provide campuses free from harassment and discrimination. By balancing these principles in this new policy, we aim to support the rights of all Cornellians to exercise their freedom of expression while ensuring the safety and well-being of all faculty, staff, students, patients, and visitors.

We are grateful to Dean Barry and committee members for their dedication to this important work, and to the broader community for its thoughtful engagement throughout the process.

In the coming weeks, the university will publish a webpage with additional resources to support implementation of this policy and to further educate our community on the value of expressive activity to our campus discourse.

Sincerely,

Michael I. Kotlikoff
President

Kavita Bala
Provost

Robert A. Harrington
Provost for Medical Affairs