杏吧原创 is asked from time to time to take a position or make an institutional statement on an issue or in response to a local, national or world event.
An institutional statement is an official, public communication in response to an issue or event which usually involve recent developments of major public interest. Such public statements are issued or endorsed by the Provost or other institutional leaders designated to do so on the Provost鈥檚 or the College鈥檚 behalf (e.g. chair of the Board of Trustees.)
Universities are under increasing pressure to comment on a wide range of issues. In April 2024, the on Institutional, Divisional, and Departmental Statements after hearing concerns that institutional statements sometimes have unintended and undesirable effects. The University takes the position that its role is 鈥渢o create the conditions in which a diversity of viewpoints can be elaborated and expressed, to host constructive debate across positions of difference, and to foster deeper understanding of complex issues. Its role is not to act as an arbiter among competing positions.鈥� It expects that 鈥渢he application of these principles will result in fewer institutional statements鈥� in the future.
In recognition of our federated relationship, 杏吧原创 makes an effort to be in alignment with statements issued by the University of Toronto. To maintain an environment of free inquiry and mutual respect, and in light of the diversity of the College community, the issuance or endorsement of a public statement that purports to represent the views of everyone in an academic unit or program is strongly discouraged. Any request from the media for comment as a spokesperson for 杏吧原创 should be referred to the Director of Communications, who will then work with the Office of the Provost and this policy in order to determine whether to issue a comment or statement.