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Over the past three weeks, members of the UNB and greater Fredericton and Saint John communities have engaged in peaceful protests on each campus in relation to the war in Gaza. On the Fredericton campus, protests have occurred mostly on Wednesdays. On the Saint John campus, they have occurred each day of the work week, organized largely by two members of the UNB community.

It is noteworthy that individuals who call attention to the importance of freedom of expression fail to recognize or understand that such freedom also extends to the freedom not to comment.

On Oct. 13, 2023, I sent a statement to our community about the situation in the Middle East. Given the correspondence we’ve received and misinformation that has circulated, I am writing today to clarify our position as a university.

The University of New Brunswick values and upholds freedom of expression and free speech, but notes that it is not absolute—there are limits. Expressing hate speech is not protected in Canada. Disrupting the safety and normal operations of the university, or the construction of unauthorized structures, do not fall under the purview of free expression.

In addition to the protests and numerous emails, the UNB administration has been served with a petition signed by students and faculty demanding the university divest from Israeli companies and cease any institutional collaborations with Israeli universities. Additionally, the demands call for the administration to make public statements denouncing Israel.

UNB will not be complying with these demands. Two principles are being adhered to in relation to these matters - institutional autonomy and political neutrality.

Our position on institutional autonomy is firm. As an educational institution, we reserve the right to choose our partners without succumbing to pressure. Limiting academic partnerships with other universities would not only infringe upon individual academic freedoms, but also hinder the progression of knowledge, which is unacceptable for a university.

We maintain this position in regards to our investment portfolio. A question was raised at Senate recently around our investments in Israeli companies. It was confirmed that our investments in these companies represent less than 0.1% of our total portfolio.

As a university we must remain focused on our core functions – teaching, research, engagement and service. We are not a political entity and we will refrain from making political statements on this or other matters.

Universities are founded on the importance of freedom to pursue knowledge, to exchange, discuss and debate various ideas and issues. This is fundamental and contributes to the expansion of knowledge. At UNB we are committed to these principles. Given the concern and complexity of world events, I encourage colleagues to commit to operating with the principles of respect, civility, integrity, and professionalism whilst expressing their concerns. Violence will not be tolerated at our university.

I understand that there are a number of people in our community who are deeply impacted by this issue and I empathize with them. I encourage everyone to maintain respectful dialogue; and respect those who choose not to publicly comment on these issues. With the principles of institutional autonomy and political neutrality, our university will remain a place of reasoned debate where conflicting views can co-exist. The safety of our people and protecting the integrity of our academic and social mission will continue to be at the core of all we do.