I read with interest about Dean Chavez’s resignation and the University’s search for a new Dean of Students. It is a difficult position, and I wish both Dean Chavez and her replacement well.

I hope that the new dean is picked by a selection process that is more representative of the diversity of interests and viewpoints on campus than was the previous process. The new choice should be someone who champions free speech, academic freedom, and diversity of opinion. The new dean must not simply pay lip service, but rather demonstrate true commitment to these overarching principles. In order to be credible, the selection process must include individuals who understand and value these principles. It is time that free speech and intellectual diversity were treated as more than second class citizens by leadership.

Donald Downs
Professor of Political Science, Law, and Journalism