That was smart, because I have a soft spot for grandmas. (Laughter.) And I have to say that really sealed the deal. I even got three notes from the grandmother of your student body president. (Laughter.) Emails, letters, tweets, YouTube videos. But you are the first to launch a three-year campaign. (Applause.) Now, it's true that a lot of schools invite me to their commencement every year. The truth is, Rutgers, I came here because you asked. (Laughter.) There’s not much I’m afraid to take on in my final year of office, but I know better than to get in the middle of that debate. (Laughter and applause.) I'm just kidding. I come here for a simple reason - to finally settle this pork roll vs. (Applause.) But most of all, congratulations to the Class of 2016! (Applause.) To the Board of Governors to Chairman Brown to Lieutenant Governor Guadagno Mayor Cahill Mayor Wahler, members of Congress, Rutgers administrators, faculty, staff, friends, and family - thank you for the honor of joining you for the 250th anniversary of this remarkable institution. (Laughter.) Now Malia and Sasha just say, “Okay, Dr. (Laughter.) But I have to tell you, it impresses nobody in my house. One of the perks of my job is honorary degrees. (Applause.) If you are interested, we can talk after this. Let me congratulate my extraordinarily worthy fellow honorary Scarlet Knights, Dr. Thank you, President Barchi, for that introduction. We further wish to see our academic freedom strengthened in the face of such attacks, and support the AAUP-AFT's efforts on this front.THE PRESIDENT: Hello Rutgers! (Applause.) R-U rah-rah! (Applause.) Thank you so much. We demand that Rutgers reverse its findings against Professor Livingston and follow the policies and principles articulated by President Barchi in his Statement on Free Speech and Academic Freedom. The punitive actions threatened by the administration against Professor Livingston are not only a threat to his job security, but to the security of all faculty and staff at Rutgers University. We want to make clear to the administration that disciplining employees for the exercise of our constitutional rights will not be tolerated. Faculty members, as private citizens, enjoy the same freedoms of speech and expression as any private citizen and shall be free from institutional discipline in the exercise of these rights." All members of our community enjoy the rights of free expression guaranteed by the First Amendment. Our University policy on speech is clear. “Both academic freedom and our First Amendment rights are at the core of what we do. President Barchi’s own Statement on Free Speech and Academic Freedom says: Once again, the administration has abandoned its articulated principles in the face of some real or imagined confrontation. The attempt to interfere with and chill his First Amendment rights sets a dangerous precedent and is an unacceptable intrusion into the private lives of University employees. The administration’s misguided decision to silence Professor Livingston by disciplining him for the expression of opinions unrelated to his job at Rutgers violates his fundamental constitutional rights. That is what Professor James Livingston did when he posted comments on his personal Facebook page objecting to the gentrification of his neighborhood in Harlem. We, the undersigned, join the Rutgers AAUP-AFT in standing resolutely in support of faculty, and all University employees, who exercise their right of free speech.
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