Updated Freedom of Expression Policy, Guidance and Expressive Activity Scheduling Procedures

June 3, 2025

Dear Members of the Carnegie Mellon University Community:

We are writing to share updates to the university’s Freedom of Expression Policy, which has been endorsed by the University Leadership Council and Faculty Senate, as well as newly developed guidance and updates to the requirements for scheduling expressive activity on the Pittsburgh campus. These updates follow the considerable work in recent years of the Commission on Academic Freedom and Freedom of Expression. 

Over the past semester, we invited the campus community to engage in an open comment period about the Freedom of Expression Policy and related guidance and procedures. We are grateful for the thoughtful input we received that led to meaningful refinements in our approach. We also engaged with campus governance groups to socialize the feedback we received. Following productive discussions on how best to convey the university’s long-standing commitment to fostering free expression, learning and discovery, while also supporting campus safety, we incorporated further edits to the documents. The conversations underscored a shared commitment to both free expression and the well-being of our community while reinforcing the importance of continuing to reflect on and adapt our policies as circumstances change. 

While we continue to encourage advance notice for all expressive activities, we now will require advance notice only for events expected to attract 50 or more participants. This adjustment provides more flexibility for smaller gatherings on the Pittsburgh campus and responds to community feedback requesting a higher threshold. We also have clarified our readiness to work with organizers of spontaneous events to expedite reviews when needed.

The heart of these documents is steadfast: to facilitate the robust exchange of ideas and viewpoints, even when they may be challenging or controversial, while safeguarding the inclusive, welcoming and intellectually driven environment that defines CMU. As always, we remain committed to listening, learning and working together to uphold both our principles and our responsibilities to one another.

We want to reiterate our sincere appreciation to all of the students, faculty and staff who shared their thoughtful and candid feedback throughout this process.

We wish everyone a restorative summer.

Warmly,

James H. Garrett Jr.
Provost and Chief Academic Officer

Gina Casalegno
Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students