Morris Announces New Commission on Laurentian Values: Hopes New Commission Will Further Dialogue on and off Campus

Earlier this week, students received an email from the President’s Office announcing the formation of a new Commission on Laurentian Values and Building a Resilient Community, which will be focused on furthering the goals of the College Presidents for Civic Preparedness consortium.  

The new commission will be led by Jeff Frank, a Professor of Education, and chaired by Vice-Presidents Jon Duraj and Allison Del Rossi. The commission will be split into two groups. There will be one group focused on policy review, student outreach, and community education. The other group will be focused on faculty and staff development, academic freedom, and community values. 

“The Commission aims to equip students, faculty, and staff with the skills to navigate uncertainty, engage in constructive conversations across differences, and build a strong sense of community accountability,” the email from the Presidents Office said.  “All guided by our Laurentian values of academic freedom, free expression and respect for everyone’s inherent worth.” 

The commission aims to promote the existing work of students and faculty toward facilitating dialogue and understanding between different groups, as well as act as an anchor for our values while navigating these difficult times, and offer resources and learning opportunities for the community.   

“By grounding ourselves in our core values and working towards all students, faculty, and staff to understand these values, we aim to create a more resilient culture committed to respect, accountability, and learning, especially in times of conflict and disagreement,” Morris concluded.  

Morris joined the College Presidents for Civic Preparedness consortium back in April, becoming one of the 90 other university presidents who are currently members. The consortium was formed back in August of 2023 by the Institute for Citizens and Scholars. 

Members are expected to take both collective and campus-specific action based on the consortium’s three main pillars: educating for democracy, preparing students for a vibrant, diverse, and contentious society, and protecting and defending free inquiry.  

The email lists the names of those involved with each sub-group of the Commission, and encourages any and all members of our community to reach out to the chair or two co-chairs, if they have any questions or would like to get involved.