UChicago Administration Doubles Down On Mocking Immigrants -- So Much For That 'Environment Of Inclusion' They Said Was So Important

It's possible that UChicago has deeper problems than a handful of law students.

Dear Sean,
Wed, Feb 7, 2018 at 9:35 AM

I am writing to respond to an issue that was raised in the letter you sent to me on Monday regarding the Law Student Association’s (LSA’s) intention to defund and deactivate the Edmund Burke Society.

I understand that this has been an extraordinarily difficult week for the entire Law School community. I know that LSA always strives to act in the best interests of all our students. I was deeply moved by and sympathetic to the hurt and frustration that I heard at the Town Hall meeting on Monday, as well as by the apology and steps toward reconciliation.

As you know, the Law School is part of the University of Chicago, and we are committed to the University’s core values and bound by the University’s policies. Defunding or deactivating student groups on the basis of their speech is inconsistent with the values and policies of the University of Chicago.

The University has determined that the events surrounding this past week’s controversy, including the Edmund Burke Society’s flyers, did not violate any University policies. Accordingly, the Law School will take no action against the Edmund Burke Society for these flyers, and LSA cannot do so either.

The LSA does not appear to have established policies by which it can defund or deactivate student organizations. Should LSA wish to develop mechanisms for defunding or deactivating student organizations for reasons consistent with University policies, I have asked the Dean of Students to work with LSA to develop policies that will provide all student organizations due process, including clear ex ante rules as to the behavior that would trigger such an action.
I would be glad to meet with you about this topic, just as we have discussed other important LSA matters in person in the past.

Sincerely, TJM
Thomas J. Miles
Dean
Clifton R. Musser Professor of Law and Economics The University of Chicago Law School

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