Ramona Paetzold
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rpaetzold.bsky.social
Ramona Paetzold
@rpaetzold.bsky.social
20 followers 18 following 8 posts
Anti-Trump and lover of mystery fiction.
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aaronsojourner.org
Leadership from UC Berkeley.

"...we see recent actions going beyond those purposes in ways that threaten core values: academic freedom, freedom of inquiry, & freedom of expression.... we will be steadfast and unrelenting in our efforts to defend those core values."
Like many of you, we are gravely concerned about recent Federal government actions in regard to higher education. While we recognize that the government plays an important role in addressing discrimination and ensuring good stewardship of public resources, we see recent actions going beyond those purposes in ways that threaten core values: academic freedom, freedom of inquiry, and freedom of expression. We do not know what demands the Federal government may make of Berkeley, but do know that we will be steadfast and unrelenting in our efforts to defend those core values. A Berkeley without academic freedom, without freedom of inquiry, without freedom of expression is simply not Berkeley. We recognize that some of you may find our statement too timid or too bold or deficient in some other way. That’s okay—a key to Berkeley’s excellence is our diversity of opinion and perspective. Robust debate is essential to scholarly advance. The purpose of a university is not to present us with ideas with which we are comfortable. To borrow from Clark Kerr, it is to make us safe for ideas. We don’t know what will happen. In part because we don’t know what may be demanded of us and in part because we won’t be the only decision makers. But what we do know is that we will stand up for Berkeley’s values and defend them to the very best of our ability. For 157 years, through the education it provides and the research it produces, Berkeley has produced immense economic and societal benefit to its students, California, the nation, and the world; this societal jewel needs to be preserved and defended, and we will toil tirelessly to see that it is. Fiat Lux. Rich Lyons Chancellor Ben Hermalin Executive Vice Chancellor & Provost
March 17, 2025 at 7:34 PM