On Tuesday, April 11, the University Assembly (UA) met in the Physical Sciences Building to adopt a resolution making NarCan—an anti-opioid overdose drug—available at large gatherings.
UA Resolution 8 addresses the possibility that opioid overdoses can occur unexpectedly, perhaps by consuming a medication laced with an opioid. Accordingly, the UA would require all campus gatherings of more than 100 people to have someone on site who is trained in administering NarCan as well as an emergency supply of that drug antidote. This mandate includes “Greek organizations (IFC, PHC, MGFC), concert-hosting groups, and sporting events.” The cost of this safety measure would be borne by the event sponsor; however, the resolution would provide subsidization for large event sponsors through Cornell Health.
Additionally, the UA has posted for further public comment its Resolution 7 dealing with free speech and the right to protest. The discussion centers around Cornell’s current rules that prohibit protesters from interfering with a speaker giving a talk or the audience’s right to hear that speaker. In theory, the rules prohibiting disruption of scheduled speeches would have been used to discipline the students who disrupted right-wing pundit Ann Coulter’s talk last November. However, Cornell has not yet announced if it enforced them. Some people argue that “freedom of speech” or “the right to protest” should include the right to a “heckler’s veto” to prevent speakers from making their presentations.
The controversy over the distinction between heckling and protesting has received increased national attention after the shouting-down of a federal judge at Stanford Law School last month.
The UA considered amendments to its Bylaws and to its Charter to implement an agreement reached with President Pollack concerning jurisdictional changes. The Trustees revoked the Assembly’s authority over campus conduct and reduced its influence over issues of academic freedom and free expression prior to the implementation of the Student Code of Conduct in 2021.
The UA also briefly discussed adding a voting alumni seat to its charter. Currently, the assembly has voting seats designated for faculty, employees, students, and graduate students, but no alumni. Two prior bodies, the Constituent Assembly and the University Senate, included alumni.
Although elections have begun for the Faculty Senate and the Student Assembly, the UA does not have a similar process. This is because the undergraduates directly elect UA representatives, and the Faculty Senate elects representatives to the UA. The new members of the UA will select their leaders in May.
