DIY History | Transcribe | Campus Culture | Campus "Unrest" Demonstrations, 1970 | 1970-05-28 President Willard L. Boyd to Members of the Graduating Class

Transcribe
Translate

Campus "Unrest" Demonstrations, 1970

1970-05-28 President Willard L. Boyd to Members of the Graduating Class

THE UNIVERSITY OF IOWA NEWS SERVICE
700 Jefferson Building, Iowa City, Iowa 52240   Phone 319/353-3150
May 1970

FOR RELEASE
AFTER 10:30 A.M. THURSDAY, MAY 28, 1970:

CHARGE TO THE GRADUATES
By President Willard L. Boyd, The University of Iowa
Commencement, May 28, 1970, 9:30 a.m.

Members of the Graduating Class:
We mourn those who have died at Jackson State, in Viet Nam, at Kent State and in Cambodia. In our sorrow we must affirm them. We fail them if we do not work for peace, freedom and education. To deny one of these is to deny them all.
To achieve these ends we must reject destruction, repression and indifference. We must embrace tolerance, persuasion, and concern. In a democracy the means are as important as the ends, and no one has the legal or moral authority to usurp the rights of others. We are obligated to respect the rights of all.
We are also obligated to take stock of ourselves. No individual, no institution, no society can be satisfied with itself if it is to survive. What is wise social policy in one era may not be wise policy in another. Policies must be re-assessed. Re-assessment should not be feared but rather encouraged. This is true whether the issue is war, human rights, or taxes. It is essential, however, that the debate be open and free from intimidation and coercion.
What is true of society generally is especially true of the university in particular. The university must not be a prison of dogma but rather a port for conflicting points of view. The universities must and will remain open as centers of free inquiry. We must be producers of new ways, not just teachers of old ways. We must be willing to reason, to tolerate, and to respect. We must recognize that there can be honesty in our differences, that respect can emerge from diversity, and that progress takes many forms.
The time has come for you to part from this university. You have invested your energies in this place, and we trust that you have enhanced your life here. Your forebears founded and nurtured this university. It is up to you to justify its present and guarantee its future.

-30-

Saving...

THE UNIVERSITY OF IOWA NEWS SERVICE 700 Jefferson Building, Iowa City, Iowa 52240 Phone 319/353-3150 May 1970 FOR RELEASE AFTER 10:30 A.M. THURSDAY, MAY 28, 1970: CHARGE TO THE GRADUATES By President Willard L. Boyd, The University of Iowa Commencement, May 28, 1970, 9:30 a.m. Members of the Graduating Class: We mourn those who have died at Jackson State, in Viet Nam, at Kent State and in Cambodia. In our sorrow we must affirm them. We fail them if we do not work for peace, freedom and education. To deny one of these is to deny them all. To achieve these ends we must reject destruction, repression and indifference. We must embrace tolerance, persuasion, and concern. In a democracy the means are as important as the ends, and no one has the legal or moral authority to usurp the rights of others. We are obligated to respect the rights of all. We are also obligated to take stock of ourselves. No individual, no institution, no society can be satisfied with itself if it is to survive. What is wise social policy in one era may not be wise policy in another. Policies must be re-assessed. Re-assessment should not be feared but rather encouraged. This is true whether the issue is war, human rights, or taxes. It is essential, however, that the debate be open and free from intimidation and coercion. What is true of society generally is especially true of the university in particular. The university must not be a prison of dogma but rather a port for conflicting points of view. The universities must and will remain open as centers of free inquiry. We must be producers of new ways, not just teachers of old ways. We must be willing to reason, to tolerate, and to respect. We must recognize that there can be honesty in our differences, that respect can emerge from diversity, and that progress takes many forms. The time has come for you to part from this university. You have invested your energies in this place, and we trust that you have enhanced your life here. Your forebears founded and nurtured this university. It is up to you to justify its present and guarantee its future. -30-