President Video Message: Starting the Semester With a Focus on Dialogue

President Joseph Helble '82 welcomes students back to campus, highlighting the importance of open dialogue as the semester begins amidst global conflicts and the upcoming election. He shares the freedom of expression committee's recommendation for the university to adopt the Chicago Principles and introduces the start of a new year of Compelling Perspectives programming on the theme of the role of media in contemporary society, featuring speakers such as Katie Couric and Marty Baron. President Helble also underscores Lehigh's ongoing progress in its strategic goals, emphasizing the community's role in shaping Lehigh's future.

Watch the video message.

Read the transcript:

As we begin the semester, already in these first few days, I can see the campus is energized in such a positive way. Welcome back to our students. It's wonderful to see the campus full of so much activity once more. Our mission here at Lehigh is centered around advancing learning through teaching, research, and service to others. Our vibrant academic community thrives on dialogue that promotes the exchange of ideas and the expression of varied viewpoints. As we begin the term, this dialogue is more important than ever. As we continue to navigate ongoing wars in Gaza and Ukraine and approach a national election, these events will undoubtedly continue to influence discussions at Lehigh and colleges and universities nationwide. They are opportunities to continue to cultivate an environment that fosters openness, debate, and curiosity about diverse perspectives. Last semester, a university committee of faculty, staff, and students reviewed our policies on free expression. They recommended that Lehigh adopt the Chicago principles, which support free expression, along with a Lehigh specific preamble that places it in the context of other guidance, including the principles of our equitable community. This fall, we'll be moving forward with that final piece, including releasing the committee report recommending adoption of the Chicago principles., As I said to the class of 2028 at this year's convocation, the Lehigh community has always operated in ways that are respectful of a range of views on any issue. I ask them to show leadership by listening as our community did this past year. By seeking and hearing a range of perspectives we can continue to build the community where every member feels welcome, supported, and valued, and where every person knows they belong and feels safe. This spirit is the foundation of the Compelling Perspectives Program, which we launched just last year. Katie Couric, the first woman to solo anchor a network evening newscast will visit Lehigh on Tuesday, September 17th, as the first compelling perspective speaker of this academic year. Our discussion will focus on traditional media's changing role in covering and reporting news. Her appearance will be followed later this semester by a discussion with Marty Baron, Lehigh class of 1976, and former editor of publications such as The Washington Post and Boston Globe. With our conversation reflecting on the coverage of the 2024 presidential election, a third speaker focusing on new media will be announced in the spring. As the semester begins, our attention here on campus continues to focus on progress we've made toward achieving the goals outlined in our Inspiring the Future Maker strategic plan. A brief report will be released to campus this fall outlining progress, including the establishment of the Center for Catastrophe Modeling and Resilience, the formation of a new inner college integrated business and health program launching for students in fall 2025, and the debut of Lehigh's inaugural day to day, showcasing how data can drive our strategic initiatives and our decision making. These are just a few examples and we know more work lies ahead. Our progress depends on the collective effort of the Lehigh community. I look forward to an engaging and positive fall semester as we all continue to advance together as one Lehigh community.