Members of the Law School Community:

Over the past two weeks, our community has engaged in challenging conversations around the travel ban, sanctuary cities, racism, freedom of expression, inclusion, and resistance.  Panelists have presented views from a variety of perspectives.  A group of students peacefully protested the presence of a controversial speaker included on one of the panels. And our students organized a teach in to discuss the issues.  We are proud of our students, and how they have grappled with hard conversations about issues that are at the same time legally complex and deeply personal. 

As a law school, we are at our best when we talk across differences.  We are at our best when we challenge bad ideas with better ideas.  We are at our best when we bring to difficult conversations professionalism and civility. 

Civility requires respect for all our students and community members. Personal attacks show a lack of respect.  In the aftermath of the first controversial speaker, our students have been called pathetic, stupid, and worse.  Nothing could be further from the truth. 

Albany Law students are smart, thoughtful, and brave.  The students who sponsored the controversial speaker did so in good faith to present a panel that included a conservative voice.  The students who protested engaged in the respectful, dignified, but difficult kind of conversation we encourage at Albany Law.  Protesting is, after all, a form of speech that has effectively changed the world for the better.

As we move forward, we will address the issues raised by these difficult conversations.  We will do the work necessary to build a community that is more inclusive and more welcoming to all our students.  Together, we will engage with one another with a common purpose of making our community and our world a better place.  This is, after all, part of what an Albany Law School education is about.

Alicia Ouellette
President and Dean

James E. Hacker
Chair, Albany Law School Board of Trustees