March 20, 2025
Dear Fellow Gettysburgians,
Earlier this week, Gettysburg College received a copy of a letter sent by a national advocacy organization to the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) requesting that the College be investigated. The letter disagrees with how the College’s mission and values are expressed through our educational programs and practices, and does so by asserting that some of those programs and practices violate civil rights laws.
The College does not ordinarily comment on correspondence from advocacy organizations, and this is not the appropriate forum to address the specifics of the letter. (We have been in touch with the programs or departments mentioned in the letter.) Because the letter is already being discussed on campus and connects to the issues about higher education being raised at the federal level, I do want to take this opportunity to reaffirm some of the fundamental principles that guide us.
First and foremost, the College is driven by our mission and values. This starts with an unwavering commitment to free expression and academic freedom, clearly articulated in our Freedom of Expression Philosophy. We create an environment that encourages a wide range of views, including views with which other members of the community (and outside advocacy organizations) might disagree. This is foundational to any quality education.
For this reason, we do not limit free speech and academic inquiry to certain viewpoints.
We also believe in our responsibility to honor and respect the worth and dignity of every member of our community. Learning and the pursuit of knowledge flourish in a place committed to the open exchange of ideas — an environment where individuals from different backgrounds, beliefs, and experiences engage in meaningful dialogue. For this to occur at any depth, every member of our community must be fully included and empowered to contribute.
Finally, the College conducts its operations with a deep respect for its legal and ethical responsibilities. We do not agree that the College is violating civil rights laws and, of course, will discuss that with OCR, should it pursue an investigation.
The principles I have outlined today are not new to the College; they rest in commitments that have guided us throughout the nearly 200 years since our founding.
Thank you for your continued support, for your commitment to our enduring mission, and for your belief in the College and our core educational values.
Sincerely,
Bob Iuliano
President