The following message was sent to Ohio University students, faculty and staff on Wednesday, Nov. 15, 2017.

 Dear Ohio University Community, 

I am reaching out to provide the University community with an update on the recently-named Presidential Policy Advisory Group. Appointed by President Nellis on Oct. 30, the Policy Advisory Group convened for its first meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 14. The meeting opened with introductions, including each member’s personal perspective related to free speech and the reason he or she was selected as a representative.

The group discussed the critical importance of transparency and determined it was one of the group’s core values. In addition to transparency, the group adopted values that all voices should be heard and to show respect for others.

With unanimous consensus, the group decided meetings should continue to be held in private in order to accomplish the work at hand in an efficient manner and meet the expected delivery deadline for recommendations; however, they will provide meeting minutes which will be posted online. This message serves as a temporary measure to communicate with you about the group’s progress until that site is live. We will also share that website link via broadcast email once it is created. Finally, the group will hold a pre-scheduled media availability at the conclusion of each scheduled meeting.
 
Advisory Group members were given copies of Free Speech on Campus by Erwin Chemerinsky and Howard Gillman to read for discussion prior to the next meeting. Additionally, the group was assigned a section of responses to the interim University policies on Freedom of Expression and Use of Outdoor Space collected through the public comment process.
 
The next scheduled Presidential Policy Advisory Group meeting will occur on Friday, Dec. 15, with media availability directly following that discussion.

Members in attendance at the Nov. 14 Presidential Advisory Group meeting included: Scott Titsworth, Dean representative and advisory group convener; Landen Lama, President, Student Senate; Maria Modayil, President, Graduate Student Senate; Jacqueline Wolf, designee for Chair, Faculty Senate; Jessica Wingett, Chair, Administrative Senate; Sharon Romina, Chair, Classified Senate; Katherine Jellison, Chair/Director representative; Grant Garber, Legal Affairs representative; Andrew Powers, Chief of Police; Dusty Kilgour, Executive Director of Baker University Center; and Carly Leatherwood, University Communications and Marketing, ex-officio.

We will continue to keep you informed throughout this review process.

Thank you, 

Scott Titsworth, Ph.D.
Dean, Scripps College of Communication
Convener, Presidential Policy Advisory Group