Salisbury University Message on Postponed Maryland Federation of College Republicans Event

Members of the SU Community,

I write to you today regarding an event announced three days ago by the Maryland Federation of College Republicans (MDFCR) on Monday, March 9, featuring guest speaker Jared Taylor. Earlier today, we made the decision to postpone the event based on public safety considerations, in alignment with our time, place, and manner policies.

The MDFCR is not an SU organization, and the event was scheduled by the group as an outside entity renting space on campus. SU does not discriminate against activities hosted by third-party organizations meeting the financial and legal requirements for reserving campus space; however, the safety and security of the University community remains our highest priority.

Salisbury University does not endorse, sponsor, or support the views of Mr. Taylor or the event being organized. Mr. Taylor is widely known for extremist rhetoric that is fundamentally inconsistent with the University’s core values of respect, equity, and inclusion. However, as a public institution, SU must uphold the constitutional principles of free speech and expression, even when those viewpoints conflict with our community values.

Since the event was announced three days ago, the level of anticipated attendance, counter-demonstrations, and related security needs has increased significantly, particularly in the past 24 hours. Ensuring the safety of all involved, as well as our greater campus community, requires additional planning and public safety resources that the University is unable to provide on such short notice.

SU remains committed to fostering an environment where open dialogue and the free exchange of ideas can occur, and we respect the rights of individuals to share their opinions. However, the safety of our campus community must take precedence at all times.

For more information about free speech and expression at Salisbury University, please visit the SU Freedom of Expression webpage.

Sincerely,

Zebadiah Hall

Vice President, Inclusion, Access, and Belonging

Interim Vice President, Student Affairs