Oct. 14, 2022
Dear Marshall University community,
The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade and return the determination surrounding the legality of abortion to individual states, and West Virginia’s resulting new law, are eliciting strong opinions on all sides. Ultimately, this debate must be resolved by the courts and the voters.
The role of Marshall University in public debate
The Marshall University community is composed of many different groups and individuals affected by this law. Whether you are a student, member of the faculty or staff, or a physician or patient in one of our medical facilities, the issues presented by this decision are undoubtedly a topic of discussion and, in some cases, disagreement.
Marshall is a state entity and follows all federal and state laws. In doing so, we remain committed to creating and protecting an environment for individual thought, civil discourse and the advancement of education. We expect spirited debates, lively class discussions and the expression of differing points of view, all of which are hallmarks of a high-functioning campus environment. We fully endorse the right to freedom of speech and expression. Yet we must all remember that individual members of our university community who engage in public discussion or debate on this issue are not representing the opinions or views of the institution. Only designated spokespeople are authorized to speak on behalf of Marshall University.
Support for those in our community
The central issue is the termination of a pregnancy—an issue with complexities involving life, family, gender, faith, health care and ethics. All these factors can evoke strong personal reaction and feelings.
I ask our university community to role model our Marshall University Creed when engaging in public discussion about this issue. The creed reminds us to be civil and to treat everyone with consideration, decency and respect; to protect freedom of thought, belief and expression; to express disagreements in rational ways; and to learn from our differences.
We are working to determine the impact the new state law will have on our students and employees, as well as on our academic health center. Marshall’s Women’s & Gender Center, Counseling Center (for students) and Help Line (for employees – call 866-342-6892), are available to members of the university community who may have questions or need assistance as they navigate these changes to our laws.
Planning ahead
Going forward, I have that requested Ginny Painter, the university’s chief of staff, and Leah Tolliver, director of wellness and gender programs, assemble a task force to assess how these decisions at the federal and state level affect clinical care, educational instruction and student health at Marshall University. The task force will work to develop a plan to ensure we are able to provide the legally appropriate resources and support for our campus community in the context of this new and evolving landscape.
We will keep the university community informed as this important work proceeds.
Sincerely,
Brad D. Smith
President