Emerson respects the civic activism and passion that sparked the protest in Boylston Place Alley, while also communicating concerns related to ordinance violations caused by the encampment. We also understand that clearing the encampment has significantly and adversely impacted our community.
We support our community’s right to express their views through protest. However, they must do so in a manner consistent with the laws of the City of Boston and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
The College strongly supports the right to express one’s beliefs through protest. This right comes with the responsibility of doing so without bigotry or hatred in any form.
The last few weeks have provided a chance for many of us to communicate face-to-face and listen to each other about the concerns of our community.
I would like to apologize to my fellow Emersonians for the stress and divisions our community has experienced in recent days and for the missed opportunities that could have prevented this from escalating.
We understand that our community feels fractured, and we are committed to moving beyond rhetoric, misunderstanding, and escalation to a place of compassionate listening and understanding.
We write this evening, after a day of many highs and lows, to keep our community informed about the protest earlier today outside the Cutler Majestic Theatre.
Bernhardt used his address to try to define what makes someone “Emersonian.”
Jay Bernhardt will officially inaugurated as the 13th president of Emerson College in an official investiture in the Cutler Majestic Theatre on March 22.
Planning is underway for a strategic plan that will guide Emerson to its 150th anniversary in 2030
