UND Today

University of North Dakota’s Official News Source

VIDEO: When communicating, civility ‘truly matters’

President Armacost discusses Constitution Day, First Amendment and connections to speech on campus

UND President Andy Armacost recorded his latest video message on Friday, and at the start of it, he reminds the UND community of the activities that would be unfolding in connection with Constitution Day — Saturday, Sept. 17. Those activities now have taken place, and some highlights — including a Naturalization Ceremony that was carried out at the Gorecki Alumni Center — are described in a story in today’s UND Today.

Then the president moves on in the video to campus issues that are timeless. In particular, he talks about the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution as it relates to recent events at UND, and why it’s important for the campus community to come together and talk about the ideals they have for the University. He points to the American Civil Liberties Union, among other organizations, as a place to turn for guidance on campus speech and the need to preserve free speech.

All people should be encouraged to exercise their rights and work for the changes they desire, Armacost says. Likewise, all members of the UND community, regardless of their position, should engage in such a process with a deep sense of respect and civility toward others.