Pace University is discouraging its professors from engaging in political conversations within their classrooms during the upcoming elections.

Assistant Vice President of Government and Community Relations at Pace, Vanessa J. Herman sent an email to the deans and department chairs on July 22, with a memo from the American Counsel on Education regarding “political campaign-related activities on campus.”

The memo states the political “activities” that are either permitted or prohibited on campus.

According to the memo, those prohibited activities include publishing the ratings of candidates, expressing or implying endorsement of candidates, encouraging voting in regards to specific issues, and “commenting on specific actions, statements, or positions taken by candidates.”

However, Pace University’s guiding principles of conduct in the student handbook states that the university is committed to maintaining the “freedom of expression and exchange of ideas necessary to achieve excellence in teaching, learning, scholarship and service.”

Sociology professor, Marie Werner, said it is insulting to faculty that the administration “think[s] we do not have boundaries.”

“We are not a religiously affiliated school,” said Werner. “The university has no place to tell us what to do in our classrooms. [We] have academic freedom to open up topics in class for exploration whether it’s political, sexual, or philosophical.”

Another professor, Dr. Farrokh Hormozi, thinks that it is important to have open discussions on campus.

“Openness is key in any discussion as long as [dialogue] remains rational and respectful,” said Hormozi. “There is nothing more educational than looking at two sides of a coin and knowing what the opposing argument is.”

Pace’s Dean for students, Lisa Bardill Moscaritolo, said that it is important for students and faculty to hear all perspectives of controversial issues.

“We need to learn how to handle different perspectives in a civil way,” said Moscaritolo. “Everyone should have the right to express what they believe.”

However, Werner said that this memo to the faculty has not been the university’s only attempt at discouraging staff from participating in the freedom of expression on campus in regards to controversial issues.

According to Werner, in October 2010, Pace faculty members were asked by university officials to avoid participation in the protests surrounding the death of Danroy “DJ” Henry, Jr.

“We were discouraged from attending rallies after DJ Henry was shot,” said Werner. “The university wanted to maintain a good relationship with the police department. It was a big cover up and when the truth came out about what really happened [to DJ], the university ‘kept its mouth shut’ because they were afraid of bad publicity and losing funding.”

Despite the efforts of Pace officials to suppress the rights of the faculty to express themselves, the code of conduct protects both students’ and faculty members’ right to expression as long as their actions do not cause discrimination or harassment amongst fellow students.

“The University strives to protect the rights of its students and employees (including faculty members) to publicize opinions through written and oral communications; to organize and join political associations; to convene and conduct meetings; and to advocate, demonstrate and picket in an orderly fashion.”