College students have a right to ask lots of questions
The abridged version the freshman convocation address, delivered to Muhlenberg Class of 2018.Monday, August 25, 2014 10:22 AM
Peyton R. Helm
President, Muhlenberg College
Published by The Morning Call
August 25, 2014
In four years Muhlenberg College's president will chant a Latin incantation over this group of freshmen, awarding the bachelor's degree "cum iuribus et privilegiis ad eum pertinentibus" — which means "with all the rights and privileges pertaining thereto."
What are these "rights and privileges"? You might think rights are something you get automatically that can't be taken away, while privileges are something you earn, but it's not that simple.
Let's start with rights. You probably think you have certain "inalienable rights," but I must tell you that the rights of a private college like Muhlenberg can, in fact, make some of those rights "alienable" after all.
For example:
- You may have the right to remain silent, but I wouldn't suggest you exercise it. After all, your professors have a right to grade you on the basis of class participation.
- We are strong supporters of your right to free speech, but we also insist on civility, and we are vigilant in responding to incidents of hate speech.
Many rights are related to your status as college students.
- You have a right to ask questions — lots of questions. That's part of getting an education.
- If you have a disability, you have a right to appropriate accommodations. By the way, oversleeping your morning classes is not, at least so far, a recognized disability.
- Each of you has a right to sovereignty over your own body. If you are thinking of bringing your body in contact with somebody else's body, remember that this right works both ways. Consent is not only sexy; it's also the law!
There are many other rights you may or may not have. Too many to recount, in fact.
So let's turn to "privileges." How many of you have heard the phrase "Check your privilege!"? It means in part that you should be aware of how good you have it compared to others.
- Each one of you is privileged to be here. Now you certainly worked hard to get here, but you didn't entirely earn this privilege. Many of you were born into families that valued education and had the resources to encourage and support your studies; even so, most of you could not be here without generous financial aid provided by people you have never met.
- You have the privilege of associating with fellow students, faculty and staff who have been as carefully selected as you were. You will make lifelong friendships, and find professors who will coax from you the best work of which you are capable, and staff who are passionately devoted to your safety, health, well-being, and personal development. You have an opportunity to become the best, smartest, most interesting person you are capable of being.
For many of you, the greatest privilege is one you did not earn and one you may not even know you have. It is the privilege of being what American society considers "normal."
This is a privilege you may not fully understand unless you have lived in a culture not your own for long enough to feel disoriented — starved for familiar language, food, music and friends. Each of you is probably normative in some way, but bear in mind that those who differ from your norm experience this feeling of disorientation every day. Many of us do not give a second thought to:
- Driving through an unfamiliar neighborhood without getting pulled over by the police.
- Holding hands with a boyfriend or girlfriend as we walk down the street without people staring or calling us names.
- Wearing clothing and headgear that does not attract prejudiced remarks.
And yet there are many among us who cannot enjoy these "privileges." And the fact that the majority of us don't have to worry about these differences may be the greatest privilege of all.
We talk a lot on this campus about the relationships among three concepts: power, privilege and difference.
I challenge you to join this conversation with thoughtfulness, civility, an open mind, and most of all empathy for those who are different from you.
This will be one of the most powerful learning opportunities you will find here at Muhlenberg. Make the most of it.
