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UM won't fire faculty accused of making offensive social media posts about Charlie Kirk

University of Michigan Central Campus sign
Anna Schlutt
/
Michigan Radio

The University of Michigan will not fire or discipline the handful of faculty accused of making offensive or cruel comments about Charlie Kirk after the conservative influencer's killing.

Interim President Domenico Grasso made the announcement at at Thursday's meeting of the UM Board of Regents.

"Silencing voices is anathema to a great university like ours," Grasso said. "If we abandon free speech on our campuses, we risk abandoning it for our nation."

Grasso said the social media comments did not reflect the university's values, and the professors who posted them missed an important "teaching moment," by abandoning respectful, civil discourse.

Grasso said the University will respond to the moment by investing $50 million to accelerate the building of a center dedicated to diversity of thought and civil discourse.

Tracy Samilton covers energy and transportation, including the auto industry and the business response to climate change for Michigan Public. She began her career at Michigan Public as an intern, where she was promptly “bitten by the radio bug,” and never recovered.