ITHACA, NY (CortacaToday) — Cornell is responding to the reinstatement of Professor Rickford.

Joel Malina, vice president for university relations, says Rickford’s comments last fall at an off-campus rally fell under protected speech, not a demonstration of bias or harassment. Malina also notes that Rickford quickly apologized after making his ‘reprehensible’ remark.

Malina’s full statement:

“Last October, Professor Russel Rickford made a horrific comment at an off-campus rally in downtown Ithaca. As then-President Pollack and Board Chair Kayser noted at the time, his comment was reprehensible and demonstrated a complete disregard for humanity. Professor Rickford apologized for his comments and took a voluntary leave of absence for the remainder of the academic year.

“Consistent with well-established principles of academic freedom, Cornell has a process for considering whether public statements such as those expressed off campus by Professor Rickford at a political rally fall under the category of protected speech, or rather demonstrate prohibited bias, discrimination, or harassment. Given that Professor Rickford’s comments were made as a private citizen in his free time, the university’s academic leadership has concluded that Professor Rickford’s conduct in relation to this incident did not meet that high bar.”