Last night I woke up in a cold sweat. I dreamed that President Pollack was as committed to free expression as she was committed to DEI, and her statement that she  “will defend DEI as strongly as she defends free expression” logically meant that she would defend free expression as strongly as she defends DEI.

I dreamed that President Pollack established a group of Presidential Advisors on Free Expression that would advise President Pollack on institutional university-wide goals and activities and metrics that would continue after the 2023-2024 academic year and would counter the Presidential Advisors on Diversity and Equity.

I dreamed that President Pollack established a Department of Free Expression that would counter the Department of Inclusion and Belonging and its leadership on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

I dreamed that President Pollack established an Office of Faculty Development and Free Expression that would counter the Office of Faculty Development and Diversity.

I dreamed that President Pollack established Free Expression Councils that would counter the Diversity Councils in all colleges and units.

I dreamed that President Pollack initiated an annual Cornell Inclusive Excellence Summit on Free Expression that would counter the Cornell Inclusive Excellence Summit for staff and faculty to learn and develop practical skills for cultivating a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace that fosters a culture of belonging.

I dreamed that President Pollack established a reporting system for reporting on the heckler’s veto and other infringements on free speech that would counter the Bias Reporting System that creates an inclusive environment for all.

I dreamed that President Pollack would establish ideology-inclusive bathrooms that would welcome conservatives and progressives in the same space. This would counter the principles of nondiscrimination and inclusion, where students, staff, faculty, and visitors are invited to use of restrooms and facilities corresponding to their gender identity.

I was relieved when I Googled “Cornell and free expression” and found that there were no Departments of Free Expression, no Free Expression Councils, no ideology-inclusive bathrooms,  no heckler’s veto reporting system. I had had a nightmare, and in reality, Cornell was just as woke when I woke up as when I went to sleep.