What to do if you are attacked for your work

On occasion, faculty work attracts unwanted attention. Often appearing in social media, critiques that misrepresent faculty work (their views, their publications, their ongoing research practices, their teaching, or their invited guest speakers), malign faculty identities or perspectives, libel or slander a faculty member, or threaten individuals for protected exercise of their academic freedom disrupt the free exchange of ideas. An inclusive community expressly invites the free exchange of differing ideas and does not tolerate discrimination or harassment.

Faculty members have recourse and access to support.

• If a threat has been made against you, your family, or members of the Hamilton community, please contact the Director of Campus Safety immediately: (315) 859-4111.
• If a threat involves a security breach, a ransomware attack, or other actions jeopardizing the privacy of information, please contact the Director of Information Security and Privacy immediately: (315) 859-4289.
• Contact the Dean of Faculty for support and counsel. The Dean of Faculty can help convene a group to support you and answer your questions. That group may include the Director of Campus Safety, the Director of Information Security and Privacy, representatives from the Communications Office, the Associate Dean of Faculty, your department chair or ad-hoc committee chair, the Vice President for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, representation from the Office of the President, and/or legal counsel, depending on the nature of the attack.
• If you believe there may have been a violation of the College’s Harassment and Discrimination Policy, please contact the Director of Title IX & Civil Rights Compliance: 315-859-4020.

Don’t go it alone! Each of these situations is different, especially with respect to their duration. Know that you have a network of support that can make your decisions about how or whether to engage with external critics, or how to defend yourself now and in the future, a little less onerous.