Resources for Support
Holy Cross has counseling and psychological services that can provide students with counseling, mediation and peer support in moments of high stress, melancholy or when dealing with acts of bias and discrimination.
Open Expression & Constructive Dialogue
Respect for others and learning from our differences are fundamental values at Holy Cross.
The bedrock of a Holy Cross education is the active exploration of ideas and dialogue about basic human questions, but an environment that invites these conversations must also at times navigate conflict and disagreement.
Context, Resources and Expectations
It's important that students understand the context, resources and expectations about free expression and dialogue on campus. Specifically, students at Holy Cross have the right to:
- Participate in the free exchange of ideas, in and out of the classroom
- Ask tough questions of other students and faculty
- Vigorous disagreement and debate
Open Expression & Constructive Dialogue at Holy Cross
Holy Cross students, faculty and staff share what they believe creates an environment of open expression and constructive dialogue, all in the pursuit of personal growth on campus.
Opportunities To Learn
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Justice, Equity, Belonging & Identity
Justice and equity aren’t relegated to a single office or department. They are the foundation of the Jesuit mission and are embedded in every aspect of campus you experience. Through events, staff training and collaboration, the office provides various growth opportunities.
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Affinity Groups
Affinity Groups are employee-led groups formed around interests, backgrounds, identities and common bonds. By engaging with our affinity groups, Holy Cross staff and faculty help foster a positive work environment and contribute to the College’s mission by demonstrating a commitment to diversity and inclusion.
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McFarland Center
Beyond religious practices and beliefs, the McFarland Center for Religion, Ethics and Culture organizes programs and hosts events focused on what truly binds us: a commitment to humanity, justice and understanding. This is a space where minds come together, embracing the wisdom and perspectives of all faiths, with no one considered an outsider.
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SPEECH Peer Educators
SPEECH Peer Educators stands for Students Promoting Empathy, Expression and Civic Harmony. This peer education group is interested in having courageous conversations and creating developmental programming around the ideas of freedom of speech, dialogue and understanding amidst differences. Inspired by the Presupposition of the Spiritual Exercises, SPEECH Peer educators believe in the goodness of others and the intentions behind what is being said, as well as, learning how to disagree humbly, respectfully and thoughtfully.
Respect for others and learning from our differences are fundamental values at Holy Cross. However, we also recognize that in a community that values free expression and open dialogue, there will be times when things are said that may be hurtful. When this happens it’s important to remember that the College is here to support you in navigating and repairing conflict.
Tomicka Wagstaff, Vice President for Justice, Equity, Belonging, and Identity
The Jesuit Tradition
The Jesuit Tradition at Holy Cross overlaps with the idea of open dialogue and expression. Specifically, The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius Loyola and his teaching known as the Presupposition, which reads:
“It should be presupposed that every good [person] ought to be more eager to put a good interpretation on a neighbor’s statement than to condemn it. Further if one cannot interpret it favorably, one should ask how the other means it. If that meaning is wrong, one should correct the person with love; and if this is not enough, one should search out every appropriate means through which, by understanding the statement in a good way, it may be saved.”
“It should be presupposed that every good [person] ought to be more eager to put a good interpretation on a neighbor’s statement than to condemn it. Further if one cannot interpret it favorably, one should ask how the other means it. If that meaning is wrong, one should correct the person with love; and if this is not enough, one should search out every appropriate means through which, by understanding the statement in a good way, it may be saved.”
From The Magazine
Two recent stories from the Holy Cross Magazine dive deeper into open expression on campus, and why it's important to a healthy environment.
"We respect others’ lived experiences and opinions — and what it means to be in a community: that we all have to try to work together, even if we don’t always agree."
Michelle Bata, Associate Dean for Student Engagement