> From: "Walker, William N." <walkew2@rpi.edu>
> Date: March 10, 2008 4:29:42 PM EDT
> To: "RPI Employee List" <RPI-EMP-L@lists.rpi.edu>
> Subject: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Declines to Reopen Exhibit.
> Reply-To: walkew2@rpi.edu
>
> After extensive and careful deliberation and consideration of the
> origin, content, and intent of the "Virtual Jihadi" video game exhibit
> by digital media artist Wafaa Bilal, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
> has decided not to reopen the exhibit on the Troy campus.  The  
> decision
> was based on numerous concerns, including, in particular two
> characteristics of the video game in the exhibit, as affirmed by the
> artist: First, that the video game in the exhibit is derived from the
> product of a terrorist organization; and second, that the video game
> is targeted to and suggests the killing of the President of the United
> States.
>
> Rensselaer fully supports academic and artistic freedom. We respect  
> the
> rights of all members of the Rensselaer community and their guests to
> express their opinions and viewpoints. However, as stewards of a  
> private
> university, we have the right and, indeed, the responsibility to  
> ensure
> that university resources are used in ways that are in the overall  
> best
> interests of the institution.
>
> William N. Walker
> Vice President for Strategic Communications and External Relations