To: MSU Provost for Academic Affairs Professor James Johnston

Dear Professor Johnston

We the undersigned have recently become aware of a coordinated campaign of threats, abuse and property damage towards Professor Nathan Jun of MSU. This targeted harassment is linked to his stance on the current series of riots and protests in relation to the murder of George Floyd. We are extremely concerned about the demands that have been made to MSU regarding the termination of Prof. Jun’s position at the University and the defamatory posts about Prof. Jun that have not been removed from MSU’s public-facing social media. One such post was posted on the 1st of June by an account named ‎Kacy Coker Rutledge and on the 5th of June was still publicly visible. These attacks on Prof. Jun’s academic freedom and attempts to jeopardise his position at MSU are part of a wider coordinated campaign of harassment that has included direct threats and vandalism of Prof. Jun’s home.

Prof. Jun’s academic work is exceptional, world-renowned and he himself is a kind and thoughtful individual. No one deserves to face death threats for their political views. It is deeply concerning that as an educator and intellectual he has been singled out for such attacks.

We note that MSU is committed in its regulations to protect academic freedom, defined as “the right of scholars in institutions of higher education to freely study, discuss, investigate, teach, and publish” (MSU Policy and Procedures Manual. 3.118 Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. ACADEMIC FREEDOM AND ACADEMIC RESPONSIBILITY). Likewise, the Texas Tech University System Regulations “recognize freedom of speech and expression as a fundamental right and seek to ensure free, robust, and uninhibited debate and deliberations by students enrolled at [component universities] as well as other persons. This regulation is intended to protect the expressive rights of persons guaranteed by the constitutions of the United States and the State of Texas by recognizing freedom of speech […] as central to the mission of [component universities]” (Texas Tech University System Regulation 07.04. Freedom of Expression).

We are concerned that MSU’s actions thus far risk being seen as indifference to the threats made against Prof. Jun, both to his academic freedom and to his health and liberty more generally. We therefore urge MSU to make a public statement of unequivocal support for Prof. Jun defending the right of academic freedom, denouncing this violent harassment and bullying, and ensuring that MSU staff are protected from those who would seek to harm, intimidate or otherwise harass them for exercising their academic freedom. Regardless of the security or otherwise of Prof. Jun’s position at MSU, we believe that it is the duty of the University as his employer and as an institution of higher education to fully support anyone within its remit of care who is facing the kind of harassment that Prof. Jun has been subject to. A public statement of support and a clear strategy for practically realising that support, discussed with and agreed by Prof. Jun, is wholly appropriate under these circumstances. Protecting academic freedom must include practical steps to shield academics from harassment and we hope that MSU will work proactively with Prof. Jun to put such steps in place. We would also encourage MSU to remove any defamatory posts on public-facing and other social media connected to the University and to ensure that accounts responsible for these posts are blocked from future posting.

Signed