Dear Mr. Mathieu,
Thank you for your e-mail.
The Harriman Institute takes your concerns seriously. The event was
oversubscribed and, additionally, it appears there were technical
glitches in the online reservation system that affected a broad,
diverse spectrum of individuals who wished to participate in the event.
The doors were also closed promptly for the event so that several
latecomers were not admitted. These were unfortunate developments.
Most importantly, I can assure you that the Harriman Institute would
never discriminate against anyone who wanted entry to an event on the
basis of their national origin, ethnicity and/or religious beliefs.
In my introductory remarks at the event that are attached here, I
underscored that an invitation to speak at the university in no way
implies an endorsement of views or policy of the speaker.
Furthermore, it is notable that during the question and answer session
that Mr. Dodik faced a number of difficult and hostile questions from
the audience which suggests that the audience was diverse. This robust
exchange comports with the spirit of academic rigor that characterizes
such events involving outside speakers at Columbia.
Sincerely,
Timothy Frye
Director, Harriman Institute
Columbia University
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