Former LSU President William Tate IV, who took the same position at Rutgers over the summer, penned an op-ed in nj.com Tuesday in which he stood behind campus free speech.

In the op-ed, Tate argued against cancel culture and said the university should instead remain neutral and allow for debate.

“Some in our community argue that certain speech undermines the nation’s values or erodes respect for faith, patriotism, and order,” Tate wrote. “The role of the university, however, is not to prevent discomfort or protect ideology. Our responsibility is to protect the conditions for inquiry and debate.”

Free speech on college campuses, both for students and professors, is a prominent issue around the country, especially under the administration of President Donald Trump. Trump has threatened to jail foreign student protesters and withhold funding from universities that allow “illegal protests.”

“This is my fifth year serving as a university president. Two aspects of the role are constant: the calls for free speech and expression, and the cries to sanction those who freely express their views,” Tate wrote.

While Tate was at LSU, he took some heat for his handling of campus free speech. In January, law professor Ken Levy was suspended indefinitely by the university for political comments made while teaching a graduate course, a case that is still undergoing litigation.

The search for Tate’s replacement at LSU is ongoing, with the presidential search committee set to narrow down its final candidates and interview them this month before making a recommendation to the Board of Supervisors.

Interim President Matt Lee has held the position since Tate’s departure.