In her e-mail to the campus community on October 12, 2023, Campus vigil on Israel and Gaza, and the college president's role in the wake of world crises, President Maud S. Mandel offered a strong defense of institutional neutrality in adopting a policy for her office “not to send out campus-wide messages about domestic or international events or even natural disasters, no matter how tragic or painful”.
Her rationale closely parallels that of the Kalven Report on University’s Role in Political and Social Action which we believe the College should adopt as official policy.
Her rationale closely parallels that of the Kalven Report on University’s Role in Political and Social Action which we believe the College should adopt as official policy.
Please check out these sources to better understand our goals:
Kalven Report on University's Role in Political and Social Action
This report is the product of a 1967 faculty committee formed at the University of Chicago. The committee’s purpose was to create a report regarding the school’s “role in political and social action.” This report focuses on the importance of institutional neutrality in preserving academic freedom for both faculty and students.
The Chicago Statement
The “Chicago Statement” is a model free speech policy statement that many universities have adopted, affirming their commitment to free expression. Read it in its entirety.
The Chicago Statement Fast Facts
Synopsis of the Chicago statement courtesy of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression.
Free Speech at Freshman Orientation
FIRE, in partnership with New York University’s First Amendment Watch, developed a series of free-to-use modules, videos, and other resources for colleges and universities to use when teaching incoming students about their free speech rights and the principles behind the First Amendment.
MIT Statement on Freedom of Expression and Academic Freedom
The report of the Ad Hoc Working Group on Free Expression recommended that the following MIT Statement on Freedom of Expression and Academic Freedom be considered and adopted by the MIT Faculty.
DePauw University Statement of Freedom of Expression
In 2022, DePauw adopted this statement modeled on the “Chicago Statement,” the gold standard for institutional policy statements on freedom of expression. Read the full statement.