Universities must uphold institutional neutrality to allow for debate
Preview:
It was only a matter of time, but issues surrounding freedom of speech and institutional neutrality have erupted on American campuses again —this time in relation to Hamas’s horrific acts in Israel.
Harvard experienced backlash when a number of student groups published a statement blaming Israel for “all the unfolding violence,” but the university failed to immediately put out an official statement. Former U.S. Treasury secretary and former Harvard president Lawrence Summers publicly castigated the university for its silence, noting that the university had issued statements in support of Ukraine after its invasion by Russia and following George Floyd’s murder by Minneapolis police.
Originally published: November 7, 2023
Author: Daniel Diermeier
Position: Chancellor
Institution: Vanderbilt University
Published by: The Tennessean