Harvard University has announced a new policy of institutional neutrality, deciding not to issue official statements on controversial public matters that do not directly affect the university's core functions. This decision follows backlash from the university's response to the October 7 Hamas attacks on Israel, where 30 Harvard student organizations blamed Israel for the violence that resulted in the deaths of 1,200 people. The policy, inspired by the University of Chicago's principles, aims to protect academic freedom and prevent the university from being embroiled in polarized political issues. Harvard's new stance, which involved input from 31 focus groups, has sparked varied reactions, with some applauding the move as a commitment to academic integrity and others criticizing it as a failure to address moral clarity in times of crisis. Noah Feldman and Alison Simmons have noted that the policy does not rule out divestment, unlike the University of Chicago's Kalven Report.
After controversy over Israel-Hamas war, Harvard to stop issuing any such statements https://t.co/Xd6USI1f2h
Harvard will stop commenting on external events. A good move. Such commentary is for students and faculty. The university administration should focus on defending academic freedom. https://t.co/u3WCs9ohsP
After "gathering input from every school and more than 1,000 faculty, students, staff, and alumni through 31 focus groups," Harvard decided that “[t]he university and its leaders should not...issue official statements about public matters”. In other words: https://t.co/N5c3Gb93QZ
Harvard adopts institutional neutrality. MIT no longer requires diversity statements from faculty applicants. The start of a domino effect in higher ed?
Harvard to stay silent on issues that don’t impact university’s ‘core function’ Harvard University announced Tuesday it will no longer weigh in on public matters that don’t impact the Ivy League school’s core function, a shift that follows a historic period of turmoil at the… https://t.co/WTTi4pBhi1
Enjoyed this @tomginsburg intervention on Harvard’s new “institutional neutrality in all but name” policy: https://t.co/NZf7smmFuX https://t.co/yFEBo8WlhA
Harvard announces new restrictions on statements about 'controversial public policy issues' https://t.co/zgJtJVycsO
‘In an age of polarized politics, we also need a policy that will spare university leaders from having to spend all their time deciding which global & national events deserve statements …’ https://t.co/ieORbdeVEs
No, Harvard’s statement is not “good news”. It’s a craven attempt to climb out of a hole it dug for itself. To say nothing of the fact that it solves nothing—not even the thing they say it solves. Who will define which things are “public matters that do not directly affect… https://t.co/o63OwNhc2e
It’s foolish to celebrate Harvard’s supposed statement of neutrality. 1. It changes nothing about ideological classrooms and campus culture. 2. It means nothing anyway for university administration unless operationalized in policies and procedures. 3. Therefore it just gives…
“the report says that university leaders can and should speak out publicly to promote and protect the core function of the university, which is to create an environment suitable for pursuing truth through research, scholarship and teaching. …” https://t.co/9HOOfFicC1
"Harvard Plans to Stay Silent on Controversial Issues After Furor" via @Bloomberg @Business https://t.co/keyU8QWQTx
After campus protests, Harvard University opts for policy of neutrality @kelleratlarge reports. https://t.co/X6dMtLZTlY https://t.co/8zME2PxJtt
"Harvard Plans to Stay Silent on Controversial Issues After Furor" Nice to see a leading institution be willing to take the heat. What a joke.
“The purpose of the university is to pursue truth". Harvard will stop taking public stands on controversial issues after fallout from 7 October attacks, writes @laureldugg https://t.co/o8if0HVCdQ
“The purpose of the university is to pursue truth". Harvard will stop taking public stands on controversial issues after fallout from 7 October attacks, writes @laureldugg 👇 https://t.co/NrZ6R33oL1
.@Harvard passes off appeasement and/or ideological allegiance as neutrality. But this claim of neutrality is a farce for Harvard’s “inaction” allows the new moral order grounded in liberation ideology and immutable characteristics to advance and deepen its hold in our society. https://t.co/gtwhSLf3ij
From the HxA blog @OmarSHaqueMDPhD, Harold J. Bursztajn, MD Protecting academic freedom on campus requires content-neutral policies that will help keep specific political ideologies from dominating. https://t.co/OnSM2u0NGt https://t.co/mCA7XB99T2
When asked to condemn Hamas, Harvard rediscovered the virtues of institutional neutrality
UPDATE: @NoahRFeldman and Alison Simmons say Harvard’s new policy on political statements does not rule out divestment (which the University of Chicago’s Kalven Report does). That’s too bad. https://t.co/y4iZDuEpqm https://t.co/vVXUxYoZVG
They just keep getting worse..... Harvard adopts policy of silence on issues that don't affect university's 'core function' https://t.co/bp3UcXsHIH via @BostonGlobe
Harvard administration tells alumni they are adopting Chicago-style institutional neutrality principles and won't make "official statements about public matters that do not directly affect the university's core function." https://t.co/FbVauqdjJ5
Harvard's new policy of official silence on public issues is consistent with the recommendation in this coming book. https://t.co/UC9qQ1ci99
In @nytopinion In a guest essay, two Harvard faculty members explain new guidance on official university statements and why our polarized era makes such a policy necessary. https://t.co/DDTbgexc2n
This is a good policy, but let's never forget that Harvard adopted it only after demonstrating that it could not pass the test of responding to a horrific terrorist attack on Israel with moral clarity. And, of course, Harvard is a long, long way from being a university that… https://t.co/vVXUxYos68
Excellent piece by @NoahRFeldman and Alison Simmons on when universities should and should not speak as institutions. https://t.co/lfCOkb7Aii
Opinion | On Oct. 7, when, just hours after Hamas terrorists committed to killing Jews invaded Israel and slaughtered 1,200 of them, 30 Harvard student organizations pronounced Israel to blame. https://t.co/YgFw8OxteU