In February of 2024, ACTA sent a letter to all governing board members at over 1,500 four-year public and private institutions asking that their boards consider adopting a policy of institutional neutrality. The letter states, “Colleges and universities that remain above the political fray can most effectively help students learn how to think, not what to think. A policy of institutional neutrality guards this high purpose of our academic institutions. It also shields them from the consequences of becoming embroiled in political disputes.” A PDF version of the letter can be downloaded here.
Dear Governing Board Member:
For over 28 years, the American Council of Trustees and Alumni (ACTA) has helped governing boards promote academic freedom, academic excellence, and accountability at our nation’s colleges and universities.
Today, I write to encourage you to consider adopting a policy of institutional neutrality at your institution. Such a policy, exemplified by the University of Chicago’s Kalven Committee Report of 1967, counsels against taking official institutional positions on current social and political events. It is a bulwark against politicization, and, like the Chicago Principles on Freedom of Expression, signals integrity to students, faculty, and the public.
Colleges and universities that remain above the political fray can most effectively help students learn how to think, not what to think. A policy of institutional neutrality guards this high purpose of our academic institutions. It also shields them from the consequences of becoming embroiled in political disputes.
Institutional neutrality does not mean silence on issues that affect the mission or operations of the university. Nor does it prevent college leaders from articulating their personal views in response to events that violate basic principles of morality and human decency. By avoiding engagement in political disputes, the capacity for appropriate leadership is enhanced.
In the words of the Kalven Report, “The neutrality of the university as an institution arises then not from a lack of courage nor out of indifference and insensitivity. It arises out of respect for free inquiry and the obligation to cherish a diversity of viewpoints.”
We urge you to join the growing movement of universities that have embraced institutional neutrality. We list them on our website, https://www.goacta.org/kalven-report, which also includes sample board resolutions and other resources you will find useful. We are at your service to help in any way we can.
Warm regards,
Michael B. Poliakoff, Ph.D.
President
In the aftermath of the horrific events that took place in Israel on October 7, college and university leaders across the country have grappled with serious questions about institutional neutrality, the right to free speech, and protecting students from harassment. On April 11, 2024, the American Council of Trustees and Alumni hosted a webinar exploring […]
Tony Banout, Executive Director, and Tom Ginsburg, Faculty Director of the University of Chicago's New Forum for Free Inquiry and Expression...
The American Council of Trustees and Alumni (ACTA) today opened a new front in its Campus Freedom Initiative by launching a nationwide campaign urging American institutions of higher education to adopt and enforce policies of strict institutional neutrality.
Launched in 1995, we are the only organization that works with alumni, donors, trustees, and education leaders across the United States to support liberal arts education, uphold high academic standards, safeguard the free exchange of ideas on campus, and ensure that the next generation receives an intellectually rich, high-quality college education at an affordable price.
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