We, the undersigned, alongside the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), petition the Board of Regents to adopt an official policy that clarifies and codifies its commitment to institutional neutrality, in addition to its existing materials on the subject. The posture of institutional neutrality is best articulated by the University of Chicago’s Kalven Report, which expresses that the role of the university is to be “the home and sponsor of critics . . . not itself the critic,” and restricts administrative statements on political and social issues in all but the rarest circumstances. Similar positions have recently been adopted by several prominent institutions, including Harvard, Stanford, Syracuse, and Purdue.
Following an academic year marked by protests, encampments, and difficult social and political conversations on many university campuses, it is timely to adopt policies that promote healthy discourse on campus and the role institutional voice should play.
It is heartening that Arizona’s universities annually reaffirm their commitment to institutional neutrality with the publication of a Free Expression Annual Report. It is similarly encouraging that the Board’s Free Expression Committee website provides a link to the Kalven Report. The minutes of the Board’s Free Expression Committee from August 7, 2018, express alignment with institutional neutrality in their statement that “The universities strive to promote diversity of thought and not to decide what views people should take on campus. There is no single administrative position on issues that faculty, staff and students are required to promote.”
Despite this laudable sentiment and the consistent philosophy of the Board, none of Arizona’s public university policies express a clear, binding commitment to neutrality on political and social issues. Without definitive guidance, university administrations and academic units have released public statements suggesting a “single administrative position” on issues of the day that are unrelated to the mission or needs of their institutions.
Arizona’s universities are currently limited in their institutional speech by Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 15-1633, which prohibits the use of university resources for the purpose of influencing elections or affecting the outcome of legislation. This statutory restriction does not, however, encompass the full spectrum of controversies discussed on campus — in ethics, geopolitics, and broader culture. Accordingly, we urge the Board of Regents to adopt an official policy on institutional neutrality to guide its member institutions without ambiguity.
By codifying an official and binding position on institutional neutrality, the Arizona Board of Regents and Arizona’s public universities can cultivate an environment that is most conducive to free expression and pluralism.
Sincerely,