University of Texas adopts policy to prohibit official involvement in controversial hot-button issues
‘Institutions should not, in their official capacity, issue or express positions on issues of the day, however appealing they may be to some members of the university community,’ the new policy states.
‘This has no bearing, of course, on freedom of speech of individuals in the university community, and only relates to official university statements, functions, ceremonies, and publications,’ the statement continues.
The Board of Regents for the University of Texas system recently revised its official policy to forbid campuses within the system from officially promoting stances on political or social issues that are not directly tied to university dealings.
“Institutions should not, in their official capacity, issue or express positions on issues of the day, however appealing they may be to some members of the university community,” the new policy states.
“This has no bearing, of course, on freedom of speech of individuals in the university community, and only relates to official university statements, functions, ceremonies, and publications,” the revised language continues.
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Paul Corliss, UT’s Associate Vice Chancellor for External Relations & Communications, told KVUE that the university’s “commitment to free speech and open inquiry is unequivocal and demonstrated by its earlier adoption of the principles set forth in the Chicago Statement on Free Speech.”
“Similarly, today the Board of Regents endorsed an addition to UT System policy that further ensures that all members of its university communities are free to express their views,” Corliss continued.
Reacting to the news of the policy change, one student at UT took the opportunity to criticize the university’s financial ties to Israel.
“First of all, it’s something that they’re already taking a stance on by funding it,” said UT sophomore Arwyn Heilrayne. “So by funding the genocide, they’re taking a stance and refusing to talk about it publicly.”
The UT system is not the first university to adopt a position of official neutrality regarding hot-button political issues.
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In May, Harvard University declared that school leaders will no longer be allowed to speak out officially regarding hot-button issues.
In June, Purdue University in Indiana made a similar commitment to “institutional neutrality,” vowing that the school’s leadership will not comment on potentially controversial issues.
Purdue’s adoption of institutional neutrality followed the March passage of state legislation that requires Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion officials in Indiana’s public institutions of higher education to promote “cultural and intellectual diversity.”
Campus Reform has contacted the University of Texas for comment. This article will be updated accordingly.
