Vanderbilt’s policy of “institutional neutrality” and commitment to civil discourse are central to its mission and especially critical during a time in which free expression is being threatened on college campuses.
A recent report from FIRE, a nonpartisan foundation working to uphold freedom of speech on college campuses, found that out of 486 universities and colleges evaluated, 88% of them have instituted policies that infringe on students’ and faculty’s freedom of speech. In their study, FIRE evaluated technology and protest policies, speech codes, and the implementation of student reporting bias programs. In their 2023 report, Harvard was ranked the worst university for free speech in America with other prestigious universities such as the University of Pennsylvania and Georgetown University close behind. This report emphasized Harvard’s censorship of students and professors, including the removal of seven professors and researchers for controversial statements, and students’ lack of comfort or ability to discuss political issues on campus.
Vanderbilt’s institutional neutrality stance is designed to combat censorship by allowing students to discuss their opinions and explore different ideas without fearing retaliation. As stated on Vanderbilt’s Free Expression page, principled neutrality means that leaders will “refrain from taking public positions on controversial issues unless the issue is materially related to the core mission and functioning of the university.” Their commitment to free expression relies on three core components: “open forums, institutional neutrality, and civil discourse.”
Academia and higher education are necessary for the dissemination of knowledge and preparation of students to become successful and productive members of a larger domestic and global community. Exposing students to dissenting opinions and their merits is crucial to student growth and their ability to succeed in and understand a diverse world. When the leaders of a university take public stances on issues, it inhibits the exchange of ideas and discussions on college campuses. In an interview with Fortune, Chancellor Diermeier reinforced his belief that free speech and debate are necessary to Vanderbilt’s vision of providing “a transformative education and path-breaking research” for its students.
Chancellor Diermeier and other leaders have faced criticism both within and outside of the Vanderbilt community for their commitment to upholding institutional neutrality. Common arguments against Vanderbilt’s neutrality stance are that the university is failing to defend basic human rights, support underrepresented minority groups at Vanderbilt and in the larger Nashville area, and acknowledge the impact of political issues on the safety and well-being of the community.
While Vanderbilt has received publicity, both positive and negative, for its stance, this university has a long history of upholding the values of free expression on campus. Alexander Heard, Vanderbilt’s fifth Chancellor, was known for promoting free expression and creating an environment where diverse and controversial ideas could be heard and discussed. In the turbulent and tense 1960s, he brought in relevant yet controversial speakers to Vanderbilt such as Stokely Carmichael, Allen Ginsberg, and Strom Thurmond. While he often faced criticism, Chancellor Heard believed that “[a] university’s obligation is not to protect students from ideas, but rather expose them to ideas, to help make them capable of handling and, hopefully, having ideas.”
In commitment to this purpose, Vanderbilt has launched programs such as Dialogue Vanderbilt and the Unity Lab in the hope of addressing polarization and strengthening democracy through their emphasis on civil discourse and free speech.
Vanderbilt is not the only university heeding the call for greater protection of free speech on campus. In 2023, a group of 13 universities, including Dartmouth, Duke, Cornell, and Notre Dame, created the Campus Call for Free Speech Program as part of the College Presidents for Civic Preparedness. This group includes a mix of universities, liberal arts colleges, Ivy League schools, and religious institutions concerned with the climate of speech on campus and working to engage students in the discussion of complex, divisive issues.
By refraining from taking public stances on political issues, Vanderbilt is not silencing students or professors but rather allowing space for respectful and honest discourse. Instead of telling the Vanderbilt community what to believe or teach, the university hopes that its neutrality stance will “encourage debates, not settle them.”
