Yale University has revealed it may adopt a neutral stance on political issues and current events, with a committee of seven professors set to decide by the end of the fall semester.
The committee, formed by University President Maurie McInnis on Tuesday, follows a national trend of universities adopting neutrality policies in response to increasing concerns over free expression. Recent protests and encampments on campuses over the Israel-Gaza war have prompted more institutions to adopt neutrality stances in recent months.
"One topic has emerged as top of mind for many people in our community: the question of when Yale, as an institution, speaks on issues of the day," McInnis wrote in a university-wide email shared with the Yale Daily News. "I have asked the committee to examine when the university, or those speaking on its behalf, should comment on matters of public significance."
McInnis, who assumed the presidency on July 1, added that the committee would hold in-person listening sessions and collect online feedback from the school community.
