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Institutional Neutrality Policies Are Embraced by Colleges Like Harvard and Michigan After Student Protests

"In light of this year’s protests, however, critics of institutional neutrality say these policies ultimately prioritize a university's reputation, donor relations, and other institutional interests over the rights of students and faculty to express their views on urgent global issues. Some activists who spoke with Teen Vogue refer to this as a “Palestine exception” to free speech, claiming that neutrality policies are selectively applied to discourage support for Palestinian rights while other political stances are allowed to go unchallenged.

These activists also point out that, despite claiming neutrality, many colleges and universities have established partnerships and financial connections that inherently reflect a political stance. Institutions like Columbia, for example, have funds that invest with corporations like Lockheed Martin, Boeing, and Elbit Systems, companies that either directly provide defense technology and equipment or are otherwise involved in the global military-industrial complex."

https://www.teenvogue.com/story/institutional-neutrality-policies-harvard-michigan