To the Editor:
I graduated with my Ph.D. in philosophy from Notre Dame in 2012 — I have a deep respect for the institution and its distinctively Catholic mission, and so I read with great interest Father John Jenkins’s critique of the recent trend by colleges to adopt institutional neutrality in their statements on social and political issues “Institutional Neutrality Is a Copout,” The Chronicle Review, January 7). I find his criticisms of institutional neutrality wanting because they fail to reckon with the need for colleges to respond appropriately to the increasingly pluralistic character of American society.
Unlike the 19th century examples Jenkins cites, when American higher education operated within a largely homogeneous Protestant moral consensus, many of today’s universities host students and faculty from divergent religious, cultural, philosophical, and political perspectives. They hold differing and sometimes conflicting views about fundamental moral and political questions. In this context, institutional neutrality isn’t an abdication of moral purpose but rather a morally principled recognition of and respect for this pluralism. Such is a claim of proponents of institutional neutrality, including FIRE, the Academic Freedom Alliance, and Heterodox Academy (the last of which I serve as director of research).
Moreover, institutional neutrality doesn’t mean universities become “amoral” spaces. Rather, it creates an environment where students can engage with moral questions and develop their ethical viewpoints through rigorous discussion and debate, without the institution itself privileging particular moral or political stances. This approach actually serves moral development by fostering genuine dialogue across different moral perspectives.
While Father Jenkins’s vision fits institutions with explicit religious identities and missions like Notre Dame, non-sectarian universities will best serve their diverse communities by maintaining institutional neutrality on social and political issues while vigorously protecting and promoting the space for moral discourse and debate.
Alex Arnold
Director of Research
Heterodox Academy