Institutional neutrality at the U of M

Institutional neutrality is the idea that universities should avoid taking official positions on social or political issues that are not directly related to their core mission of teaching, research and public service. The concept comes from the 1967 University of Chicago Kalven Report, which argued that when a university issues an official statement, the weight of the institution’s voice can unintentionally silence members of its own community who worry about professional or social consequences for their contrasting views. 

The University of Minnesota’s Board of Regents received significant feedback while considering its Resolution Related to Response to the President’s Task Force on Institutional Speech Report and in the months following its adoption on March 14, 2025. The Board’s resolution defines institutional speech as statements issued on behalf of the University or its units through official communication channels. Research, scholarship and creative work remain the responsibility of faculty and are not limited by the resolution. The resolution affirms the University’s commitment to academic freedom.

The resolution also required a subsequent report on the implementation and impact of the resolution. The public October 2025 report also incorporated community feedback gathered through an open comment period and the Board’s Virtual Forum. 

The University’s central goal is to support freedom of expression and academic freedom — providing a place where faculty and students remain free to conduct research and scholarship, debate ideas, and express their views without a statement suggesting an institutional position.

For more information, see the University's Institutional Speech FAQ.