The University of Wisconsin (UW) has introduced a new policy urging school leaders to remain neutral in political debates. This viewpoint-neutral stance applies to all UW campuses and comes in the wake of protests last spring at UW-Milwaukee over the war in Gaza, where the chancellor was accused of siding with protesters against Jewish students.

The policy emphasizes that universities should be a space for open debate and that school leaders should not issue statements that could be seen as the institution taking sides. According to the policy, “It is for the members of the university community, not for the institution itself, to make those judgments for themselves.” By adopting this policy, UW aims to uphold academic freedom and freedom of expression, ensuring that all viewpoints can be freely discussed, according to UW-Madison.

The policy applies to the entire UW System and is meant to prevent official statements that might inadvertently discourage diverse opinions. UW-Madison’s Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin stated that when leaders express official stances on controversial issues, it can stifle open debate. She acknowledged that in the past, she has taken political positions but now believes this approach is detrimental. “For our campus to best thrive… our institutional leadership should show restraint and limit… taking sides in these discussions,” Mnookin explained.

This policy took effect immediately and does not require approval from the Board of Regents. UW leaders say it aims to encourage free expression among faculty, staff, and students without restricting their individual political speech.