Political Incursions on Academic Freedom
Indiana Senate Bill 202 would undermine tenure and put IU under stricter political control. This follows the November 2023 letter to IUB from Jim Banks, pressuring them to curb academic freedoms in response to protests for Palestinian liberation. IUB's administration seems to acquiesce.
Formal statements
- ACLU of Indiana Sues to Block New Law Undermining Professors’ Free Speech Rights (May 07, 2024). Press release by the ACLU of Indiana stating they will be suing Indiana over SB202. ACLU of Indiana
- APSA Letter Opposing SB-202 (Mar 07, 2024). Letter written by the American Political Science Association condemning SB-202 and attacks on academic freedom in Indiana American Political Science Association
- CAMWS Letter Opposing SB-202 (Mar 01, 2024). Letter written by the Classical Association of the Middle West and South condemning SB-202 and attacks on academic freedom in Indiana Classical Association of the Middle West and South
- AAA Letter Opposing SB-202 (Mar 01, 2024). Letter written by the American Anthropological Association condemning SB-202 and attacks on academic freedom in Indiana American Anthropological Association
- SCS Board of Directors Endorses AHA Letter to Indiana Legislature Opposing SB 202 (Feb 23, 2024). Report in the American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS) endorsing the American Historical Association's letter to the Indiana State Legislature opposing SB-202 Society for Classical Studies
- American Historical Association Sends Letter to Indiana Legislature Opposing “Intellectual Diversity” Tenure Bill (Feb 22, 2024). Report in the American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS) endorsing the American Historical Association's letter to the Indiana State Legislature opposing SB-202 American Council of Learned Societies
- MLA Letter Opposing SB-202 (Feb 21, 2024). Letter written by the Modern Language Association condemning SB-202 and attacks on academic freedom in Indiana Modern Language Association
- Indiana’s SB 202 holds promise, but needs changes to protect academic freedom (Feb 21, 2024). Letter written by FIRE condemning SB-202 and attacks on academic freedom in Indiana FIRE (Foundation for Individual Rights & Freedom)
- AHA Letter to Indiana Legislature Opposing “Intellectual Diversity” Tenure Bill (February 2024) (Feb 20, 2024). Letter written by the American Historical Association condemning SB-202 and attacks on academic freedom in Indiana American Historical Association
- OAH Submits Letter of Concern About Indiana SB 202 (Feb 16, 2024). Letter written by the Organization of American Historians condemning SB-202 and attacks on academic freedom in Indiana Organization of American Historians
- Joint Statement of IU-Bloomington and Purdue-West Lafayette chapters of AAUP (Feb 12, 2024). Statement by IUB and Purdue-West Lafayette Chapters of AAUP condemning SB-202 IUB AAUP/IUB Purdue-West Lafayette Chapters
- IUB faculty respond to Congressman Jim Banks (Dec 23, 2023). Post by the Indiana AAUP about faculty response to Congressman Jim Banks Indiana Conference of the American Association of University Professors
Open letters and testimonials
Media Coverage
- Jim Banks is a danger to academic freedom, democratic diversity and Hoosier pride (May 02, 2024). Op-Ed about Jim Banks campaign for re-election. The Herald-Times
- The lunacy of Indiana's 'intellectual diversity' law (Apr 10, 2024). Article in The Chronicle of Higher Education about SB-202 Chronicle of Higher Education
- Civil Rights Groups Push Back Against Wave of Anti-DEI Bills (Mar 15, 2024). So far this year, at least five state legislatures have passed bills seeking to curtail diversity, equity and inclusion in higher education. This year’s batch may seep more into the classroom. Inside Higher Ed
- Indiana Governor Signs Bill Tying Tenure to ‘Intellectual Diversity’ (Mar 14, 2024). Article from Inside Higher Ed about Governor Eric Holcomb signing SB-202 into law Inside Higher Ed
- Indiana Bill Tying Tenure to ‘Intellectual Diversity’ Heads to Governor’s Desk (Mar 04, 2024). Article from Inside Higher Ed about SB-202 going to the Governor's office and needing to be signed Inside Higher Ed
- Indiana SB-2020 (Mar 01, 2024). Indiana SB-202 Text Indiana State Senate
- A Proposal to Tie Tenure to Intellectual Diversity Nears Approval in Indiana (Feb 29, 2024). Article in the Chronicle of Higher Education about SB-202 and its imminent passage Chronicle of Higher Education
- Indiana tenure reform bill, Senate Bill 202, passes state House (Feb 27, 2024). Article in the Journal & Courier about Indiana SB-202 passing in the Indiana State House and Senate Journal & Courier
- What to know about SB 202, which could impact tenure, free speech at public universities (Feb 26, 2024). Article in the IndyStar about SB-202 and its impacts IndyStar
- Indiana Bill Threatens Faculty Members Who Don’t Provide ‘Intellectual Diversity’ (Feb 21, 2024). One critic says a bill passed by the state Senate would mandate “a system of surveillance and political scrutiny.” Inside Higher Ed
- Whitten describes IU’s antisemitism prevention, safety measures in response to Jim Banks’ letter (Feb 21, 2024). Article in the Indiana Daily Student detailing 'anti-semitism' prevention measures undertaken by IU Indiana Daily Student
- Senate Bill 202: What Exactly is “Intellectual Diversity?” (Feb 19, 2024). Article in the Indiana Capital Chronicle about SB-202 Indiana Capital Chronicle
- Bill to make Indiana colleges more conservative would cause conformity, fleeing faculty (Feb 16, 2024). Guest column in The Indy Star about SB-202 IndyStar
- Column: Indiana's lawmakers are trying to end tenure. They must be stopped (Feb 16, 2024). Guest column in The Herald-Times about SB-202 Herald-Times
- Protest Against Indiana Senate Bill 202: Advocates Warn of Threat to Public Universities, Academic Freedom, and Student Recruitment (Feb 16, 2024). Article from The Bloomingtonian about protests against SB-202 at IU Bloomington Inside Higher Ed
- IU joins slate of universities investigated by Department of Education for alleged antisemitism (Feb 09, 2024). Article in the Indiana Daily Student about IU Bloomington being investigated for anti-semitism charges by the Department of Education Indiana Daily Student
- Bill would hand legislature increased control over state universities (Feb 08, 2024). Article in Indiana Public Media about SB-202 Indiana Public Media
- Conservative-friendly higher education legislation clears Senate (Feb 07, 2024). The bill’s author seeks to end “viewpoint discrimination” while opponents say its provisions could “chill” free expression Indiana Capital Chronicle
- Six Dangerous Bills That Would Censor Speech on Campuses Across the Country (Feb 07, 2024). Article in PEN America about SB-202 and other similar bills around the US PEN America
- IU president Whitten comes out against controversial tenure bill (Feb 07, 2024). Article in Indiana Public Media about President Pamela Whitten's opinions on SB-202 Indiana Public Media
- Controversial Indiana Senate Bill SB202 Threatens Alumni Representation on IU Board of Trustees (Feb 06, 2024). Article in The Bloomingtonian about Indiana SB-202's impacts on alumni relations with IU Bloomingtonian
- Palestine Solidarity Committee holds vigil for Palestinians killed in Gaza (Feb 04, 2024). Article in Indiana Daily Student about a rally held by Palestine Solidarity Committee in February 2024 Indiana Daily Student
- Indiana SB-191 (Jan 09, 2024). Indiana SB-191 Text LegiScan
- Congressman Jim Banks’s Pressure on Indiana University to Police Antisemitism Is Duplicitous and Dangerous (Nov 29, 2023). Campus debates about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict can be challenging, fractious—and sometimes triggering. But they are debates, not acts of bigotry. The Nation
- Weaponizing Antisemitism: The Battle at Indiana University (Feb 01, 2023). Article by Purnima Bose for Against the Current about struggles for academic freedom at Indiana University Bloomington Against the Current
- Under Attack: Tenure and Academic Freedom (Sep 02, 2022). Article in Counterpunch about Pamela Whitten's tenure before IU and her attitudes towards tenure Counterpunch
Other Media
Framework: Foundation 6.