The University of Chicago recently hosted an event to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Chicago Principles, a set of guidelines promoting free expression and academic freedom. University President Paul Alivisatos addressed the gathering on January 31, emphasizing the challenges faced by higher education today in maintaining these values.
Alivisatos remarked, "Some quarters of higher education prize activism over inquiry. Important questions go unaddressed because of fear of the answers, and errors persist because of fear of disagreeing with popular positions." He warned that such trends could erode public trust and lead to government intervention, stating, "When governmental entities or external forces censor the free expression of faculty and students and seek to compel conformity, the possibility for universities to remain places of genuine truth seeking is put at dire risk."
Highlighting UChicago's leadership role in advocating for free expression beyond academia, Alivisatos noted the impact of the Chicago Principles over the past decade. "This university is proof enough that the Chicago Principles work," he said. The principles have been adopted by more than 110 colleges and universities since their publication in 2015.
The event featured discussions from faculty members who were involved in drafting the original document. UChicago Professor Kenneth Warren reflected on its unexpected reach beyond campus: “No sooner than the president and provost had accepted our report, [FIRE] launched a campaign urging other institutions to adopt the Chicago statement.”
Professor Amanda Woodward emphasized that these principles serve as guidelines rather than strict directives. She recounted inquiries from colleagues seeking her judgment on permissible actions under these principles but maintained that open debate was essential.
Geoffrey Stone acknowledged potential ambiguities within these standards: “The standards are in some sense ambiguous... they can and will be applied differently.” Meanwhile, Angela Olinto stressed ongoing efforts required to foster understanding across differences.
A panel discussion also addressed modern challenges like social media's influence on free expression. Princeton University's Zeynep Tufekci criticized dominant platforms' business models for promoting inflammatory content over balanced discourse.
In closing sessions focused on future prospects amid political tensions nationwide; Adam Green cautioned about upcoming tests yet affirmed confidence in UChicago's commitment: “And I think that something that would go a long way toward encouraging students to summon courage is to watch [UChicago] affirm its principles... exactly as it has done so many times [over] ten years."