Office of Marketing and Communications

Ohio State’s Philosophy on Institutional and Leadership Statements

Ohio State’s Philosophy on Institutional and Leadership Statements uses the university’s mission, the Chicago Principles and the Kalven Report as guiding principles. The philosophy holds that, as a community of scholars and learners, to maintain the neutrality that assures academic freedom and freedom of speech and expression, Ohio State should refrain from taking institutional positions on complex political or global matters, events, natural disasters or tragedies that extend beyond the operations of the university itself.

The university’s philosophy helps to ensure that Ohio State is making decisions based on consistent factors rather than on content or sentiment. It encourages everyone to reach their own conclusions by leaving space for opposing views and perspectives within the community. The Board of Trustees adopted Ohio State’s Philosophy on Institutional and Leadership Statements on August 17, 2023.

When an institution releases broad public statements taking a position on one issue, it calls into question silence regarding others. Selecting some tragedies or events and not others can further harm members of our community who are acutely impacted by particular issues. Placing the university in the untenable position of determining on which issues to speak while excluding others does not properly project the care, empathy and value the university has for every member of its community. 

Using the institution’s voice

Institutional speech may be made to defend and uphold the university’s mission of discovery, improvement, and dissemination of knowledge but will be limited to these issues of foundational importance. 

To support this, Ohio State instituted a framework to evaluate if, how and when to make institutional and leadership statements expressing a position on local and national issues or in response after tragedies and high-profile events. The evaluation includes considerations such as if the situation: 

  • directly impacts the university's mission and its operations; 
  • impacts Ohio State students, faculty or staff in such a way that the university must respond to provide support, resources or articulate what the institution is doing to resolve a situation; 
  • is of importance to the city, region or state, and the university can play a vital role in sharing information with the public.

Additionally, if a statement is issued, the communications channel used should be proportional to the situation, with Ohio State’s broadest communications tools reserved for the most critical responses. The university will continue to reserve mass distributed, institutional statements for the rarest of circumstances.

Each situation is unique and is evaluated based on additional factors that are known at the time. There are several tenets that underlie each evaluation: 

  • Using Ohio State’s mission, the Kalven Report and Chicago Principles, as guiding principles.
  • Considering the expertise of university leaders and experts who represent a variety of stakeholders.
  • Ensuring that if a statement is made, it is timely and action-oriented, including what the university is doing to resolve the issue or how it is providing support to the community.

Controversial beliefs or policies

Consistent with the Advance Ohio Higher Education Act (SB 1), Ohio State’s Philosophy on Statements helps ensure that the university will not endorse or oppose any controversial belief or policy, except on matters that directly impact the institution's funding or mission of discovery, improvement, and dissemination of knowledge. 

A “controversial belief or policy” for the purpose of compliance with SB 1 means any belief or policy that is the subject of political controversy, including issues such as climate policies, electoral politics, foreign policy, diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, immigration policy, marriage, or abortion.

Only official statements from the university, colleges and units (including university officials in their official capacity) are considered to be in scope for purposes of the prohibition on endorsing or opposing controversial beliefs or policies. See the FAQ section for more details on what constitutes an institutional or leadership statement and who is considered a representative university leader. 

Academic teaching and research activities, including a college or unit communicating about such activities does not constitute endorsement or opposition. Similarly, colleges, departments, units, etc. Hosting a seminar or academic talk within their area of academic discipline does not constitute an endorsement or opposition. Research news stories, storytelling and amplification of such material does not constitute an endorsement or opposition. Guidelines for those writing and producing multimedia content about research by Ohio State faculty or students are available here.

Care and support

The university is deeply committed to supporting all students, faculty and staff through direct actions and interventions that actively support the university community and afford educational dialogue in safe and supportive environments. These actions include reaching out through a variety of channels to potentially impacted students, faculty, staff, alumni and community organizations, and providing direct support and information about resources to these individuals and organizations. Other actions include: 

  • Hosting events that allow for the community to gather and be heard, including vigils and forums.
  • Holding panel discussions or seminars to provide academic, historical or other factual context in which multiple viewpoints are shared through a facilitated and civil dialogue.

Commitment to intellectual diversity and freedom of expression 

Academic freedom and intellectual diversity are hallmarks of Ohio State, and the university takes seriously its role as a convener of scholars and learners from different backgrounds with varied perspectives. The university is a place where everyone can engage in critical thought, open inquiry and constructive dialogue.

Ohio State is steadfastly committed to protecting the First Amendment right to free speech and expression. Since the university’s founding, its land-grant mission has been to create pathways to accessible education, promote the exchange of ideas, and encourage debate and civil discourse. 

The university community is made up of people from all backgrounds who hold an array of expertise and opinions. Issuing an institutional statement on a topic or endorsing a certain viewpoint cannot satisfy all members of our community or represent the range of perspectives held by our community. Institutional statements can also have the unintended consequence of chilling constructive dialogue or debate. 

Academic Freedom and Freedom of Speech 

This philosophy is meant to advance academic freedom and freedom of speech and does not impact any person’s ability to make statements or represent their own, individual views, or the freedom of faculty to teach, conduct research and publish research findings. In fact, the goal is to provide space for everyone to reach their own conclusions.

Questions and answers

Why did the university adopt this philosophy?

As the state’s flagship public, land-grant university and a national higher-education leader, Ohio State is frequently asked to issue a public response after tragedies and high-profile events. To advance an environment of intellectual freedom, the framework helps ensure that all institutional statements meet consistent criteria and are focused on the university’s mission of discovery, improvement, and dissemination of knowledge.

When did the university start using this philosophy?

The university developed and put the philosophy into practice during the 2022-23 academic year. The Board of Trustees adopted the philosophy on August 17, 2023, confirming the institution’s position.

Did the university need to change the philosophy to comply with SB 1?

The basic principles of the philosophy remain the same as when they were adopted in 2023: as a community of scholars, to maintain the neutrality that assures academic freedom and freedom of speech and expression, Ohio State should refrain from taking institutional positions on complex political or global matters, events, natural disasters or tragedies that extend beyond the operations of the university itself. More detailed language was added to the philosophy to provide specific guidance around controversial issues and beliefs and to provide clarity on what constitutes an endorsement or controversial issue. 

Why has the university issued statements in the past that do not align with the philosophy?

Prior to the Board of Trustees adopting Ohio State’s Philosophy on Institutional and Leadership Statements in August 2023, Ohio State has issued statements on various subjects that fall outside the framework. These statements were made with the intention of fostering community and reinforcing shared values but often missed the mark and portrayed the university as prioritizing one group over another or choosing sides. This philosophy is designed to avoid these unintended consequences by making decisions based on consistent factors rather than on content or sentiment, which further supports diversity of thought and fostering an environment where constructive dialogue and debate occur. 

What is an institutional or leadership statement?

A public statement is defined as the written and published official position of the university or representative university leader that is distributed through any university-owned communications channel within an appropriate timeline given the situation. 

Who is a representative university leader?

University leaders such as university trustees, president, provost, members of President’s Cabinet and deans are inextricably tied to the institution, and even statements made in their individual capacity would likely still be viewed as representative of the university. This does not limit their individual First Amendment rights, but it does require an additional level of consideration before such statements are made. This includes anyone acting in their Ohio State capacity and representing a view or position as that of the university.

This does not impact the freedom of faculty to teach, conduct research and publish research findings. 

Can my department or unit issue a statement on behalf of the department or unit regarding a political candidate, issue, cause or legislation?

Units and departments cannot issue their own statements on behalf of the unit or department on political issues, as this is speaking on behalf of the university.  For further information on institutional statements, please see the university’s Faculty Rule 3335-5-01(C)(7). 

Are land acknowledgements considered a statement on behalf of an issue or cause?

Yes. Land acknowledgements are considered statements and cannot be issued on behalf of a unit, college, department, etc., used at university-sponsored events (virtual or in person) or placed on any university channel or resource such as websites, social media, signage, meeting or event agendas, event programs, etc. Ohio State respects the history of the state and university and will continue to engage in research, academic scholarship, conversations and opportunities to honor this history, but will not issue statements taking a position on, endorsing, opposing or engaging in advocacy or calls to action around this.  

This prohibition does not restrict the freedom of faculty to teach, conduct research and publish research findings or to discuss in classrooms, in their own manner, any material that is relevant to the subject matter within an academic discipline as defined in the course syllabus. See Faculty Rule 3335-5-01. 

How should members of the university community speaking in their private capacity represent their views or statements?

Members of the university community speaking as individuals in their private capacity should represent their statements as such and should not represent them as statements made on behalf of the university. These statements should not include the name of the university or university marks, or use the individual’s position, title or university affiliation unless select identifiers are being listed as part of an academic affiliation demonstrating a field of study, research or scholarly expertise.

What are the Chicago Principles?

In 2014, University of Chicago President Robert J. Zimmer and Provost Eric Isaacs appointed a committee of university faculty to articulate “the University’s overarching commitment to free, robust, and uninhibited debate.” The resulting Chicago Principles have since been adopted by universities and colleges across the country.

What is the Kalven Report?

In February 1967, University of Chicago President George W. Beadle appointed the committee on the Role of the University in Political and Social Action, chaired by law professor and First Amendment scholar Harry Kalven Jr. The committee was charged with providing “a statement on the University’s role in political and social action.” 

The committee found that the university was a community comprised of individuals with multiple and competing points of view, and that freedom of expression was essential to preserving this range of perspectives. For the university to attempt to declare a collective position on any issue would automatically censure those members of its community who disagreed with that position.

Students walk the paths of The Oval during the fall semester.

Key issues

The Office of Marketing and Communications supports the university's response to important issues in our academic, staff and student communities.