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Welcome back, Indiana University Bloomington. From our freshman move-in to the start of Hoosier Welcome to the beginning of classes, it’s been a joy to connect with our new students and catch up with those returning to our beloved campus.
For many, a fresh semester means the return of old traditions: Saturdays at Memorial Stadium, late nights in the library and walking with friends through Dunn’s Woods. Yet, there’s another campus tradition I hope you’ll participate in during the semester: engaging with a wide range of viewpoints, perspectives and ideas.
IU has a storied history of robust scholarship and free speech that carries into the present, being as much a part of the modern college experience as any time in our past. With that in mind, this past year students and faculty leaders took up the call to formalize IU’s commitment to free expression through something called the Chicago Principles, which sets a framework for free speech on campus. After several months of faculty, student and administrative leaders working together, the Board of Trustees approved IU’s commitment to the Chicago Principles.
This may not be the first time you’re hearing about this effort. When the Board of Trustees approved the measure, President Pamela Whitten shared that “without free expression and academic freedom — without the ability of faculty and students to teach, learn, research, question and challenge ideas — Indiana University cannot fulfill its mission.” During the new student induction ceremony on Aug. 20, Chancellor Reingold underscored that sentiment: “Free expression and civil discourse are essential to who we are as a university and to the society we are preparing you to lead.”
Over the coming weeks and months, IU will share more opportunities to engage with the Chicago Principles and help the university live up to its commitment. But beyond any program or event led by the campus, know that the power of free expression is best protected when put into practice every day.
In the classroom, use your voice and make space for the voices of others. Encourage exploration and truth-seeking through earnest discussion. Join one of our 750+ student organizations and commit to open inquiry and innovative thinking. Want to host an event yourself? You can do that, too, with the IU Bloomington campus hosting over 3,000 events alone last academic year, according to IU Events. And if you want to otherwise make yourself heard on the issues of the day, use freespeech.iu.edu as your roadmap.
As the semester gets underway, you’ll be faced with countless ways to engage with the fullness of campus life. We hope you take those opportunities. Wear your cream and crimson. Try a new activity to test your limits. Join your voice with the roar of campus conversation. Make connections with your fellow students over coffee or coursework. And write your own chapter in the storied traditions of IU.
Vice Chancellor Lamar Hylton leads the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Student Life at IU Bloomington, which oversees 36 university departments, including the campus cultural centers, the 21st Century Scholars Program and Residence Life, among others.
