In a bid to address a divided campus and avoid further controversy, Harvard University has announced its decision to refrain from taking official positions on public policy issues that do not directly pertain to the institution. The move came after a faculty-led working group, known as the "Institutional Voice" working group, produced a report recommending that Harvard avoid issuing official statements on matters unrelated to the university's core function.

The new policy, accepted by interim Harvard President Alan M. Garber '76, and endorsed by the Harvard Corporation, the university's highest governing body, applies to all University administrators, governing board members, deans, department chairs, and faculty councils. It aims to prevent a recurrence of incidents such as the backlash former President Claudine Gay faced for her initial statement on the Israel-Hamas conflict.

While the policy aligns Harvard with peer universities that advocate for institutional neutrality, it emphasizes that the university will not be completely neutral. Instead, it maintains a commitment to truth-seeking through open inquiry and debate. Noah R. Feldman '92, a co-chair of the working group and Harvard Law School professor, stated that the university's values are rooted in a non-neutral stance on matters that threaten the pursuit of truth.

The report highlights that the university should clarify that individual statements made by members of the institution do not represent the official stance of Harvard, except when articulated by university leadership themselves. Acknowledging that contentious public issues often evoke strong disagreement, the working group raised concerns about the risk of alienating members of the community by expressing implicit solidarity with one side.

Harvard's statement of neutrality is part of a broader effort by interim President Garber to safeguard the university, including combatting antisemitism, anti-Arab, and anti-Muslim bias through twin presidential task forces and addressing open inquiry on campus. The working group's report, overseen by interim Provost John F. Manning '82, will guide future university leaders in making decisions surrounding public statements.

The report, however, does not address the university's position on investment and divestment decisions, an issue that has sparked protests on campus. While the university had previously committed to gradually divest from fossil fuels, Garber highlighted the difference in consensus regarding divestment from weapons manufacturing.

The timely adoption of the policy indicates broad support from stakeholders within the university. Despite its commitment to neutrality, the university retains the ability to issue statements as deemed necessary by administrators. The working group clarified that certain centers and clinics advocating specific policies could continue doing so within their domain expertise, as long as they do not purport to speak on behalf of the university.

While the move towards neutrality reflects a changing landscape in higher education, with many institutions embracing a non-neutral stance, Feldman stressed that neutrality is no longer a viable option. The report affirms that Harvard's existence and activities inherently reflect certain non-neutral beliefs and values.

As Harvard implements this new policy, time and experience will shape the practical aspects of its application. The policy is expected to set a precedent for navigating controversial public policy issues while upholding the university's commitment to open inquiry and the pursuit of truth.