We, the undersigned MIT faculty members, urge that the Institute improve its written commitment to academic freedom and free expression by officially adopting the Chicago Principles, as articulated in a 2014 University of Chicago report.1
The Principles, adapted below for MIT (with no changes other than swapping University of Chicago identifiers for MIT identifiers), have been adopted by Princeton, Johns Hopkins, Columbia, BU, and 78 other universities and colleges.
If you are an MIT faculty member and wish to add your name to the list of signatories or have any questions, please email freespeech@mit.edu.
The Chicago Principles (adapted for MIT)
Because MIT is committed to free and open inquiry in all matters, it guarantees all members of the MIT community the broadest possible latitude to speak, write, listen, challenge, and learn. Except insofar as limitations on that freedom are necessary to the functioning of the Institute, MIT fully respects and supports the freedom of all members of the MIT community “to discuss any problem that presents itself.”
Of course, the ideas of different members of the MIT community will often and quite naturally conflict. But it is not the proper role of the Institute to attempt to shield individuals from ideas and opinions they find unwelcome, disagreeable, or even deeply offensive. Although the Institute greatly values civility, and although all members of the MIT community share in the responsibility for maintaining a climate of mutual respect, concerns about civility and mutual respect can never be used as a justification for closing off discussion of ideas, however offensive or disagreeable those ideas may be to some members of our community.
The freedom to debate and discuss the merits of competing ideas does not, of course, mean that individuals may say whatever they wish, wherever they wish. The Institute may restrict expression that violates the law, that falsely defames a specific individual, that constitutes a genuine threat or harassment, that unjustifiably invades substantial privacy or confidentiality interests, or that is otherwise directly incompatible with the functioning of the Institute. In addition, MIT may reasonably regulate the time, place, and manner of expression to ensure that it does not disrupt the ordinary activities of the Institute. But these are narrow exceptions to the general principle of freedom of expression, and it is vitally important that these exceptions never be used in a manner that is inconsistent with the Institute’s commitment to a completely free and open discussion of ideas.