Lehigh has formally adopted the Chicago Principles with a Lehigh-specific preamble, according to a video from the Office of the President sent in an email to the campus community today.\u00a0<\/p>\n
In the video, President Joseph Helble said questions facing higher education are pressing and how Lehigh chooses to respond to them is defining for the university.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIn a moment that is in many ways the most challenging higher education has seen, Lehigh is extraordinarily well-positioned,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He said the university has been engaged in important conversations this year, including how it reaffirms its commitment to free expression and open inquiry, marking Lehigh\u2019s formal adoption of the Chicago Principles after years of discussion.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Chicago Principles<\/a> are a model free speech policy created by the University of Chicago that over 100 universities have since ratified pledging to protect the freedom of expression.\u00a0<\/p>\n According to the principles,<\/a> a university may restrict expression that violates the law, defames or threatens an individual, or is incompatible with the functioning of the university. The policy also states the university may restrict the time, place and manner of expression to ensure it doesn\u2019t disrupt the university\u2019s ordinary activities.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThese 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 university\u2019s commitment to a completely free and open discussion of ideas,\u201d according to the principles.\u00a0<\/p>\n Those who drafted the Lehigh-specific preamble to the principles have presented to both the Faculty Senate and Student Senate<\/a> this semester for input ahead of the formal adoption of the policy, which was approved by the Board of Trustees this month.\u00a0<\/p>\n