The recent events at Indiana University, specifically the protests around the conflict in Gaza that were held in Dunn Meadow, have highlighted significant issues in university governance and transparency. On April 25, 2023, students and faculty exercising their right to protest peacefully were met with an excessive level of force, raising serious concerns about the administration’s commitment to civil liberties and transparency.
The ill-conceived response of the university leadership to the Dunn Meadow protest has eroded trust in university governance. The overall lack of transparency and accountability in the administration’s decision-making process has been the last straw leading to no-confidence votes against key administrators, including President Whitten, Provost Shrivastav, and Vice Provost Docherty. Rebuilding this trust is crucial, and it starts with electing leaders who prioritize transparency and openness as shared governance values.
I am committed to ensuring transparency in the board and its administrative actions. I believe that all members of the IU community should be informed about decisions that affect them. This includes clear and open communication about the university’s policies and their implications. My approach to governance will foster an environment where transparency is the norm, not the exception. There have been several reports of the administration and the board attempting to once again obfuscate Indiana’s Open Door Laws and the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) through the use of Signal (a messaging app that deletes messages) or hiding behind so-called privileged information to further obscure the truth from all university stakeholders. I am committed to releasing the paper trail of communication between the board and administration if elected, through any and all means available to me. Even prior to recent events the board has had consistent issues with lack of transparency being reprimanded twice in the past by the Indiana Public Access Counselor, lending itself to a failure of culture woven into the administration’s lack of proper governance values.
The response to the Dunn Meadow protest demonstrated a troubling disregard for the civil liberties of students and faculty. The deployment of force against peaceful protestors, as detailed in the IDS article about the Dunn Meadow Debacle, was a clear violation of the previously held long-standing university policies that protect the IU community’s right to free speech and assembly.
Since the events in Dunn Meadow on April 25, I have advocated for a full, independent investigation into the actions taken during the Dunn Meadow protest. Unfortunately, it took the Board of Trustees several weeks to announce what I had initially called for shortly after the protests took place. The board seems incapable of acting proactively and often finds itself following instead of leading. The investigation by the Cooley Law Firm, headed by Rebekah Donaleski, should include an investigation into the 11th hour change of the long-standing 1969 policy and the 1963 Board of Trustees’ resolution specifically designating Dunn Meadow as a free-speech and free assembly zone. This investigation should also examine whether the level of force used by the Indiana State Policy was warranted and whether other constitutional protections were violated. My commitment to protect civil liberties ensures that all members of the IU community can exercise their rights without fear of unjust retribution or retaliation by the university.
The modifications made to the Dunn Meadow 1969 policy and the 1963 Board Resolution were implemented without notice or proper public scrutiny. The administration and the board likely violated their own policies. These changes were made by an obscure ad-hoc administrative committee which bypassed the required approval process by the IU Board of Trustees. I believe the committee lacked the authority to make changes to existing policies and usurped the authority of the IU Board of Trustees inconsistent with Indiana law and IU’s own written policies.
As a trustee, I will work to reverse arbitrary policy changes and ensure that any future modifications are made transparently and with full public involvement. My dedication to due process means that students and faculty affected by these changes will have their suspensions stayed until they receive a right to defend themselves in the appropriate tribunal with adequate due process protection.
The Dunn Meadow Debacle revealed significant issues with the quality of the legal advice provided to the administration. The hasty formation of ad-hoc committees and the inadequate handling of policy changes demonstrate a complete failure of leadership plaguing all upper levels of the administration.
I believe that good leaders acknowledge mistakes and work to correct them. Unlike the current administration, which has refused to admit any wrongdoing I will acknowledge mistakes were made by the administration and work to implement measures to prevent them from happening again. This will include changes recommended by the Cooley Law Firm per its investigation. I predict, if handled fairly, the Cooley Firm will find the administration, the ad-hoc Dunn Meadow committee, and the Board of Trustees made material miscalculations, and all acted with clear disregard for long standing IU policy and the protestors constitutional rights. The Board and the administration need to reach out to the ACLU and the students and faculty to resolve this matter and not spend any more legal fees on “defending the undefendable.” Maybe if President Whitten and the Board were paying the mountain of legal fees, they have created they would be more eager to settle, but instead intend to stick it to taxpayers and those who pay tuition to “foot the bill” for their glaring incompetence. This further applies to new administrators brought in being treated as scapegoats.
The events at Dunn Meadow have shown the urgent need for new leadership at Indiana University. My commitment to transparency, civil liberties, and accountable governance makes me the ideal candidate for IU Trustee. By voting for ROBIN HALL, you are supporting a vision of a more open and inclusive university where the rights of all members are clear, respected, and upheld.
Learn more about my views on the issues facing Indiana University and how I plan to address them.
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References
“Israel-Palestine Rally Protest Conflict IU Student.” IDS News, 10 Oct. 2023. (https://www.idsnews.com/article/2023/10/israel-palestine-rally-protest-conflict-iu-student)
“IU Changes Policy Day Before Encampment Arrests.” WFYI, https://www.wfyi.org/news/articles/iu-changes-policy-day-before-encampment-arrests
https://www.idsnews.com/article/2024/04/policy-created-on-eve-of-protest-to-make-arrests