Adopting the Chicago Principles of Free Expression Can Help Institutions To Be Genuinely Inclusive
Authentic pathways to inclusion for all must include open inquiry, free thought, and expression.
The image above depicts a gathering that took place on Monday, October 24th at the Tavern in the Square restaurant in Boston, Massachusetts. All were members of Heterodox Academy. Some were professors at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. MIT alumni were also there, including the founder of the MIT Free Speech Forum, William Frezza (pictured at the head of the table).
Greetings, subscribers (and visitors).
I wanted to send this short message out to let you all know what I’m working on now. In the coming weeks, I hope to publish a piece that connects the principles of diversity and inclusion and the Chicago Principles of Free Expression.
In the last week of October before getting on a plane for Barcelona, Spain for a conference on depolarization (Protopia Lab), I met with the founder of the M.I.T. Free Speech Alliance, Bill Frezza and other M.I.T. faculty members (and their partners). Pictured here is Bill (who is soon retiring to the Bahamas and therefore can have his picture out there without economic or reputational consequences), myself next to him on the left, and the MIT faculty members who understand the need for open inquiry, deliberation, and free thought for the future of technology, economic sustainability, and human relations.
I was happy to learn that the faculty of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology adopted the Chicago Principles of Free Speech, Inquiry, and Expression two months later on December 27th. As I teach at a technology institute that has a strong vision for developing a future workforce that reflects the whole population, I am openly hoping that the faculty and staff will adopt these same principles. This institute is called the Benjamin Franklin Cummings Institute of Technology and was founded by Benjamin Franklin himself with additional funds provided by steel magnate Andrew Carnegie years later in accordance with a long-term investment strategy that Franklin designed.
Quite a legacy of excellence.
This institution now serves 74% student of color, which has its own promising legacy.
Organizations that desire to build a strong and diverse workforce of future technology professionals will do well to consider adopting a version of the Chicago Principles. Robust deliberation and open inquiry are the very foundation of technology, sustainability, and innovation.
More coming soon.
https://www.mitfreespeech.org/