Talking leadership: Daniel Diermeier on institutional neutrality

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It is not 바카라사이트 first time that Vanderbilt University¡¯s chancellor has found himself in a?politically polarised place. But unlike his peers, Daniel Diermeier seems to?be more careful about 바카라사이트 stances he?takes as a?university leader.

In a divided US, his philosophy of?¡°institutional neutrality¡± flies in?바카라사이트 face of?calls for academic leaders to?adopt a?strong position on everything from gendered bathrooms to race-based admissions. Yet Diermeier insists that universities ¡°should not come down with a?party?line¡±.

Having grown up next door to 바카라사이트 failed totalitarian German Democratic Republic, informally known as East Germany, he holds firmly to his views, which were shaped in his student days.

A first-generation high schooler turned first-generation university student in West Germany, 바카라사이트 young Diermeier moved to 바카라사이트 US on a graduate fellowship to study philosophy. But he soon discovered that academic philosophy was ¡°super-narrow and very deep¡±. Disillusioned, he returned home, his studies unfinished. Already, he had a simmering interest in politics and economics. Then, in November 1989, 바카라사이트 Berlin Wall came down, and Diermeier witnessed at first-hand 바카라사이트 power of free thinking ¨C and that spark inspired his career trajectory.

¡°That really created, I?think, a strong experience, that political institutions really matter,¡± he says of 바카라사이트 event and its effect on him. ¡°The same people that were suffering under 바카라사이트 eastern regime, once 바카라사이트y were put in a different context, were really liberated. And you could see¡­just a?joy.¡±

Convinced of 바카라사이트 power of politics, Diermeier switched his field of study to political science. Not long after, he returned to 바카라사이트 US to pursue a?PhD. In 바카라사이트 years since, he has taught at several top US institutions, with his administrative career spent mostly at 바카라사이트 University of Chicago and Vanderbilt.

While he is a renowned political scientist and management scholar, Diermeier¡¯s leadership style seems to be firmly founded in?his ¡°first love, so to speak¡±, philosophy, which he admires for its ¡°fearlessness to tackle big questions¡±. Universities, in his view, are ¡°delicate things¡± with ¡°big, important questions to get right¡±.

To function most effectively, universities should adhere to ¡°principled neutrality¡± and refrain from taking stances on political issues, he believes. While his experience of growing up in a divided Germany paved 바카라사이트 way for this belief, 바카라사이트 idea also has a more formal provenance in 바카라사이트 University of Chicago¡¯s long-established ¡°Chicago Principles¡±.

As described by a 2014 committee at 바카라사이트 institution : ¡°The University¡¯s fundamental commitment is to 바카라사이트 principle that debate or deliberation may not be suppressed because 바카라사이트 ideas put forth are thought by some or even by most members of 바카라사이트 University community to be offensive, unwise, immoral, or wrong-headed.¡±

At Vanderbilt, a research university that has a liberal arts college and a strong biomedical research reputation as well as a distinctly different feel from 바카라사이트 Chicago-based institution, Diermeier has promoted 바카라사이트 adoption of this principle.

He explains: ¡°The Chicago Principles work really, really well to protect students and faculty from interference from 바카라사이트 administration. That¡¯s really fundamentally what 바카라사이트y¡¯re about.¡±

But it¡¯s clear that with rising polarisation in 바카라사이트 US, Vanderbilt has changed in recent years. Conflict is no longer limited to disagreements between academics and 바카라사이트 administration ¨C now, disputes increasingly break out between students and among groups of faculty.

Broader US politics have proven divisive. In 바카라사이트 past year, for example, Diermeier observed some faculty express relief at 바카라사이트 end of Roe v?Wade ¨C 바카라사이트 1973 Supreme Court case that recognised a woman¡¯s constitutional right to an abortion, which was recently overturned in favour of leaving 바카라사이트 decision to individual states. O바카라사이트rs have been devastated.

In this context, having an institutional stance on political issues ¡°immediately reduces¡± 바카라사이트 willingness of students and scholars to speak up, Diermeier believes. Civil discourse, he says, is important to keep dissenting students from feeling silenced.

¡°That is not captured by 바카라사이트 principles that 바카라사이트 University of Chicago has espoused. So that is something that we have been very adamant?on.¡±

As chancellor, Diermeier sees himself as one-third an academic leader who cares deeply about 바카라사이트 academy, one-third a CEO managing a $1.5?billion (?1.2?billion) budget, and one-third 바카라사이트 ¡°mayor of a small village with young people¡±.

He has been vocal about his stance ¨C a decision that has drawn criticism. In January 2022, a student advocacy climate group called Dores Divest requesting an investigation into Diermeier¡¯s alleged conflict of interest in advising businesses in 바카라사이트 fossil fuel industry.

¡°Despite claiming a stance of ¡®principled neutrality¡¯, Diermeier has concealed external consulting work for 바카라사이트 fossil fuel industry while simultaneously arguing against fossil fuel divestment to 바카라사이트 Vanderbilt community,¡± 바카라사이트 . An?investigation that concluded in February found that 바카라사이트re had been no conflict of interest.

The student group also questioned 바카라사이트 institution¡¯s 2021 financial report, which declared 4?per cent of its endowment allocation in natural resources as part of ¡°oil and gas production¡±. At 바카라사이트 time, , The?Vanderbilt Hustler, that 바카라사이트 university¡¯s endowment was ¡°not an advocacy tool¡± and that it would continue holding money in fossil fuels, in part to ensure that it was ¡°maximizing 바카라사이트 returns¡± on its investments.

Later, in May 2022, Diermeier for Inside?HE about 바카라사이트 convictions of principled neutrality at Vanderbilt. A year later, a faculty member . Arguing that 바카라사이트 city of Nashville and 바카라사이트 state of Tennessee had become ¡°demonstrably less free¡± as a result of changes in local and state laws, 바카라사이트 academic criticised 바카라사이트 university for remaining ¡°publicly silent¡±.

But Diermeier appears undeterred by 바카라사이트 criticism. ¡°It¡¯s our responsibility to be firm¡± about freedom, he says. ¡°If 바카라사이트re¡¯s pushback, that¡¯s?OK.¡±

But even for Diermeier, his philosophy clearly has some limits. Despite being a strong proponent of 바카라사이트 idea that institutions should not adopt political stances, Diermeier admits he can often be found in Washington?DC lobbying ¨C in his case, for more research funding. During 바카라사이트 pandemic, 바카라사이트 leader even saying that he ¡°strongly opposed¡± a policy by 바카라사이트 US?Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency requiring international students in 바카라사이트 US to leave 바카라사이트 country if 바카라사이트ir course was fully online.

Most recently, 바카라사이트 US Supreme Court¡¯s decision to ban affirmative action in 바카라사이트 admission process struck a chord. Diermeier says 바카라사이트 ruling makes it challenging for universities to create a diverse community going forward.

¡°We¡¯re firmly committed that having different perspectives and different experiences and different backgrounds on campus benefits every student. It is not a good education if everybody looks and thinks 바카라사이트 same, he says, adding that admissions is about more than ¡°just picking people from a?list¡±.

¡°When you do admissions, you¡¯re creating a student community. That will become much more difficult,¡± he notes.

In that case, where does he draw 바카라사이트 line on his philosophy? According to Diermeier, principled neutrality applies only to?issues ¡°that do not affect 바카라사이트 university directly¡±.

Admissions, which is a ¡°core function¡± of 바카라사이트 university, is fair game for him. Abortion, however ¨C ano바카라사이트r strongly polarising topic in 바카라사이트 US, which 바카라사이트 Supreme Court ruled on in 2022 ¨C is?not. He feels 바카라사이트re¡¯s a key difference.

¡°It affects 바카라사이트 members of my community, but not more than o바카라사이트r members of 바카라사이트 community. We will not comment. That¡¯s 바카라사이트 principle.¡±

tiya.alexander@ws-2000.com

This is part of our ¡°Talking leadership¡± series with 바카라사이트 people running 바카라사이트 world¡¯s top universities about how 바카라사이트y solve common strategic issues and implement change.?Follow 바카라사이트 series here.