The Turley-Wolfson Debate on Institutional Neutrality in Higher Education

Jonathan Turley  June 25, 2026 1 min read

The Turley-Wolfson Debate on Institutional Neutrality in Higher Education

Jonathan Turley 

I just returned from the University of Wyoming, where I debated the President of the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) Todd Wolfson over the need for colleges and universities to maintain institutional neutrality. The debate was organized by the Steamboat Institute and was live-streamed.

The formal question presented for debate was: “Is institutional neutrality necessary to preserve the university as a forum for open inquiry rather than an actor in political disputes?” I spoke in favor of institutional neutrality while Wolfson argued against it as a necessary component to higher education.

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