Sen. Spencer Deery, R-West Lafayette, says he wants to encourage moderate and conservative Hoosiers to pursue higher education. He is pictured presenting an unrelated bill in committee on Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2024. (Courtesy Indiana Senate Republicans)
A sweeping bill tightening lawmaker oversight of Indiana’s public colleges and universities for “intellectual diversity” purposes drew opposition Tuesday in the Senate but easily cleared the chamber along party lines.
“The number of Hoosier students and parents who view higher education as monolithic echo chambers — (that) coddle students with minority but scholarly viewpoints or ostracize faculty … or students with different viewpoints — is significant,” Sen. Spencer Deery said on the Senate floor.
Deery has called his Senate Bill 202 a “reform” effort intended to reverse those “declining views” of higher education.
“Infringing on academic freedom is a red line we should not cross, but we don’t need to give up on these values to curb the excessive politicalization and viewpoint discrimination that threatens our state’s workforce goals,” he said.