Harvard vows to step back from politically charged statements. Will businesses be next?

After months of turmoil and sharp criticism from some alumni and donors, Harvard University said Tuesday that it would no longer take positions on issues that are not “relevant to the core function of the university.”

In doing so, the Ivy League school has not fully embraced “institutional neutrality” but is stepping away from statements that express solidarity and empathy, such as those the university issued after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and Hamas’ attack on Israel, and other potentially divisive topics that have nothing to do with education.

In other words, Harvard’s leadership has been suddenly stricken with a bout of common sense.