Dive Brief:
- Individuals and institutions are refusing to travel to Indiana because of a controversial law that has been interpreted as legal protection for anti-gay discrimination.
- The president of San Francisco State University and the governor of Connecticut have banned the funding of official travel to Indiana. In Connecticut’s case, that applies to public school educators, Inside Higher Ed reports.
- While the article cites some opposition to travel bans as restricting academic freedom, others support the choice and are encouraging conference organizers to keep academic meetings from the state.
Dive Insight:
Leaders of higher education institutions across Indiana have spoken out against the law in response to a backlash from prospective students and faculty. The Religious Freedom Restoration Act, signed into law last week by Indiana Governor Mike Pence, allows individuals and organizations to use the law as a defense of otherwise potentially discriminatory actions taken in the exercise of their religious freedoms.