Indiana State University announced Wednesday evening that it had canceled conservative columnist Rich Lowry's Sept. 30 appearance during its Speaker Series.
Previously, ISU called Lowry, the editor-in-chief at the National Review and a columnist for King Features and Politico, "a respected conservative voice."
The university issued a statement:
"Indiana State University prioritizes the safety of our students, campus community, and all invited speakers. In light of recent developments and following the advice of our public safety officials regarding campus and community safety concerns, we have made the decision to cancel Rich Lowry’s scheduled appearance on September 30 as part of the Indiana State University Speaker Series. In accordance with university policy, this decision is consistent with our commitment to maintaining a secure environment and ensuring the well-being of our students, faculty, staff, and the greater Terre Haute community.
"It is important to stress that this cancellation is not intended to limit our neutrality on different political viewpoints. Indiana State University remains firmly committed to fostering intellectual diversity and encouraging the respectful exchange of ideas from multiple perspectives.
"The Indiana State University Speaker Series has a proud tradition of featuring speakers from multiple walks of life, representing a range of political, cultural, and experiential perspectives. We are actively working to identify opportunities to invite a speaker with a proven history of promoting intellectually diverse viewpoints to the Speaker Series, which will be announced at a later date."
"We appreciate the understanding and cooperation of everyone involved in our efforts to ensure the safety of the Indiana State University and Terre Haute communities, as well as the guests we welcome."