To thousands of Indiana University alumni and Bloomington residents current and past, Dunn Meadow has historically been the designated assembly ground of the university.
In recent decades, it’s been the site of solar eclipse viewings, Black Lives Matter rallies, concerts, Vietnam War protests, anti-apartheid “shantytowns,” student organization fairs, and more.
But for the past four months, Dunn Meadow has been closed, surrounded by a 7-foot chain-link fence. IU erected the fence immediately after passing its new expressive activity policy and clearing a pro-Palestine encampment there in August, saying the fence was necessary to make “extensive repairs” to the field caused by protesters.
More:IU amends controversial policy; loosens restrictions on some 'expressive activities' past 11 p.m.
Why has Dunn Meadow been closed and when will it reopen?
The university has provided sparse details about the repair work on Dunn Meadow; IU spokesperson Mark Bode told The Herald-Times in late August that Capital Planning and Facilities was working on resodding and irrigation and bank repair, adding that “restoration will take several months.” In follow-up emails, Bode declined to answer questions about subsequent repairs, overall cost, and an exact date for reopening, saying in late November that Dunn Meadow was “still on track" to reopen before the end of the fall semester.
In early December, community members noticed what appear to be security cameras affixed to lampposts around Dunn Meadow’s perimeter. When asked about the security cameras, Indiana University Police Department Public Information Officer Hannah Skibba said, “IUPD does not comment on the placement of public safety technology.”