IU sanctions professor who told students he tried to shut down Israeli consulate

Indiana University (IU) sanctioned a professor under the state’s new intellectual diversity legislation following complaints that he repeatedly used class time to speak negatively about Israel.

On Aug. 9, Rick Van Kooten, executive dean of IU’s College of Arts and Sciences, informed Germanic Studies Professor Ben Robinson in a formal letter that he had violated the state’s intellectual diversity law, Senate Enrolled Act 202 (SEA 202).

“Following a thorough review, I find that the totality of the student complaint constitutes a violation of SEA 202,” Van Kooten wrote. He added that a “formal warning” will be placed in Robinson’s personnel file, instructing him to ensure personal experiences and opinions do not “unduly influence his pedagogy.”

Robinson responded by criticizing IU’s process, telling The Indianapolis Star that the complaint was “hastily and thoughtlessly written” and submitted anonymously in a reporting system that previously “had no consequences.” 

The Indiana Daily Student reported that the student complaint against Robinson alleged he criticized the university, spoke negatively about Israel, and repeatedly discussed his arrests during class. One instance involved a pro-Palestine rally. The complaint also says,   ”[Robinson] talked about being arrested for trying to shut down the Israeli consulate.”

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Indiana’s Senate Enrolled Act 202, which went into effect on July 1, 2024, imposes new requirements on state universities. It mandates that faculty promote “free inquiry, free expression, and intellectual diversity,” or risk being denied tenure or promotion, and requires tenured professors to undergo new reviews every five years.

The law also bans DEI statements in hiring, promotion, or admissions decisions. Institutions must report complaints and outcomes annually to the Indiana Commission for Higher Education. Its enforcement has already faced legal challenges in federal court. 

A judge recently dismissed lawsuits brought by professors and the ACLU, though the cases are on appeal.

IU’s enforcement also carries financial stakes. The legislature provides the university with over $600 million in state appropriations annually, part of the more than $3.5 billion allotted to higher education in Indiana’s 2023–25 budget. 

SEA 202 also requires universities to submit annual reports to the Indiana Commission for Higher Education explaining complaint procedures, publicity efforts, and the number of submissions, effectively tying compliance to oversight by the state body that controls funding.

Robinson’s case comes amid a wave of SEA 202 complaints statewide. 

Between July and December 2024, IU logged nearly 50 intellectual diversity complaints, but administrators determined that only nine were legitimate, with most dismissed as frivolous or protest filings against the law itself. Of the valid cases, eight involved political speech in classrooms and one cited a failure to present alternate viewpoints on a non-political issue. 

The controversy comes as faculty activism surrounding Israel continues to draw scrutiny nationwide. A 2023 report by the AMCHA Initiative found that universities with Faculty for Justice in Palestine groups experienced higher rates of anti-Semitic incidents, including threats and violence against Jewish students.

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Similarly, a February survey from the American Jewish Committee and Hillel International reported that one-third of Jewish college students said faculty promoted anti-Semitism on campus. The survey also found that many students avoid publicly identifying as Jewish due to rising hostility.

Campus Reform has contacted Indiana University and Robinson for comment. This article will be updated accordingly.