IU board to vote to sever ties with Kinsey Institute, create new nonprofit entity

Update: On Friday morning Indiana University announced it had decided to delay the vote.

The Indiana University's Board of Trustees is expected to vote Friday on separating the Kinsey Institute from the university, a decision that many scientists, students and community members fear will threaten the institute's critical research on relationships, sexual health, identity and trauma.

The university said the proposal released two weeks ago was prompted by a law passed earlier this year that prohibited state funds from supporting the Kinsey Institute, internationally known for human sexuality research. The University has characterized this move as largely a book keeping change.

A petition asking the board to keep Kinsey a part of IU garnered more than 7,000 signatures this week.

"We all experience human sexuality. We all have to deal with relationships," said Jennifer Bass, a former director communications at the Institute who created the petition. "There are so many problems in our world that have to do with human sexuality. And we need a place that is securely in an academic realm to allow this to happen."

Kinsey Institute: Tucked into an Indiana town is a world-renowned institute for sexual behavior research

Researchers at the institute are asking the board to delay the decision until key questions about how people's jobs and the management and funding of a new nonprofit can be answered.

Indiana University denied that its action puts the institute at risk. A spokesperson for the university said the Kinsey Institute would keep its name and leadership.

'Culture wars:' How IU's Kinsey research center reacted to losing state money

"The University is firmly committed to protecting the intellectual freedom and academic inquiry of the Kinsey Institute and is taking important steps to ensure that its vital work continues in perpetuity," according to an IU spokesperson.

The decision to spin off the Kinsey Institute has had ripple effects through the local and international community, igniting fears that academic research is open for attack.

Who was Alfred Kinsey?

The Kinsey Institute is named after Alfred Kinsey, a scientist best known for developing the Kinsey scale to explain the range and diversity in sexual orientation. For decades, the institute has faced opposition from religious and conservative groups that threatened its work and resources.

Researchers concerned about the future of the Kinsey Institute

Researchers fear that without Indiana University protecting the reputation, staff and funding of the Kinsey Institute, the institute will be even more vulnerable to political groups that seek to undermine its work.

"The Kinsey Institute has in various ways been strongly affiliated with IU for its whole history," said Zoe Peterson, the Director of the Sexual Assault Research Initiative at the Kinsey Institute. "So for over 75 years, it's really served as a symbol and commitment to academic freedom and administrators at IU have really helped to protect the Kinsey Institute from political attacks."

Another key concern of the researchers centers on access and management of the institute's valuable collection of art and artifacts, which is important to advance research, said Peterson.

IU has said the school will manage the collections.

"One of our many concerns would be that it could affect future grant possibilities," said Cynthia Graham, a founding member of Kinsey Institute's Condom Use Research Team.

Beyond the academic community, therapists, alumni and queer community members that rely on Kinsey Institute research and programs are raising alarm.

"I'm a sex therapist based in Indianapolis, and the work of the Kinsey Institute is foundational to my clinical work," Kathy Slaughter wrote on the online petition. "The Institute's presence is a strength of IU, and the Institute deserves the protection and support of the University."

If you have comments or information on this story, Binghui Huang can be reached at 317-385-1595 by phone or signal app or at Bhuang@gannett.com

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Sexuality research threatened as IU votes to shed Kinsey Institute