Indiana’s Commission for Higher Education added a question to the new program-approval form asking institutions to demonstrate how proposed degree programs foster a “commitment to the core values of American society.” The requirement is now mandatory for all program approvals and reviews, officials said. Faculty leaders and governance groups criticized the move as unconsulted and potentially restrictive of academic freedom, arguing the language is vague and could politicize curriculum approval. State officials framed the change as a push to produce civically engaged graduates; critics warn it risks narrowing disciplinary autonomy and inviting ideological litmus tests into academic approvals.