A reflection of the Theodore Hesburgh Library is seen in a pond water before the game between the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the New Mexico Lobos at Notre Dame Stadium on Sept. 14, 2019, in South Bend, Indiana. (Quinn Harris/Getty Images/TNS) Should university presidents publicly weigh in on the most pressing societal issues of our times? In some academic circles, especially at public universities, it is now common for presidents to adopt a policy of neutrality.