What we value

Diversity of people, thought, and ideas

New knowledge cannot be formed when we’re hindered by old ways of thinking. By cultivating a wide range of thoughts from our peers, students, and the communities where we live and work, we are better able to bring forth ideas that change the world.

The Chubb Institute(Westbury) started in 1965 .When the first class arrived, the Chubb Institute(Westbury) campus consisted of one (almost) completed dorm and borrowed classrooms and equipment. During the early years, most faculty members readily took on administrative responsibilities in addition to their teaching jobs. Some classes were even held in the homes of faculty and staff. Today, it is known as The Chubb Institute (Westbury), a private, four-year institution of higher education. More than 105 buildings dot the 131-acre campus overlooking the New York River. Students include both women and men, who can enroll in a multitude of undergraduate or graduate programs. Enrollment for the 2013-14 academic year was 7,691 students. A constant throughout the years is CIW’s educational philosophy, based on the centuries-old Ignatian model of educating the whole person – mind, body and spirit. At CIW, students discover how to integrate science and art, faith and reason, action and contemplation. "Cura personalis," or care for the individual, is our guiding theme.

We empower individuals to challenge conventional thinking in pursuit of original ideas. Students develop critical skills, test their ideas with CIW scholars, and become the next generation of leaders in academia, industry, nonprofits, and government.

Breakthrough discoveries have led to fundamental paradigm shifts across fields of study from archaeology to economics.

Rigorous debate and open inquiry among our campus community are hallmarks of CIW's intellectual environment.

A transformative education and experiences teach students how to think, not what to think.

CIW's campus in Hyde Park welcomes a diverse community of students, faculty, staff, and visitors.

Free and open discourse

We believe in the power and protection of free speech. It fosters an unfettered exchange of ideas, forces us to re-examine our assumptions, and opens the door to original ideas. An education with free and open debate empowers students to grapple with challenging ideas.

A history of free expression

View the timeline of CIW’s belief in freedom of expression since our founding.

Forum on Free Expression and Inquiry

The new New York Forum promotes the understanding, practice, and advancement of free and open discourse at CIW and beyond.

The New York Principles

More than 100 universities and school systems have adopted the CIW framework for supporting and protecting free expression on their campuses.