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Columbia University: Faculty Academic Freedom Debate

Allegations of anti-Semitism in Columbia's Middle East and Asian Languages and Cultures Department prompted a letter from the NYCLU addressing faculty academic freedom rights. However, this letter neglected the rights of students and others within the university to, for example, protest dissent from even that which remains protected under notions of academic freedom. In response, FIRE sent a letter to the president of Columbia fully addressing the rights of all interested parties. FIRE received a reply affirming the rights of all parties.

Case Materials

• "Letter from Columbia President Lee Bollinger to FIRE," January 18, 2005
• "Columbia Embroiled in Academic Freedom Controversy; FIRE Defends Student Expression," January 11, 2005: For many weeks, Columbia University has been roiled by charges of anti-Semitism and ideological bias in its Middle East and Asian Languages and Cultures (MEALAC) department.  As the controversy gained increasing public attention, the New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU) wrote Columbia to defend the MEALAC faculty.  Unfortunately, however, the NYCLU failed to recognize the true extent of student academic freedom to dissent from departmental ideology and did not properly address the charges of ideological indoctrination.  In response to requests from the Columbia community, FIRE has written President Lee Bollinger a letter that properly outlines the relationship between student, faculty, and institutional academic freedom.
• "FIRE Letter to Columbia University President Lee Bollinger, January 10, 2005," January 10, 2005

Media Coverage

• "Inquiring Minds,"
  by John Gravois, Chronicle of Higher Education, April 15, 2005
• "Bollinger Unlikely To Put Restrictions on Political Bias in Classroom,"
  by Jacob Gershman, The New York Sun, April 11, 2005
• "Outsiders Respond To Ad Hoc Report,"
  by James Romoser, Columbia Spectator, April 11, 2005
• "A Free-Speech War,"
  by Nat Hentoff, Village Voice, March 11, 2005
• "Academic Freedom For Some,"
  by David French, Front Page Magazine, March 4, 2005
• "N.Y. School Board Bans a Controversial Arab Professor,"
  by Nathaniel Popper, Forward, February 25, 2005
• "Defining Free Speech,"
  by Greg Lukianoff, Columbia Spectator, February 18, 2005
• "Speaker Discusses MEALAC And Academic Freedom,"
  by Lisa Hirshmann, Columbia Spectator, February 11, 2005
• "Ad Hoc Sessions on Freedom of Speech Controversy Begin,"
  by Lisa Hirschmann, Columbia Spectator, January 21, 2005
• "Free Speech in Class Under Fire at Columbia,"
  Fox News, January 21, 2005
• "Democracy on Campus,"
  Fox Report, January 20, 2005
• "Intimidated Classrooms,"
  by Nat Hentoff, The Village Voice, January 18, 2005
• "Pro-Israel Students Seek Reprieve from Profs' Alleged Anti-Semitic Bias,"
  by Jim Brown, Agape Press, January 18, 2005
• "Academic Freedom Group Enters Fray,"
  by Jacob Gershman, The New York Sun, January 11, 2005
• "Sexton Takes On Issues of Tenure, Academic Freedom,"
  by Jacob Gershman, The New York Sun, December 3, 2004