Academic freedom gives faculty the right to teach, research, and speak about matters of public concern without being punished — even where their views, findings, or methods are controversial. Educators on college and university campuses must be free to speak their minds, ask tough questions, and facilitate learning without the threat of institutional censorship, coercion, or intimidation.
But are there limits to academic freedom?
"The foundation of intellectual discovery": The role of academic freedom in civil society
FIRE’s award-winning Newsdesk covers the news you need to stay informed about academic freedom rights in higher ed.
WATCH VIDEO
What is academic freedom? And who polices its boundaries? Our guests on today’s show argue that the popular conception of academic freedom has become too closely connected with the concept of free speech. Penn State Professor Michael Bérubé and Portland State Professor Jennifer Ruth are the authors of “It’s Not Free Speech: Race, Democracy, and the Future of Academic Freedom.”
FIRE is now my favorite organization in America. Its advice and support in those critical first 24-72 hours of the cancellation campaign against me were crucial in the pushback that ultimately allowed me to survive and thrive.
When Georgetown Law suspended faculty member Ilya Shapiro and launched an investigation into a controversial tweet, FIRE stepped in to defend his free speech and academic freedom rights. Georgetown finally reinstated him on after a 122-day investigation, determining that the law school couldn’t punish him for a tweet he posted before the start of his employment.
Are you a college student or faculty member being punished or investigated for something you said? Are you a student whose group has been denied recognition or defunded? Is your student publication being threatened? Are you facing non-renewal or loss of tenure because of your views? FIRE’s Campus Rights Advocacy team may be able to help.
In this report, we explore findings from a national survey of 1,491 faculty at four-year colleges and universities in the United States regarding their attitudes on free expression and academic freedom. These findings provide a mixed picture on the state of academic freedom among American faculty. A majority of faculty surveyed endorsed broad conceptualizations of freedom of speech and academic freedom. But faculty are split evenly on whether DEI statements are a justifiable requirement for a university job or are an ideological litmus test that violates academic freedom.
WATCH VIDEO
On April 13, 2023, Amy Wax spoke to the FIRE's Faculty Network about the various accusations against her, particularly those involving discriminatory harassment based on in-person comments to students. Professor Wax had the opportunity to present her case and try to win the faculty support needed to convince Penn to drop its disciplinary proceedings. The faculty audience, in turn, had the opportunity to push back against her arguments and ask her difficult questions during the 1-hour Q&A period of this 90-minute webinar. Over 150 faculty from FIRE's Faculty Network attended this event.
FIRE defends the academic freedom rights of students and faculty through several core services. Our proven approach to advocacy has vindicated the rights of thousands of Americans through targeted media campaigns, correspondence with officials, open records requests, litigation, and other creative advocacy tactics.
Are you a faculty member at a public college or university being investigated or punished for your scholarship or speech? FIRE’s lawyers may be able to help.
If you are being investigated or punished for exercising your right to academic freedom, let FIRE know.
Too many college campuses silence students who dare exercise their right to free expression. For a more thorough analysis of your expressive rights at colleges and universities, consult FIRE’s Guide to Free Speech on Campus.
Subscribe to FIRE updates to get the latest free speech news in your inbox as it happens!
