Is academic freedom in peril?
Faculty punishments are on the rise
A pillar of university life: Academic freedom. It's a principle that gives professors and students wide leeway to freely explore and express ideas without fear of losing their jobs or being penalized. And it may be in danger.
The year-old war between Israel and Gaza has sparked fears of a "growing assault on the ideals of academic freedom," said The New York Times. Pro-Palestinian instructors have had contracts and classes canceled, while acts of faculty discipline have been on the rise. It's part of an effort to "ensure that students feel safe on campus," the Times said. Some instructors are accused of "creating hostile environments in classrooms." But faculty are newly fearful of a "chill in the air," said Peter Lake of the Center for Excellence in Higher Education Law and Policy.
On the other side of the political spectrum, law professor Amy Wax last month received a yearlong suspension from the University of Pennsylvania, said The Associated Press. Wax has "questioned the academic performance of Black students," among other alleged offenses, leading the university to declare she had engaged in "flagrant unprofessional conduct." Academic freedom is important, said Penn's provost, but professors must practice a "willingness to assess all students fairly."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
What did the commentators say?
Academic freedom "comes with special responsibilities," Assumption University's Greg Weiner said at The Wall Street Journal. But campus activists treat the concept as a "special entitlement" to pursue political goals "free from consequences." Academic freedom is supposed to encourage the "pursuit of truth," Weiner said, while political sloganeering can "reduce complicated issues to slogans." That's different. Pursuing truth "alone justifies university education."
Penn's Amy Wax has been "stunningly numb to compassion, courtesy and sometimes even to coherence," John McWhorter said at The New York Times. But her punishment is "egregious." That's because the ideals of free speech "means living with the discomfort" that offensive opinions can cause. Yes, Wax's ideas are "repellent," McWhorter said. "This does not justify punishing her for expressing them."
What next?
The battle is underway at Harvard. The university recently punished 25 faculty members who participated in a silent "study-in" in support of pro-Palestine protesters at Harvard's Widener Library, said The Harvard Crimson. The faculty were suspended from entering for two weeks — a decision that "appears to be unprecedented," said the Crimson. Members of Harvard's American Association of University Professors chapter called the suspensions "disturbing." But the university is setting boundaries on activism, said the head of Harvard's library system. The library is "not intended to be used as a venue for a group action, quiet or otherwise, to capture people's attention."
The presidential election could shape what happens next on college campuses, said Inside Higher Ed. Jeremy Young, director of PEN America's Freedom to Learn program, said his organization has tracked a "shift toward restricting universities' autonomy," including laws governing curricula and cracking down on diversity, equity and inclusion programs. The election outcome could result in a "push to nationalize some of these restrictions," Young said. A stronger case needs to be made to voters and taxpayers that they benefit from allowing universities to be a "place of intellectual freedom."
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Joel Mathis is a writer with 30 years of newspaper and online journalism experience. His work also regularly appears in National Geographic and The Kansas City Star. His awards include best online commentary at the Online News Association and (twice) at the City and Regional Magazine Association.
-
The Onion is having a very ironic laugh with Infowars
The Explainer The satirical newspaper is purchasing the controversial website out of bankruptcy
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
'Rahmbo, back from Japan, will be looking for a job? Really?'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
What's next for electric vehicles under Trump?
Today's Big Question And what does that mean for Tesla's Elon Musk?
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published
-
Why college students are struggling to read full books
Under the Radar Is reading full books a thing of the past for students?
By Theara Coleman, The Week US Published
-
Anti-Israel protests impact a Jewish-rooted university
The Explainer The president of Brandeis University resigned as a result of multiple factors, including his handling of recent protests
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
College admissions data reveals early effects of affirmative action's end
In the spotlight A sneak peek at how the Supreme Court's decision has panned out
By Theara Coleman, The Week US Published
-
Why are so many colleges closing?
Today's Big Question 'Enrollment cliffs' and higher tuition both play a role
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published
-
UK universities: why higher education is in crisis
The Explainer A combination of spiralling costs and fewer international students is leaving universities in serious financial trouble
By Richard Windsor, The Week UK Last updated
-
Why are professors trying to escape their jobs?
Under the Radar The Facebook group that offers a look inside the crisis in higher education
By David Faris Published
-
USC under fire for canceling valedictorian speech
Speed Read Citing safety concerns, the university canceled a pro-Palestinian student's speech
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Maybe we were wrong about the SAT
Under the radar What test-optional college admissions really means
By Theara Coleman, The Week US Published