Join a Freedom of Expression and Academic Freedom Webinar
Academic freedom and freedom of expression are fundamental to a university’s mission of fostering critical inquiry and advancing knowledge. But the definitions of each are often not fully understood, and they can sometimes conflict.
A panel of Rutgers law experts will lead a webinar on Thursday, Feb. 6, to cover the essentials of academic freedom, explore instances where academic freedom and freedom of expression collide, and discuss recent government efforts that may impact universities. Rutgers faculty and staff can sign up here for the noon webinar, which is sponsored by the University Senate in collaboration with President Jonathan Holloway, who will provide opening remarks.
The panel includes University Professor Barbara Lee, a nationally recognized scholar of higher education law; Professor Carlos Gonzales, a constitutional law expert; and Associate Professor Brandon Paradise, a First Amendment law expert.
Lee will explain the difference between academic freedom and free speech and will discuss the parameters of academic freedom, whose protections, in some ways, are much narrower than those of free speech.
“Academic freedom is not well understood, even by faculty and administrators, and the general public has even less of an understanding of why academic freedom is important,” Lee said.
The panel also will discuss state-level and federal efforts to regulate higher education, including laws restricting certain topics in teaching or research and efforts to curtail diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.
Paradise will focus on state-level efforts across the United States to restrict how race and gender may be taught in public university classrooms and a more recent shift to eliminating diversity initiatives.
“As states continue to push and defend legislation targeting DEI programs and classroom teaching, it is critical to stay informed about these developments and their implications for public higher education,” Paradise said.
Gonzalez will share information on federal efforts to influence higher education policies.
“We will look at the potential legal levers of power used to seek to impose upon universities' policies that could burden academic freedom and/or the free speech rights of scholars and instructors,” Gonzalez said.