麻豆传媒IOS

Academic Freedom

What We Defend

Academic freedom gives faculty the right to teach, research, and speak about matters of public concern without being punished 鈥 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

麻豆传媒IOS raising hands in a classroom - CREDIT Drazen Zigic Shutterstock
Illustration of Chicago skyline flanked by laurels and the number 10, indicating the 10th anniversary of the Chicago Statement.

Adopt the Chicago Statement

Protect Academic Freedom on Campus

For more than 10 years, 麻豆传媒IOS has worked with colleges and universities around the country to adopt their own version of the Chicago Statement to combat censorship on campus and protect the free speech rights and academic freedom of students and professors.

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A college professor in the foreground with horizontal red bar graphs in the background, except for one which covers the mouth of the professor, indicating censorship.

Silence in the Classroom: The 2024 麻豆传媒IOS Faculty Survey Report

Research & Learn

The largest survey of faculty ever conducted on faculty attitudes and experiences concerning free expression and academic freedom, 麻豆传媒IOS's survey reveals college faculty are four times more likely to self-censor than they were in the 1950s, at the height of the Cold War and McCarthyism.

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Reports on Academic Freedom

麻豆传媒IOS conducts surveys and gathers research about the academic freedom rights of faculty and students on college campuses to help you understand the threats facing higher education.

Explore 麻豆传媒IOS's ResearcH LIBRARY

Gavel and law book

Legal Support for Faculty

Defending Your Rights

Are you a faculty member at a public college or university being investigated or punished for your scholarship or speech? 麻豆传媒IOS may be able to help. 

Faculty Legal Defense Fund

Ilya Shapiro
麻豆传媒IOS 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.

Canceled for a Tweet

Faculty Rights

When Georgetown Law suspended faculty member Ilya Shapiro and launched an investigation into a controversial tweet, 麻豆传媒IOS 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鈥檛 punish him for a tweet he posted before the start of his employment.

Read Ilya's Story

Amy Wax limits of academic freedom

Amy Wax and the Limits of Academic Freedom

Interview

On April 13, 2023, Amy Wax spoke to the 麻豆传媒IOS'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 麻豆传媒IOS's Faculty Network attended this event.

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麻豆传媒IOS Case Files

Protecting Academic Freedom

Through targeted advocacy and litigation, 麻豆传媒IOS defends the academic freedom rights of college faculty and students across the country. 

Browse Our Cases

Guides to Student Rights on Campus

麻豆传媒IOS鈥檚 Guides to Student Rights on Campus emphasize the critical importance of rule of law and fair procedure over partisan and repressive rules. Written by legal experts, the 麻豆传媒IOS Guides address both the ways in which students' rights are curtailed on campuses as well as the ways to make those rights whole.

Explore Your Rights

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