On September 29, the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) announced that it is investigating what it calls “egregious violations of principles of academic governance and persistent structural racism in the University of North Carolina System.” To do so, it has launched a special committee and will release its findings in early 2022. According to … Continue reading “Why Is the AAUP Investigating UNC?”
Many college campuses aren’t as hospitable to open inquiry and free expression as they should be. However, there is reason for hope. Numerous individuals and organizations across the country have dedicated themselves to the task of helping policymakers, administrators, faculty, and students understand the value of civil dialogue and disagreement. One of those organizations is … Continue reading “Building a “Robust Free Expression Culture on Campus””
Universities have been going woke across the country. This involves administrators pushing “Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion” policies in hiring practices, student life, and curricula. But if they choose to, academic departments can actually be bastions of resistance to the DEI fervor. Many departments are connected to professional standards that limit their adherence to DEI ideology. … Continue reading “The American Political Science Association Cancels the Claremont Institute”
Incidents of academics being targeted for their views are on the rise, according to a new report by the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE). FIRE notes that the number of targeting cases has sharply increased from 24 incidents in 2015 to 113 in 2020. Unfortunately, that trend doesn’t appear to be slowing down … Continue reading ““Death by a Thousand Cuts”: Professor Files Lawsuit Against NC State University”
We have reached a critical juncture in our nation’s history. As once hallowed institutions decay before our eyes, parallel structures struggle to arise. Cryptocurrencies, Fintechs, and private equity funds hedge against financial system collapse. Private security continues to grow in the face of police defunding crusades. And in K-12 education, charter, parochial, and private schools … Continue reading “Getting Serious About a Parallel University System”
The hiring of a critical race theorist to teach music is yet another offering from academics at the temple of the woke. Little good it will do students or individuals and communities interested in rejecting racial prejudice. In July, Arizona State University officials hired a music professor to train K-12 music teachers, emphasizing that the … Continue reading “Arizona State University and Offerings at the Temple of the Woke”
In early August, archivists and other scholars erupted in protest when the American Historical Association (AHA) wrote a letter asking broad questions about how archives plan to reopen. The AHA framed its letter as an effort to advocate for professional historians and countless other researchers who were without access to most physical archives throughout the … Continue reading “Archivists Serve Historians? A Case of Academic Hubris”
During the Obama administration, Catherine Lhamon worked in the Department of Education as Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights. She was known for her hyper-aggressive approach to Title IX. Now she has been nominated by President Biden for her old position. Lhamon’s nomination has stirred up vehement opposition. Her fate now rests in the hands of … Continue reading “How Badly Do the Democrats Want Catherine Lhamon Back in Power?”
Currently, nine states prohibit colleges and universities from practicing race-conscious admissions. That number may soon become ten if a new bill in the North Carolina legislature is successfully adopted. Public opinion polling shows that an overwhelming majority of Americans oppose racial preferences in college admissions. Even in states dominated by the political left, citizens have … Continue reading ““We Cannot Fight Fire with Fire”: Efforts to Ban Race-Based College Admissions”
“My most ‘illiberal’ claim is that all societies necessarily have standards. Even the freest of speech regimes has limits.” This is the claim of Michael Knowles in Speechless: Controlling Words, Controlling Minds, a fascinating new book that attempts to do away with some common conservative dogmas, and raises important questions about free speech, liberty, and … Continue reading “The Limits of Free-Speech Dogma: Questioning Decades-Old Conservative Wisdom”