Academic Freedom 2.0

The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ASPA as an organization.

By Michael R. Ford
April 25, 2025

Academic freedom, a foundation of higher education, is in a perilous state. Federal funding to some elite universities is being revoked unless they comply with various policy dictates unrelated to the original purpose of the committed funds. The “Dear colleague” letter from the Department of Education sent to universities has created confusion around the status of programming and research related to diversity, equity, inclusion and more. More and more faculty and administrators are being forced to consider what they are researching, teaching, writing and permitting for fear of an uncertain backlash.

In recent weeks I have taken to asking colleagues and friends about academic freedom and I am afraid the prevailing opinion (at least in my circles) is that it is largely a fiction—a luxury that is often defended in name only up to the point where it becomes uncomfortable to defend in practice. Of course, there is a definition. The American Association of University Professors defines academic freedom as “[T]he right of faculty to full freedom in research and in the publication of results, freedom in the classroom in discussing their subject and the right of faculty to be free from institutional censorship or discipline when they speak or write as citizens.”

The concept of academic freedom, however, is operationalized via bureaucratic documents such as university policies and, in some cases, law. But, as those of us in public administration know, bureaucratic policies and procedures are only as strong as the willingness of people to buy into them. In other words, a policy and even a law loses meaning if it conflicts with culture and action. I wonder, is it possible to attack something that does not really exist in practice? OK, to be fair, academic freedom exists on paper, but in practice the culture of higher education does not (in my and many others’ experiences) reflect the stated commitment.

Culture reflects institutional norms which are an outgrowth of institutional realities. One such reality is a never-ending cycle of austerity, especially at non-flagship institutions, that has left little room for the fearless advancement of knowledge so crucial to the mission of higher education. When there is a constant risk of program and resource cuts, faculty will seek to keep their head down to avoid falling victim to those cuts. Now is not the time to be perceived as a troublemaker on a college campus. Those of us in public administration often research and comment on the political institutions that oversee our public universities, putting us in an awkward position of weighing the pros and cons of pursuing research that may generate a backlash.

This is not to say the recent attacks on higher education are not real, nor am I suggesting that we collectively give up on academic freedom. I am suggesting that it is time to evolve past the goal of defending academic freedom and instead define and build a new culture of academic freedom. The challenge facing higher education mirrors our larger democratic challenge: We have a generation of people being asked to defend something that they never truly experienced or fully benefited from. The mid-career academic at most universities has known only austerity, political interference and a crisis of confidence in higher education throughout their professional career.

How do we articulate a new approach to academic freedom that can be supported by a broad coalition within and outside the walls of academe? The first step is acknowledging the generational shift in higher education. We need to engage younger faculty on what they expect and need in regard to building a culture of academic freedom. The second step is reaching outside the university to show why the pursuit of knowledge without political interference provides a benefit to the communities we serve. Specifically, we must show how our work:

Connects to real-world challenges facing our communities

Gives students resume-building skills

Provides a positive economic impact

Reflects a commitment to institutional neutrality

All of this is easier said than done, and per usual I do not claim to have all the answers. But I do know the public administration world is primed to lead the march toward academic freedom 2.0 because our work is, almost by definition, connected to practice and the world outside the classroom. What we cannot collectively afford to do is use a decades-old playbook that ignores the cultural moment we are facing. We need more voices, a broader coalition, a clear articulation of what academic freedom is and why it matters beyond the classroom and a resiliency recognizing this is a fight for incremental progress.

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Author: Michael R. Ford is the Director of the Wisconsin Institute for Citizenship and Civil Dialogue at the Universities of Wisconsin. He frequently publishes on the topics of public and nonprofit board governance, accountability and education policy. He is an elected member of the Oshkosh Area School District Board.

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