Free Speech, Academic Freedom and Campus Climate: Revisited

Thursday, February 26, 2026
12:00 pm – 1:30 pm
Online

The State of Academic Freedom: Challenges and Opportunities

Academic freedom is a foundational principle of higher education, ensuring the free exchange of ideas, critical inquiry, and the advancement of knowledge. Yet, in today’s complex political and social climate, this freedom faces significant pressures—from legislative restrictions and ideological polarization to institutional constraints and digital surveillance.

This workshop will explore the current landscape of academic freedom, examining both the challenges that threaten it and the opportunities to strengthen and defend it. Participants will reflect on their own roles as scholars, educators, and institutional stakeholders. Together, we will consider key questions:

• How does academic freedom empower both instructors and students in the classroom?
• What are the boundaries of that freedom, and who defines them?
• And how can educators navigate tensions while maintaining inclusive, intellectually rigorous learning environments, free from discrimination?

Designed for faculty, instructors, graduate students, and academic leaders, this session offers a timely opportunity to reflect on the evolving role of academic freedom in educational practice—and to consider strategies for sustaining it in the face of ongoing challenges. In this interactive workshop, we will discuss classroom scenarios that raise questions about the boundaries of academic freedom.

---

Presented by

Laura E. Lyons
Interim Vice Provost for Academic Excellence

Lauren Robel
Val Nolan Professor of Law Emerita, Indiana University Maurer School of Law

Jennifer Solidum Rose
Executive Director, Office of Title IX and EEO

---

This event is co-sponsored by the Office of Vice Provost for Academic Excellence (OVPAE) and the OFDAS Center for Teaching Excellence (CTE).