Academic Freedom Series

Session 1: Free Speech in Polarized Times: Healthy Disclosure in the Classroom

This session explored how universities can balance free expression with university values. Panelists discussed strategies for engaging in classroom discourse about challenging topics in ways that are both respectful and academically rigorous. The discussion was centered on responses to hypothetical real-world scenarios involving free expression on college campuses.

Speakers:

Rachel Wahl, Associate Professor, Director of Social Foundations of Education Program, Department of Educational Leadership, Foundations and Policy, School of Education and Human Development, University of Virginia
Tim Shaffer, Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) Chair of Civil Discourse, Director of the SNF Ithaca Initiative at the Joseph R. Biden Jr. School of Public Policy & Administration, Director of Civic Engagement & Deliberative Democracy, National Institute of Civil Discourse

Student Speakers:

Adrianna Grijalva, Undergraduate Student (Political Science/Spanish), Associated Students of the University of Arizona (ASUA) President
Miranda Lopez, Graduate Student (Public Administration)

Facilitator:

Keith Allred, Executive Director of the National Institute of Civil Discourse, D.C. Center for Outreach and Collaboration, University of Arizona

Held on Monday, October 21, 2024 at 3:30-5:00 p.m. in the Integrated Learning Center (ILC) Room 120.

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Session 2: Navigating Academic Freedom and Free Speech on Campus: Legal Perspectives

This session covered the legal dimensions of free speech and academic freedom on campus. Topics included the distinction between free speech and academic freedom, the legality of campus protests, and the specific obligations of public institutions. Panelists discussed hypothetical real-world scenarios addressing challenging First Amendment issues that universities might face.

Speakers:

Clay Calvert, Nonresident Senior Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI) and Professor Emeritus at the University of Florida
Alex Morey, Director of Campus Rights Advocacy FIRE, Attorney, and Journalists

Student Speakers:

Ananya Singhvi, Undergraduate Student (Business Administration/Economics/Marketing)
Andrew Kristof Pongratz, Undergraduate Student (Economics 2/Philosophy/Political Science/Politics/Econ &Law/Spanish/Thematic)

Facilitator:

Keith Allred, Executive Director of the National Institute of Civil Discourse, D.C. Center for Outreach and Collaboration, University of Arizona

Held on Monday, October 28, 2024 at 3:30-5:00 p.m. in the Integrated Learning Center (ILC) Room 120.