August Update from the Academic Freedom Association {Sent to Editor of the WORD}
Controversy Over AAUP Statement
The American Association of University Professors came under fire this month after it declared academic boycotts to be “legitimate tactical responses” and “not in themselves violations of academic freedom,” which was a reversal of its previous and longstanding position on the issue. Many have condemned this decision as a threat to academic freedom and a furtherance of the harmful politicization in higher education.
Some AFA members have written and spoken out in response, including Joshua Katz, who wrote in City Journal that the decision adds “fuel to the fire” of ongoing campus tumult, and Cary Nelson, a past president of the AAUP, who wrote in The Chronicle of Higher Education that it is an abandonment of academic freedom that violates the AAUP’s own stated values.
Linked here is a petition related to the AAUP’s new position that many of our members have shared with us and several have already signed. We are sharing it with you in case you are interested in adding your name.
New Book from David Rabban
Earlier this month, we called your attention to an important new book titled, Academic Freedom: From Professional Norm to First Amendment Right, published by Harvard University Press and authored by David Rabban of the University of Texas at Austin School of Law, a member of the AFA’s Academic Committee.
The book is a timely examination of the extensive case law addressing academic freedom and free speech at American universities, developing a robust theory of academic freedom as a distinctive subset of First Amendment law. There is no better guide than Rabban on this topic, having previously served as General Counsel of the AAUP and chair of its Committee on Academic Freedom and Tenure.
Rabban and his publisher have offered a 20% discount to members and friends of the AFA, accessible through the publisher’s website for both the hardcover and paperback versions by applying the code “ACA20” during checkout. The book is also available on Amazon.
Case Update and Call for Support
The AFA continues to rely on your financial support to fund our ongoing case work. Since our inception, we have financially supported 28 cases, 18 of which are fully and favorably resolved. The remaining 10 are ongoing or unresolved, and three of them require continued funding from the AFA. In addition, we have sent 34 public letters, nearly a dozen private letters, and issued 4 position statements. All of our public letters and statements can be found on our website.
In total, we have awarded nearly $350,000 to those we have defended. In the fourth quarter of this year, we anticipate additional costs from our ongoing cases and also expect new cases to arise as the academic year kicks off. If you have the ability to donate to our effort, we would greatly appreciate your support. You can contribute on our website here or by sending a check by mail to 10 Nassau Street, #32, Princeton, NJ 08542.
Publisher, Editor Gregg W. Morris
Gregg W. Morris can be reached at gregghc@comcast.net, profgreggwmorris@gmail.com