Academic Freedom
"Academic freedom is not just a nice job perk. It is the philosophical key to the whole enterprise of higher education."
- Louis Menand
It is important for the University of Colorado Boulder community to have common understandings of academic freedom—what it is, how it applies to faculty, how it applies to students, and what our rights and responsibilities are according to its tenets. Translation of these common understandings to our professional lives is critical to our ability to successfully and meaningfully engage in our scholarly and pedagogical practices. Our campus community engages in conversations about academic freedom supported by Regent Law (Article 5 and Article 7), and the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) Statement of Principles on Academic Freedom and Tenure.
One reason academic freedom is important is because faculty, students, and staff engage with diverse constituents who come to CU Boulder with many different social and political values and beliefs. We need to do so responsibly, inclusively, and with integrity, providing clear justifications of the ethical choice to champion the value of open exchange alongside the value of truth. Valuing freedom does not have to come at the expense of students’ and faculty’s pursuit of knowledge and truth, a—some might say the—fundamental purpose of higher education.
Upcoming Event
Academic Freedom at CU and Beyond: A Conversation with Russ Moore and Michele Moses
Join Russ Moore, CU Boulder’s Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, and Michele Moses, Vice Chancellor and Senior Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs, for a candid conversation about academic freedom — what it means, why it matters, and how CU Boulder can continue to protect it. After opening remarks, the event will be a space for members of the CU Boulder community to share questions and engage in dialogue with Moore and Moses about these topics central to our campus, its academic mission, and American higher education.
Date: April 15, 2025
Time: 4:30 - 5:45 p.m.
Location: Center for Academic Success and Engagement, E422
Related Articles
- CU Boulder Today, Jan. 16, 2020: Yearlong academic freedom focus begins with Feb. 19 panel discussion
- CU Boulder Today, Sept. 14, 2018: CU affirms commitment to free speech and academic freedom; CU Boulder launches free expression website