The difference between free speech and academic freedom

Most, if not all, American universities have a collection of faculty who serve as senators. Faculty senators perform the same function on a college campus as elected representatives in other areas of life — they are tasked with governing their peers. Instead of municipal codes like city council members or the constitution like state and federal congresspersons, facutly senators have the college handbook.

City council members debate which businesses receive specific contracts and which areas are rezoned for particular purposes, occasionally enacting new laws. Similarly, faculty senators deliberate over promotion guidelines and parking issues, sometimes approving new policies.

At a recent faculty senate meeting, where I serve as a new representative, we began discussing a proposed policy designed to shield scholars from public backlash. Under this policy, if a scholar affiliated with our university were targeted by an influencer, politician, or activist group, the university would protect that scholar. Implied in this is that the university would not fire the scholar solely because their activities generate public backlash. Instead, it would mobilize its resources — such as campus police, the media office, and counseling services — to serve as a protective buffer between the scholar and the public. The aim is to provide scholars with the freedom to teach, research, and speak openly without fear of retaliation from the institution or the public. In essence, this proposed policy is intended to…