Academic Freedom

Tom Alter was fired from his tenured job at Texas State last fall in what free speech advocates call an egregious violation of First Amendment rights. He took his case on tour, advancing faculty organizing and solidarity at each stop.

Republican officials and some Jewish groups criticized the speech as antisemitic and unnecessarily political.

Many legislatures have wrapped up their regular sessions. Inside Higher Ed provides a rundown of major legislation that passed in nine of these states.

Texas public universities are restricting what faculty can teach and graduate students can research. Although they appear to violate its standards, SACS hasn’t responded.

We’re not fighting a lost cause.

By Ben Wright

Following a year of anecdotes about professors uprooting themselves from Republican-controlled states over academic freedom concerns, a new survey provides evidence that their experiences reflect a broader trend.

Some faculty members who participated in campus protests in 2024 are still under investigation by their universities. Others are fighting what they see as retaliation for their speech.