Academic Freedom and Civil Discourse in Higher Education: A National Study of Faculty Attitudes and Perceptions

Posted by American Association of Colleges and Universities on January 14, 2025

The American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U), in collaboration with the American Association of University Professors (AAUP), has released the most comprehensive and inclusive study of academic freedom in nearly 70 years.

Academic Freedom and Civil Discourse in Higher Education: A National Study of Faculty Attitudes and Perceptions provides a multifaceted look at faculty attitudes and perceptions toward academic freedom and civil discourse across a range of topics, viewpoints and contexts.

“Academic freedom and freedom of expression are essential for a strong higher education system and a healthy democracy. However, the degree to which faculty perceive limitations on their ability to teach, speak, and act in the classroom and beyond—and how perceived limitations impact everything from interactions with colleagues and students to mental health, has been understudied,” said study coauthor Ashley P. Finley, vice president of research and senior advisor to the president at AAC&U.

The new report includes responses from more than 8,400 full-time and part-time faculty members at two- and four-year- public and private, postsecondary institutions. The findings include considerations of how legislative context and power differentials among faculty influence perceptions of freedom and constraint.

Access the free report.