Free Speech
On Harvard FAS Survey, 85% of Faculty See Government Pressure as Major Threat to Academic Freedom
More than half of faculty members who responded to The Crimson’s survey of Harvard’s Faculty of Arts and Sciences said the Trump administration’s actions have discouraged them from expressing their political views.
Alumni Group Urges Harvard Not To Sacrifice Academic Freedom in Talks with Trump Admin
Harvard alumni and an external faculty group sent letters to the University’s leaders on Monday urging them not to compromise their commitment to academic freedom as they resume negotiations with the Trump administration.
At Rally in Harvard Square, Protesters Accuse Harvard of Complicity With Trump
More than 100 protesters gathered in Cambridge Common on Friday evening at a rally accusing Harvard of censoring pro-Palestine speech and scholarship even as it resists the Trump administration’s demands.
In Court Filing, Trump Administration Blasts AAUP Lawsuit Against Immigration Orders
Lawyers for the federal government asked a judge to reject a lawsuit from the Harvard chapter of the American Association of University Professors, arguing that the group misapplied the First Amendment in their condemnation of Trump’s crackdown on pro-Palestine speech.
Kenneth Roth Says Universities Must Stand Up To Trump’s Attack on Academic Freedom
Former executive director of Human Rights Watch Kenneth Roth said universities must unite against the Trump administration’s “autocratically-inclined” attack on campus free speech at a Thursday evening book talk at the Cambridge Public Library.
Hoekstra Defends CMES Dismissals at Faculty Meeting, but Wavers on Harvard’s Next Move
Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences Dean Hopi E. Hoekstra stood by the decision to dismiss the director and associate director of the Center for Middle Eastern Studies last week at a Tuesday FAS meeting.
The FAS Dean Told Centers To Comply With Classroom Norms Committee Report. The Committee’s Co-Chair Was Surprised.
History professor Maya R. Jasanoff ’96, who co-chaired the Classroom Social Compact Committee, was caught off guard when FAS Dean Hopi E. Hoekstra cited the CSCC’s report to justify requiring FAS center directors to show their centers promote viewpoint diversity.
FAS Dean Asks Center Directors To Show Compliance With Viewpoint Diversity Guidance
Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences Dean Hopi E. Hoekstra told directors of FAS centers they would be required to meet with their divisional deans to explain how their programs are complying with recent guidance on intellectual diversity in a Tuesday email.
More Than 600 Harvard Faculty Urge Governing Boards To Resist Demands From Trump
More than 600 Harvard faculty signed a letter to Harvard’s governing boards urging the University to publicly condemn attacks on universities and defy orders that interfere with its independence.
More Than 500 Alumni Ask Harvard To Defend Free Speech Under Trump
More than 500 Harvard alumni signed an open letter to President Garber urging the University to make a public statement committing to protect free speech and maintain its independence.
Harvard AAUP Sues Trump Administration Over Attempts To Deport Pro-Palestine Students, Faculty
The Harvard chapter of the American Association of University Professors filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration on Tuesday morning for allegedly violating its members’ First Amendment rights by arresting and attempting to deport noncitizens for expressing pro-Palestine views.
United Nations Investigator Asks Universities To Fight Against Trump at HLS Talk
United Nations Special Rapporteur Gina Romero urged Harvard to stand by free speech principles and protect international students against deportation threats from the Trump administration at a Harvard Law School talk on Tuesday.
Faculty Establish Non-Attribution Policy at Harvard College To Address Self-Censorship Concerns
The Faculty of Arts and Sciences voted overwhelmingly to amend the Harvard College student handbook with new language explicitly prohibiting grading based on political beliefs, instructing students to prioritize academics, and enforcing a non-attribution policy for classroom speech during a Tuesday FAS meeting.
In Private, Harvard Officials Tell Professors That New Antisemitism Definition Won’t ‘Ordinarily’ Limit Speech
In the wake of Harvard’s decision to extend its non-discrimination policies to Zionists, University leaders assured professors who study the Israel-Palestine conflict that their speech will “ordinarily” be protected.
At First Major Rally of the Semester, HOOP Protests Israeli Tanks in West Bank
More than 40 Harvard affiliates gathered Monday afternoon to protest Israel’s deployment of tanks into the West Bank last week, marking the first sizable pro-Palestine student rally of the semester.
