“What can be said is that our current political horizon is posing acute existential questions to universities. In response, we need to start devising new, better answers than in the past about the university’s essential bases and purposes, and our responsibilities and rights in executing them.”
-Tyrus Miller, Dean of Humanities
In his reflective essay “Sworn to Obey: The California Loyalty Oath Crisis,” Dean Tyrus Miller examines the 75-year history of the California Loyalty Oath within the University of California, and its impact upon academic freedom, faculty tenure, and the governance of the university. “In my view, we should think of academic freedom not, as we are often invited, as a matter of finding our way back to some neutral and depoliticized place. On the contrary, academic freedom is a profoundly political issue – an issue that calls for engaged advocacy in the public and legislative domain in which its fate is actually being decided.”
Hear from our fellows
"This course showed me that academic freedom is the invisible framework supporting every discussion, question, and pursuit of knowledge."
"This fellowship illuminates academic freedom at the very moment of its disappearance, bringing one of academia’s most urgent crises into the light."
"Working on a project with my cohort sparked unique discussions and exposed me to diverse perspectives on academic freedom and how it is applied in various aspects of academia both domestically and internationally."
"The Academic Freedom Fellowship was an incredible opportunity! We were at the forefront of such compelling topics, including artificial intelligence and campus speech. It was a great thing to highlight in my law school applications and on my resume."
"Exploring academic freedom revealed how questions of belonging and identity shape whose voices are heard, valued, and protected in higher education."
"We built this archive because the people and ideas passing through this fellowship deserve a record that outlasts the political moment trying to erase them.”
"This course facilitated developing my own understanding of academic freedom, by positioning me to be in conversation with various individuals and academic freedom challenges."
"I was able to diversify my understanding of academic freedom and explore how it extends beyond just academia and into other spaces."
"Collaborating with Rachel on this project taught me patience, diligence and perseverance. Though strenuous, I’m proud of what we accomplished in just 10 weeks!”