Diversity and Free Expression in Higher Education

Across the United States today, college campuses face two major distinct but interrelated challenges. The first is a legislative threat. Since 2021, state legislatures have enacted 15 laws or policies in 11 states that directly undermine university autonomy and academic freedom. As of this writing, 119 legislative restrictions on higher education have been introduced in 34 states since 2021, and there are now 14 states with such a legislative or policy restriction. The second threat has to do with how university administrators and other campus stakeholders respond to political tensions on campus in a manner that upholds both the prerogatives of inclusivity and robust protections for academic freedom. This article examines these two challenges in tandem, offering guidelines for how to champion academic freedom and free expression while simultaneously fostering inclusive campus communities. Both goals, we argue, are crucial to upholding higher education’s democratic mission.