Drawing on empirical data from student surveys, as well as insights from faculty and higher education leaders across the country, ACTA’s report details how the rapid shift to online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the ongoing free speech crisis on college campuses, further suppressed viewpoint diversity, and encouraged more self-censorship among students. The report also delineates steps that faculty, administrators, and governing boards can take to help promote a culture of free expression in the online classroom.
“The lifeblood of the liberal arts is debate, dialectic, inquiry, and challenge,” said Dr. Michael Poliakoff, president of ACTA. “In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic that has threatened the strength and even the survival of so many institutions, online education moved to the fore. We have seen that it can bless us with access to a vibrant exchange of ideas, but it also has the potential to eliminate the opportunity for growth of character and intellect.”
With the release of Building a Culture of Free Expression in the Online Classroom, ACTA identifies vulnerabilities in the remote learning environment that, if left unaddressed, will further imperil open dialogue. By implementing the strategies outlined in the report, colleges and universities will be prepared to address controversies when they happen and can shape an academic culture that celebrates viewpoint diversity and the free exchange of ideas.
To access the full report, click here.
The American Council of Trustees and Alumni has released its groundbreaking report The Cost of Excess: Why Colleges Must Control Runaway Spending, a comprehensive analysis of college spending trends and the impact spending has on tuition and student success. ACTA analyzed data from more than 1,500 four-year public and private, nonprofit colleges and universities.The data […]
The acclaimed author, journalist, and activist Jonathan Rauch sat down with ACTA’s Doug Sprei to explore the social and political vectors that led him to write his remarkable new book, The Constitution of Knowledge. Rauch is a research fellow at the Brookings Institution and a contributing editor at The Atlantic; he’s also a champion of civil discourse, and a […]
American Council of Trustees and Alumni President Michael Poliakoff testifies before the House Higher Education and Workforce Investment Subcommittee on student success related to the Pell Grant Program and sky-high tuition prices. Read the full testimony HERE.
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