As the school year begins at most college campuses, three major academic organizations are making clear their commitment to free speech for university professors.
In a joint statement released on Thursday, the American Association of University Professors (AAUP), the American Federation of Teachers and the Association of American Colleges and Universities, expressed concerns over the recent harassment of faculty across the country and the censorship of professors based on statements they make outside of the classroom.
“At a variety of institutions—public and private, large and small—individual members of the faculty have been singled out for campaigns of harassment in response to remarks they have made, or are alleged to have made, in public speeches, on social media, or in the classroom,” the groups stated.
“These campaigns of harassment endanger more than the faculty member concerned. They pose a profound and ominous challenge to higher education’s most fundamental values.”
Dana Cloud, a professor in the Department of Communication and Rhetorical Studies at Syracuse University, became the victim of threats and hateful messages after she tweeted at a counter-protest during an event called “March Against Sharia.” A vocal community of right-wing activists called for her dismissal from the university.
Through her own initiative, the help of her faculty network, and the assistance of the AAUP, she regained control of the narrative surrounding the tweet. Cloud was able to escalate communications through university administration, sharing the harassment she had been receiving with Syracuse’s president, Kent Syverud, who subsequently announced that Cloud would keep her professorship.
For the AAUP, the professional relationship between this faculty member and administrator demonstrates how freedom of speech can be protected on university campuses. The organization’s statement quotes the “exemplary” response from Syverud.
