WASHINGTON, DC—Today, President Paul Trible shared with the Christopher Newport University (CNU) community a statement confirming its commitment to protecting and strengthening freedom of expression on campus.
In a magnificent written statement that acknowledges and draws upon the University of Chicago Principles of Free Expression, CNU’s statement asserts that it “is committed to free and open inquiry in all matters, and offers to its students, faculty and staff the broadest possible latitude to speak, write, listen, challenge and learn . . . Christopher Newport will not limit speech or discussion because the ideas put forth are thought by some—or even all—members of the community to be offensive, upsetting, unwise, immoral or wrong-headed.”
ACTA has long admired CNU for its commitment to ensuring an outstanding liberal arts foundation for all of its students, and for developing a core curriculum that is preeminent among public universities across the nation. CNU now vouchsafes the free exchange of ideas that is the lifeblood of liberal arts excellence. ACTA applauds the recent steps taken by CNU to empower every member of the campus community, regardless of viewpoint, to participate in rigorous debate about the issues that our nation faces today. These bold steps once again reflect CNU’s vision as a national leader in providing the finest curriculum and learning environment for its students.
This guide for trustees reports on the dangerous decline of academic freedom and intellectual diversity on college campuses. The foreword, by Benno Schmidt, chairman of the CUNY Board of Trustees and former president of Yale, comes at a time when duly-invited graduation speakers are made unwelcome, campus speech codes threaten the free exchange of ideas, […]
This report features ten best practices, gleaned from colleges and universities across the country, for promoting the free exchange of ideas in and out of the classroom. Since intellectual diversity is at the core of any true university education, the report commends institutions that have taken action, urges them to keep at it, and exhorts […]
Launched in 1995, we are the only organization that works with alumni, donors, trustees, and education leaders across the United States to support liberal arts education, uphold high academic standards, safeguard the free exchange of ideas on campus, and ensure that the next generation receives an intellectually rich, high-quality college education at an affordable price.
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