(Formerly published March 20, 2024 to LinkedIn.)

College should be a safe place to explore ideas – period.

Not everyone gets to go to college. The widely advertised college experience is something that many students only dream about. For those who do get there, however, it should be a wide-open context in which to explore ideas – period.

I am not a university professor nor administrator. I have, though, been a college student more than once, earning a few degrees. Additionally, I’ve served as a client for many classes, guest lectured, taught mini courses, and mentored my fair share of college students. The purpose for all of it? To learn, even if it involves awkward ideas, getting out of one’s comfort zone, challenging the status quo, revising prevailing narratives about what can or should be, or insisting that 2+2=4 is not discriminatory in any form.

Students should come to college prepared to work hard, take agency for what they get while there, and be free to explore ideas (even uncomfortable or unpopular ones) as long as it’s done in a spirit of respect. The willingness to agree to disagree and respect each other as individuals is an important part of all of this. That is how we learn together and from each other. That is how new ideas are formed, old ones are made better, innovation occurs, and problems are solved.

Unfortunately, as I’ve spoken with different students and faculty, as well as reviewed recent survey findings and read a variety of media commentary, I am not convinced higher education is doing too well with the free exchange of ideas. Conversely, it is not a surprise that our country is not doing too well with the free exchange of ideas.  We lost the understanding that it is ok to disagree.  Respectful disagreement may lead to great developments, ideas, and change the world.  Colleges should be encouraging their students to challenge the status quo and to speak against wrong while advancing right.  It appears to me, at least in some parts and on some campuses, the heuristic purpose of higher education is being stymied. At the forefront is self-censorship.

Student self-censorship happens.

Several students I’ve spoken with admit to self-censorship. They fear the faculty’s retribution or that of their classmates. Additionally, many feel there are unwritten rules about what can or cannot be freely talked about, dissected, framed, and reframed. We know that’s true when we have court controversy over university bias-reporting groups like Virginia Tech’s recently disbanded one, as reported by USA Today. The ongoing joint project between College Pulse and the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) titled “College Free Speech Rankings” (see the 2024 rankings) exists, in part, because of censorship, self or otherwise. Finally, recent survey results from current college students indicate varying levels of self-censorship. Intelligent.com reports that from its survey of 500 conservative, 500 moderate, and 500 liberal college students, “students from both sides of the aisle have concerns about expressing their views on political and social issues in the classroom.” While some may argue that’s because students just want to be polite, it may also be because the current higher ed environment is not a safe place to explore ideas. Cancellation culture should not prevail.

Faculty self-censorship also takes place.

Safely exploring all kinds of ideas depends a lot on the faculty assigned to classes. While many faculty feel empowered to do just that, there is a notable group of faculty who do not feel the same way. According to FIRE, in 2023 “72% of conservative faculty, 56% of moderate faculty, and even 40% of liberal faculty afraid of losing their jobs or reputations due to their speech. Untenured faculty are more afraid than tenured faculty, with 42% of untenured faculty censoring themselves, versus 31% of tenured faculty.” While we certainly want tempered speech that respects everyone involved in robust discussions and disagreements, we don’t want to stymie potential because faculty are fearful to encourage such discussions and disagreements.

If those students who dream of going to college demonstrate the merit needed to adequately prepare them for collegiate success, they should have access to a college education. When they get there, their questions, individual thought, and hard outside-the-status quo questions should be encouraged. It seems, however, that the “wide open conversations” opportunities are disappearing. There is not a lot of incentive for students to offer original thought, ask hard questions, and challenge classmates and faculty from perspectives that are not already ordained by the university. Many students are afraid to disagree with their classmates, faculty, and administrators about topics of substance that affect their worlds. Stagnation never brings better things.

______

The views expressed in this article are those of the author.