Letters from the National Campus Director

The First National Academic Freedom Conference · 07 February 2006

Since its inception in the summer of 2003, SAF has led the way in promoting intellectual diversity and academic freedom in higher education. In these few years, we have made a great deal of progress and have shaken the complacency of the higher education system.

The higher education systems of Colorado and Ohio have formally adopted academic freedom rules based on the Academic Bill of Rights proposed by SAF, and are preparing to implement them. Principles of the Academic Bill of Rights have been incorporated into the authorization bill for the Higher Education Act at the federal level. The American Council on Education has issued a statement on Academic Freedom which incorporates key reforms proposed in the Academic Bill of Rights. In Pennsylvania, a special Committee on Academic Freedom was created by the Pennsylvania House to examine the state of academic freedom in public colleges and universities. Hearings before the committee are still in progress but they have already stimulated proposals for reform.

Our academic freedom conference in April will be the culmination of three years' effort in which our organization has built student organizations on over 150 campuses, and moved legislation in 16 states and the U.S. Congress. As result of these efforts, the issues of intellectual diversity and academic freedom have been put on the national radar screen, generating more than two thousand press articles over the last year. It is time for us to highlight and celebrate these achievements.

The April conference will feature speakers and panel topics that will examine the success of this movement from the perspective of professors, students, other major non-profits working in the area, and legislators at the State and Federal levels.

"The purpose of this conference is to raise the awareness of this historic movement," explained SAF Chairman and Founder David Horowitz. "SAF has made great strides in 'waking up' the political establishment and has stimulated major media coverage of our efforts. Now is the time to showcase these achievements, outline our goals to a national audience, and push the agenda forward to institute these reforms."

Registration for this event is free for students, faculty members, and non-profit and legislative staffers. Members of the general public are welcome to attend for the subsidized cost of $75. A preliminary schedule may be found here and we especially encourage students to attend.

Space for the conference is limited, so please register today if you know that you'll be able to attend. For more information or to register for this event, please contact Sara Dogan at 202-393-0123 or at Sara@studentsforacademicfreedom.org.

Yours in Freedom,

Sara Dogan
National Campus Director
Students for Academic Freedom

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