Students For Academic Freedom

The First-Ever Student Academic Freedom Conference · 25 January 2006

Press Release from Students for Academic Freedom--01/25/06

On April 6-7, 2006, Students for Academic Freedom will host the first national student conference on academic freedom ever held. The conference will take place at the Washington Court Hotel in Washington, DC.

Since its inception in the summer of 2003, Students for Academic Freedom has led the way in promoting intellectual diversity and academic freedom in higher education. The April event will be the culmination of three years effort in which the organization has built student organizations on 150 campuses, and moved legislation in 16 states and the U.S. Congress. As result of the efforts of Students for Academic Freedom 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.

The academic freedom campaign has 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.

The April conference will feature speakers and panel topics that will highlight the 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," said 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."

More information including a schedule and a list of confirmed speakers will become available on the Students for Academic Freedom website over the coming weeks.

Students for Academic Freedom is a national movement to promote intellectual diversity and to restore educational values to America's institutions of higher learning. The organization recommends that colleges and universities adopt an Academic Bill of Rights to ensure that these principles are respected. The Academic Bill of Rights is available on the organization's website at www.studentsforacademicfreedom.org.

For information on the conference contact Sara Dogan at 202-393-0123 or sara@studentsforacademicfreedom.org.
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Students for Academic Freedom was founded by David Horowitz to fight for academic diversity on America's college campuses.

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