The concept of academic freedom, however, is operationalized via bureaucratic documents such as university policies and, in some cases, law. But, as those of us in public administration know, bureaucratic policies and procedures are only as strong as the willingness of people to buy into them. In other words, a policy and even a law loses meaning if it conflicts with culture and action. I wonder, is it possible to attack something that does not really exist in practice? OK, to be fair, academic freedom exists on paper, but in practice the culture of higher education does not (in my and many others’ experiences) reflect the stated commitment.
Culture reflects institutional norms which are an outgrowth of institutional realities. One such reality is a never-ending cycle of austerity, especially at non-flagship institutions, that has left little room for the fearless advancement of knowledge so crucial to the mission of higher education. When there is a constant risk of program and resource cuts, faculty will seek to keep their head down to avoid falling victim to those cuts. Now is not the time to be perceived as a troublemaker on a college campus. Those of us in public administration often research and comment on the political institutions that oversee our public universities, putting us in an awkward position of weighing the pros and cons of pursuing research that may generate a backlash.
This is not to say the recent attacks on higher education are not real, nor am I suggesting that we collectively give up on academic freedom. I am suggesting that it is time to evolve past the goal of defending academic freedom and instead define and build a new culture of academic freedom. The challenge facing higher education mirrors our larger democratic challenge: We have a generation of people being asked to defend something that they never truly experienced or fully benefited from. The mid-career academic at most universities has known only austerity, political interference and a crisis of confidence in higher education throughout their professional career.
